05 – 07 November, 2019
Driving south out of New Plymouth for the first time since this adventure began is some kind of progress milestone I guess. Nice change of scenery anyway. This is another 4 day window where the weather seems acceptable; and I’m keen to retain some early season paddle fitness.
THIS TRIP: Waimarama to Akitio – 3 paddle days
Overall Distance: 116.2km Time: 17.7hrs Ave Speed: 6.6km/hr
Thursday, 05 December, 2019
Waimarama to Aramoana
Arrived at Waimarama from Wanganui having stayed there the night. A lot quieter at Waimarama beach today. The tide was out offering an easy surf entry against the protective rocky outcrop projecting off the beach. On the water just before 1100hrs. There was a light (5kt) northerly however the forecast was for anything from the NW to SW so not at all sure what we would get through the day; or how far we would get.
Agreed with Shaz that I would come in at Kairakau just 2.5 hours away and reassess our destination based on conditions.
Stayed close to shore even through the light northerly remained with me all the way to Kairakau. Its much more interesting weaving through rocks and reefs.
Arrived at Kairakau on schedule and Shaz directed me to land right in front of the camper. An easy landing but I left my bloody camelbak hydration tube under my skirt again, and didn’t realise until I was exiting Secala. Nevermind!
The conditions remained good, so after a cuppa and a snack, decided to go on to Pourerere at least, only 3 hours away. Maybe Aramoana, another hour further on.
Once we got going the wind swung offshore (NW). Had a great time paddling through and over reefs, having to keep a keen eye out for shoals that occasionally broke the surface in the low swell. Awesome paddling area.
Having settled into a rhythm now towards Paoanui Point, my attention was diverted towards movement on the surface of the water about 100m to my left. Almost certainly a bird of some sort, I casually focussed in on the area. My heart skipped a beat when a huge fin was scything through the water at speed heading north. Instantly realised that it was way too big to be a shark fin and, as it went past my beam, was clearly a killer whale (orca). Impressive sight seeing a huge fin flying through the water. Would have been keen for a closer look but no chance at the speed it was travelling. Was unusual, I thought, that this appeared to be a solo orca.
About 30 minutes later I saw another about 200m to my right, close in to the shore this time, also heading in a northerly direction. Presumably a second orca. Had my eyes peeled ahead now for an opportunity to possibly intercept one heading my way. Alas, didn’t see any more.
Into the afternoon now, the offshore NW developed enough to cause good gusts through valleys and ravines and to swing SW around headlands. Quite a different unsettling feeling with the varying nature of the winds on this section of coast. Without local knowledge, a heavy dose of caution is required I think.
Once at Pourerere it was an easy decision to keep going to Aramoana, only 1 hour away. Called up Shaz by VHF to confirm my intentions. Once around Tuingara Point, with Aramoana in sight, a moderate SW headwind set in for the last 30 minutes or so reducing my speed down to 2km/hr. My workout for the day. The landing was as smooth as a lake under the protection of the reef that extends out from the southern end of the beach.
While we were there Eugene and his brother went out paua diving on the reef. Part of the reef is available for shellfish gathering while the rest falls within the Angiangi Marine Reserve. Aluminium poles are bolted to the reef marking the Reserve boundary. Upon their return they gave us 3 nice big paua. Much appreciated. Generally found the locals in these parts very friendly and keen to stop for a chat. Mentioned to Eugene about the orca, and he said it was common for them to be seen traveling north up this coast as far as Napier. This was a little late in the orca “season” apparently, as they are usually seen around September/October.
4 December 2019
Shaz …………..Packed up and ready to go! Brent picked me up from my photography class at the Meeting of the Waters, just outside New Plymouth, at 6.30pm and we headed for Whanganui for the night. Sarah had made dinner tonight, I had mine takeaway style eating in the van while Brent drove. Arrived in Whanganui around 8.40pm and parked up at the Springvale Park carpark along with other motorhomes.
5 December 2019
Up bright and early this morning with our coffee to go (Brent made a Bialetti) and on the road by 6am heading for Waimarama.
I drove and the only stop on the way was in Dargarville so Brent could get muesli ready to eat and we continued on!
Arrived at Waimarama around 10am, Brent unpacked his gear, kayak etc and I got some snack food ready for him (cheese & crackers, banana and Christmas cake). Before you knew it he was on the water and heading for Kairakau Beach 2.5hrs away.
After cleaning up, I headed for Kairakau Beach where I would contact him by VHF to see if he was going to continue as the wind was up a little! It was a beautiful sunny day 25 degrees outside now, so a little warm now! I arrived at Kairakau beach about 12.15pm, wasn’t expecting Brent for another hour yet. Made myself coffee, crackers with tomato, got out my chair and sat in the sun. Not long before it was too hot so put out the awning. Took a few photos on the camera, practicing techniques that I have been learning! Some good and some not so good, oh well!
Saw Brent in the distance and made contact on VHF, he is doing well but has decided to come in for cup of tea and cake! (This cake isn’t going to last long) Time is around 1pm!
He was back on the water by 1.25pm, quick turn around!
Before leaving I took few more photos on the camera, some surfers walking back along the beach, flowers and this mosaic seat built in 2012 by Barbara Rush and moved to its current location in 2016.
Going onto Pourerere beach where he will make contact with me and let me know if he is going to go onto Aramoana for not. I took the long route to Pourerere as not too sure of the road from Kairakau to Pourerere and besides I need to get diesel. The closest place was Waipawa, filled up with diesel and went to the 4 Square and brought some sunblock. Then headed for Pourerere, heard from Brent on VHF around 4.30pm he is going to go onto Aramoana. Told him that apparently you need a permit to camp at Aramoana, but said that I would drive there and see! It was only a short drive to Aramoana on a gravel road, but it wasn’t to bad really! I drove down by the beach to where the motorhomes could stay overnight, there was no one there. I packed up and went for a walk down by the beach and a local man came along so I explain him about what Brent was doing and we never know where might be on a given day! He said ‘Nah mate it’s all good, so long as you are self contained all good’. Awesome, thank god!
Walked back to the van to get my camera, and 2 guys had arrived in the car park and were putting on their wet suits. They were going to get paua. They came from Hastings, just 40 minute drive.
While I was waiting to see Brent come around the point, a local farmer on his 4 wheeler came by and stopped for a chat! Explained what Brent was doing and he said ‘Why? What made him decide to do that’ and you know what I couldn’t really tell him except he just did! Funny, I must ask him as a lot of people ask me the same question.
Brent landed on the beach around 6pm dragged the kayak up the beach to where the van was parked.
Later on one of the 2 guys came back with his 10 paua, but the other guy was still out there! Brent was talking to Eugene for a while before his brother turned with his catch. He came over and gave us 3 paua, they are a lot bigger than we get in the Naki
06 December, 2019
Aramoana to Porangahau
A bit of a struggle getting up this morning. Off the beach by 0600 though, after an easy launch. There is no internet coverage here so no weather update this morning. VHF Nowcasting is out of range too. Yesterdays forecast for the area was for more of the same, with a dominant NW flow over the lower North Island.
Just around the point from Aramoana is the little settlement of Blackhead that is neatly tucked in behind a small beach bordered closely by reefs north and south. Blackhead is located 7km north of Blackhead Point. Had a gentle but building NW offshore since my departure from Aramoana 30 minutes earlier.
As I approached Blackhead, gentle gusts from the south made themselves known which, I have found, is not unusual for this coast and no real cause for concern. Over the next hour, nearing Blackhead Point the gusts intensified and filled out to resemble a “wall” of white caps heading towards me. Concerned but undeterred, I ground it out, barely making headway in the chop, when I saw the wind intensifying even further up ahead. It was an effort keeping control of the paddle now. About 2km short of Blackhead Point I decided that finding shelter was the prudent thing to do and wait the southerly out. Completing a 180 turn, careful not to get caught out swinging broadside to the wind, started back-tracking towards Blackhead. With a hefty tailwind now I flew along the surface. Decided to return to Aramoana as it would probably be quicker than having Shaz weave her way by gravel roads to Blackhead. Sent Shaz an inReach message with my plans, knowing that she would not receive them until she got somewhere with internet reception. Arrived back at Aramoana having spent 2.8 hours paddling 15.4km for no net gain. No worries, safety is key. And we’re in no hurry.
Nothing for it but to wait for Shaz to return to Aramoana to pick me up. Wanted to get a weather forecast update as the southerlies I encountered had a permanent feel about them.
Shaz returned to Aramoana about an hour later having received my messages when she had got to Waipawa. Loaded up Secala and back to Waipawa we went to get a weather update.
Turns out the forecast hadn’t really changed much although one forecast predicted southerlies in this area. So back to Aramoana we went to wait out the southerlies. Upon return the southerlies seemed to have disappeared! Relaunched and enjoyed a much easier run past Blackhead Point into Pourangahau Bay. Blackhead Point has a reef that kept me wide before I could safely change course to cross the bay towards Pourangahau. The late start means my destination today is Pourangahau at the southern end of the 14km Pourangahau Beach.
From Blackhead Point I enjoyed a light NE tailwind until a couple of kilometres out of Pourangahau when a howling SW offshore hit me in the face. Dramatic wind shifts, influenced by the topography; is the norm in these parts, it seems. Somehow it’s easier, and in a way welcomed, to have a workout with the finish line in sight. Shaz directed me ashore and within a couple of hundred meters of the beach the wind completely died away.
Landed cleanly on the beach and parked Secala in the sand dunes for the night.
Enjoyed a great paua dinner cooked on the Weber. Thanks Eugene.
Shaz ………….. Brent up early again, just after 5am! Had breakfast and setting up ready to go by 5.34am.
Grabbed photo and said goodbye from the camper van and he headed off for the beach. Beautiful sunrise this morning, looks amazing through the pine trees. Went outside in my nightie (no one else around) to get some photos.
Brent set off for Herbertville around 5.40am, I will meet him there for a cuppa! Will stay here until about 8am then head off. No internet; 1 bar every now and then, not much until you are almost in Waipawa. Decided to get a coffee there not much open so got one at BP.
Lots of messages have come through on my phone, there were 2 from Brent’s inReach. He is returning to Aramoana ……… there must be something wrong! Tried to ring him but no reply so I answered him via email on his inReach. I said that I was on my way back but would be about 45 minutes. As expected it took 45 minutes and he was lying down on the grass when I pulled up and all his gear was unpacked ready to go! He said that when he got around the point near Blackhead there was a head wind which made it very hard work.
Anyway we packed everything away, kayak back onto the camper and set off to get some internet coverage so Brent could get a weather report. I said that we might have to go back to Waipawa to get good coverage, which we did!
Got a crap coffee at cafe, Brent couldn’t even drink his so made his own in the Bialetti! The weather report said that the conditions were improving this afternoon, so we set off for the 45 minute trip back to Aramoana. Brent had a quick bite to eat, dressed and unloaded everything ready for ‘take 2’ for today!
He was back on the water by 1pm, I said that I’d wait here for a hour or two before heading off. He said that he would send me a email by inReach with standard message ‘I’m checking in; everything is okay’ if he was continuing on this time. I set off around 2.15pm trying to get internet along the way to check for updates, but only getting 1 bar most of the way. It just wouldn’t download any information. Getting close to Waipawa again I got 3 bars and so I checked the inReach App, he was now past where he got earlier so I guess he’s OK! Thank goodness for that, I really didn’t want to drive back to Aramoana. In Waipawa I got his message everything OK, so I continued to Porangahau Beach where we will camp for the night.
Brent landed safely on Porangahau beach at 4.49pm, yeah!
Paua for tea tonight thanks to Eugene and his brother, Brent had it thinly sliced with onions and garlic cooked in butter and I made a paua fritter with finely chopped paua. There was nothing black looking about this paua fritter, it was a white one!
07 December, 2019
Pourangahau to Akitio
An earlier dawn start this morning before anyone in the camp has roused. Getting into my normal daily pattern now.
My initial destination today is Herbertville, via Cape Turnagain, for an early lunch and reassess the day. Ultimately Akitio would be a good target for the day if conditions allowed. But first, Cape Turnagain. Rounding this Cape is 3 hours away! With the previous days experience in mind, I told Shaz that my emergency exit will be Whangaehu that lies about half way between Pourangahau and Cape Turnagain.
The Pourangahau surf is small but still managed to cop a couple over the bow for a full drench “wake up call”. Beyond the small shore break the sea was calm and there was a solid covering of high cirrus cloud. A NW is forecast again so intend to stay close to shore.
Consciously kept moving this morning as I wanted to get past the Cape in the best possible conditions. Kept a keen eye on sky over my right shoulder and frequently scanned the sea surface all around. Nothing to worry about as I passed Whangaehu, but definitely on higher alert than normal. Consciously made note of all the escape landing opportunities along the way.
Rounded White Cliffs Point to an amazing sight with high continuous limestone cliffs all the way to Cape Turnagain about 4.5km away. What a magnificent “ monster “ of a headland. I was intimidated and awestruck at the same time. Stopped often for photos.
Torn between wanting to linger in these spectacular surroundings and the demand to put this very exposed shoreline behind me. I was so close to the shore that the real Cape eventually arrived after three “false alarms”.
Very happy to turn the corner towards Herbetville in perfect conditions. Another memorable, stunning headland safely negotiated and every moment enjoyed.
A light offshore NW headwind ruffled the hitherto smooth sea, during the crossing to Herbertville. A boat came alongside for a chat during his cray pot clearing. He was interested in where I was heading and said there were very few kayakers that came to these parts. Not surprised! (No offer of a crayfish though …….)
As I closed in on Herbertville I saw Shaz driving the shoreline trying to find the best place for me to land. Shaz waved me in to the steep “dumping” golden sand beach and walked 100m over the beach to where Shaz was parked.
Still hoping to get to Akitio today as there is plenty of time left in the day. Within minutes of landing though, a stiff southerly announced itself that got stronger as we sat for a sandwich. Won’t be launching in that! However, like yesterday, there is hope that the southerly will “blow out” within a couple of hours. Mighty relieved this hadn’t arrived while I was heading round the Cape! There’s nowhere to hide around there.
While we watched, the wind veered to more of an offshore NW. It’s about a 3 hour paddle to Akitio with no emergency exits that have vehicle access. After looking and procrastinating; decided to launch and stay very close to the shore.
Typical of what we had experienced so far; the winds frequently changed along the way from a gusty offshore NW, to SW headwinds, then an occasional lighter NE. There was no relaxing in these conditions, especially watchful of the strong NW gusts hurtling down valleys to ensure I didn’t get caught unguarded. A solid lean into these concerted gusts was required to remain stable. Occasionally I had to skirt wide around the outside of reefs before plugging my way back to shore. Once again Shaz guided me into the Akitio shore where this trip would end. Plenty of learnings this trip and some of the most stunning paddled of this adventure.
Shaz ………… OMG, Brent was up at 4.20am, next thing he’s telling me that the gas bottle has ran out so has to change it. Really … its 4.36am! Opening the back door of the van to access the gas bottles right under the bed where I’m trying to sleep, yeah right! Just quietly I’m glad it happened while he was here! Following his breakfast he gave me a good bye kiss and set off! His inReach email came in at 5.36am, so he’s off shore then. He tried to contact me on the VHF, which was miraculously turned on! So got up and answer ‘come in Secala, Shaz Dog here’, however only got muffled call back couldn’t understand any of it! So back to bed for me and try to get some sleep as I didn’t have a good night, bloody cramp twice. Drank plenty of water! Just got comfortable when Daniel messaged from France asking if he’ll get to Castle Point today! Told him that I’m not sure about that as the wind is supposed to be getting up. Fell asleep for a little while then up, showered and had breakfast by 7.40am.
Brent said its a 4 hours paddle to Herbertville, and its a 37 minute drive for me! On the way I thought that I’d stop at the Porangahau shop and see if they had any banana’s. They didn’t, but the lady in the shop said the lady across the road selling fruit and vegetables from her truck may do and she even has eftpos. Sure enough she had some, good day! On the drive from Porangahau to Herbertville you drive past the Longest place name in New Zealand, 85 letters long ‘Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateatruripukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu’
I continued on to Herbertville arriving a 10am, parked up and checked to see if I could see Brent. There he was in the distance, called him up on the VHF. He landed on the beach at 10.15am, there was a bit of distance between the beach where he landed and where the van was parked.
I put the coffee pot on and waited for Brent to walk up the beach across the creek and up to the van. While he was having his coffee and sandwich the wind picked up, a lot!
This could be a waiting game like yesterday!
Time to relax for a little while and see what happens, the weather report didn’t say anything about the wind! Around 12.30pm conditions seemed to have improve, wind had changed direction. Brent decided to go for it and get to Akitio. He was on the water by 12.44pm. It would be a 3 hour paddle to Akitio.
I drove onto Akitio, 1 hour 15 minute drive on a good road. Drove through Wimbledon, not a tennis court in sight but there was a tavern by the bridge.
On arrival at Akitio the wind had picked up a lot, hope Brent is going OK! After a while I could see him in the distance, it looked like a slow slog for him. I got the camera out again and tried my hand at some photos.
Brent landed on the Akitio beach near the boat ramp around 3.39pm.
We decided to call it quits now, as the weather is getting much worse. So we pack up and head towards home.
Decided to stay the night at Ferry Reserve near Woodville, what a beautiful spot so peaceful and quiet! Brent even decided to go for a swim in the river.
