ISSN 1177-4177 HE SEA CANOEIST NEWSLETTER The Journal of the Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers (NZ) Inc - KASK

Boatshed Bay Pigeon Island Dusky Sound Firodland Cathye Haddock & Peter Simpson

No. 141 June - July 2009

The Sea Canoeist Newsletter INDEX EDITORIAL In Te Anau, when we arrived pre-dawn EDITORIAL p. 3 to the helicopter base, it was pretty MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL obvious the pilot was not fussed on KASK A renewal form with your address fl ying us and kayaks, and from my Website Update p. 4 details will accompany this newsletter. 39 years of helicopter work, I didn’t Sandy’s Favourite Sites p. 4 Please renew your annual subscription feel confi dent in fl ying with the bloke. Network Reports p. 5 and continue to support the sterling When he cracked one of the kayaks President’s Report p. 6 work that KASK does for recreational when straining a strap, we mutually kayaking in New Zealand. KASK pulled the pin on the fl ight. But as you SAFETY administrator Linda Ingram is taking will read in Cathye Haddock’s report, MNZ Safety Initiatives p. 6 a break in Canada until 21 August, so it proved to be a boon for the trip and there will be a delay in her responding we fl ew in later the same day with CONSERVATION to email queries and address changes another operator. Project Island Birdsong Update until after that date. by Pauline Moretti p. 6 At Riverton, the Christchurch group COVER OF N/L 140 experienced a similar problem when THE ‘BUGGER! FILE For those of you wondering who took they arrived at the wharf to load kayaks A Fishy Story the wonderful cover photo of Melanie onto the chartered boat. As nothing has by Phil Hansen p. 8 Grant in a huge archway on the Otago been written on this trip, I can only coast, it was Max Grant - my apolo- recall snippets of phone conversations NZ TRIP REPORTS gies for the omission. Visible on the with two of the group – the vessel was Dusky Sound 2009 horizon, through the archway, is the not the boat as booked; some safety by Cathye Haddock p. 9 Nugget Point Lighthouse. equipment was lacking; the voyage into Otago Retreat took 15 hours BOOK REVIEW / BOOKS KEN TAYLOR KAYAK ARTICLE because of wind and sea conditions; Enchanted Vagabonds The article by Duncan Winning (page all the boat crew and paddling group review: Paul Hayward p.14 15) on a skin kayak, that was taken were sea sick, several to the point of Finding old Books from West Greenland to Scotland in being comatose; one paddler during by Paul Hayward p.14 1959, is an important contribution to the hours of darkness saw reefs close our kayaking heritage. The text of the by and had to alert a crewman to the HISTORY article fi rst appeared in the December danger; and during the dinghy drop off Ken Taylor’s Kayak - The Origins of 2008 Sea Kayaker magazine, but with at the lighthouse landing, one paddler Modern Greenland-style Kayaks the help of Gordon Brown and Alan was knocked over in the surf. I was by Duncan R. Winning p.15 Byde, the article is illustrated here horrifi ed to hear of this drama, and with a lovely mixture of historical and amongst other things I felt a complaint KAYAKING KALENDAR p.20 recent photographs. should have been laid with Maritime New Zealand. HUMOUR p.21 BOOKS Paul Hayward has written a short note On board a charter boat, with your on the ease of modern day book col- kayak, paddling kit, PFD and safety lecting, but be warned, the websites equipment stowed, the vessel skipper he discusses can be hazardous to the is responsible for your safety. What THANKS health of your plastic money cards. would you do when faced with either to all the contributors and the early morning Te Anau helicopter those paddlers providing FIORDLAND ACCESS or Riverton fi shing boat quandaries? photographs In April, separate paddling groups Rely on assurances from the transport spent two weeks each in Dusky Sound provider or pull the pin? It is easy and Preservation Inlet. The Dusky for me to say the Christchurch group team fl ew to the head of the sound should have requested the boat as with kayaks strapped to the skids of a chartered and failing that, not boarded DEADLINE helicopter (see story on page 9 & photo the replacement vessel. Easy for me as on page 2) while the Preservation Inlet I have worked a season on a crayboat FOR NEXT team went in via fi shing boat from in Fiordland and also charter-boated Riverton. Both teams had booked their in from Riverton to Preservation NEWSLETTER Fiordland access well ahead. Inlet with a 13 other kayakers. As a 16 SEPTEMBER Photos on page 2: Top, pilot Mark Deaker with his Squirrel on the low wa- 2009 ter HLZ at Supper Cover, at the head of Dusky Sound. Photo: Paul Caffyn Bottom: Cathye Haddock passing a waterfall on the northern shore of Dusky Sound. Photo: Peter Simpson. See report on p. 9.

3 No. 141 June - July 2009 tailpiece, the Christchurch group had KASK WEBSITE This is the Discussion Forum run by a successful two week tiki tour of the from Sandy Ferguson, Webmaster Nick Schade. There are also on the inlet, and the boat as arranged in the This is the fi rst of, maybe, a note in same site, discussions headed Trips, charter, picked them up for the trip each of the coming newsletters. Technique and Design. back to Riverton. To make a site interesting, things need Falkland Islands Expedition 2009 WSNZ to keep changing and that is what we Successfully Finished - as mentioned A funding application from KASK are trying to do. We do need input in Sea Canoeist No.138 - 639 Miles to Water Safety New Zealand was from members - items such as DIY, in 22 Days: recently granted. The $1,500 grant pictures, safety items and the use of http://marcusdemuth.com/falklands. will be used by the editor to update the discussion page. aspx the KASK recreational kayak incident database, and allow updates of both Latest Updates - a new page, Kayak- BITS & BOBS the fatality statistics and analysis of ing History. So far a couple of items Alaskan Digital Archives signifi cant causal factors. The updated relating to Arctic kayaks. We haven’t From Peter Sullivan, a superb website database will be provided to WSNZ, made a policy on how recent ‘history’ for paddlers interested in photographs MNZ, Coastguard and the National items for inclusion can be but there is of historical Alaskan skin kayaks, with Incident database, still a lot of New Zealand history to Alaska’s Digital Archives: be included. http://vilda.alaska.edu/ NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK from Maggie Oakley The Newsletter page has now had an From Kevin Killilea in This newsletter had so much of inter- upload of older newsletters, something northern Alaska: est, and in particular I take my hat off spurred on by one of the Discussion 7 July 2009. Hope you are well and to Mel and Max. I would have liked Group writers. Eventually we might enjoying the winter. Just saw on the to have met them when they were have all issues ever written mounted TV news that French guy trying to get along my coastline but I had already there. around the planet self powered got agreed to take some kayakers into rescued in his kayak from the Bering Central Otago, and therefore missed On the Greenland discussion group, Sea yesterday. them altogether. have a look at this fi lm about the Greenland Kayak tradition from the He departed France in ‘08 and paddled Also Sandy Winteron writing on very talented Nive Nielsen: the Atlantic. He rode his push-bike Winds. And I was in Taupo the day of from Florida to Alaska. He paddled the Lake Race - my son was meeting http://www.dailymotion.com/video/ away from Emmonak in the Yukon me with a kayak to take me on a run on x8cwt8_qajaq-gl-by-nive-nielsen_ River delta, heading for Gambell on the Tongariro River. Really your whole creation St. Lawrence Is. There was a 23 knot newsletter is of interest from start to wind out of the south and he was col- fi nish. And on page 3, I like your SANDY’S FAVOURITE SITES lected by the Coastguard in a Jayhawk honest report of the NZRCA AGM. For a couple of my personal favourite helicopter, winched up in a basket, Thanks once again, Maggie Oakley sites, USA Greenland Kayaking when 40 miles north of the island. He http://www.qajaqusa.org/ had rung the troopers on his satphone, REQUEST FOR ARTICLES told them his scenario, so they sent the Any feedback from KASK paddlers on Checkout the site and go to the Coastguard in a helo. He was said to be the latest compact waterproof digital ‘Discussion Forum for discussions exhausted and slightly hypothermic, cameras? on building, history, who is going to but generally OK. I’m sure you can Greenland for their games and more’. fi nd more about this chap on the web, Do you have a point of view contribu- if you haven’t already. The website for tion re a safety issue?Or a write up on There are also rolling videos on the the Frenchman is under his name Jean- your favourite piece of kit? site though you will need broadband or Gabriel Chelala, a 28 yr old engineer. patience. Greenland is where kayaking He was in 6 ft seas along with the 23 In the next newsletter, Nora Flight has started and this tries to give a back- kt wind. He had abandoned his kayak promised an article on a recent New ground to it and ways of understanding and is presently in Nome, last I heard. Caledonia paddling excursion with it from a European perspective. There four grown ups and four kids, and is (a very reasonable) emphasis on Sandy Ferguson supplied the follow- Cathye Haddock is being blackmailed Greenland paddles too. ing links: for a 2nd instalment to her Dusky Sound www.jeangabrielchelala.com/ trip report. The editor has threatened to Kayak Building Bulletin Board: cut the toes out of a pair of her loaned http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/ www.jeangabrielchelala.com/blog-en/ black socks, but will return the socks Building/index.cgi intact for the 2nd instalment. www.123people.com/s/ jean+gabriel+chelala Paul Caffyn

4 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter From Linda Ingram in Canada NETWORK REPORTS ing for lunch or on the return at the New Brunswick Kayak Story Bay Association of Sea day’s end – a bit more surf training 13 July 09 kayakers for some I feel, but good on them for Harold Cox of Saint John has kayaked coming along. in many countries of the world, but (Bask) the Reversing Falls in his hometown We also had 12 new members join got the better of the veteran paddler by Evan Pugh (22 July 2009) during that time as well as surf train- Monday morning. One of Saint John’s ing and our AGM, we have our own best-known paddlers, Cox had to be Well it’s July now and we have had a newsletter and BASK fl uoro-paddle rescued after his boat fi lled with water, mixture of good and bad weather, fi ne hats as well as black caps and T shirt. forcing him to jump ship. all week then windy and raining for We seem to have members scattered the Saturday or Sunday club paddles. from Tauranga to Thames and Taupo “I went for a little swim. I kind of Some have been cancelled and some, to the Waikato so we do cover quite wish I’d been doing a triple fl ip, or a few of us hardy ones have turned an area. something,” said Cox, who has 20 up to battle the conditions. In March years experience kayaking in the area. we had a successful trip to Waikawau “All I was doing was adjusting and Bay on the Coromandel, while four of my skirt came off for a second, and us did a lap of Great Barrier Island FOR SALE a little water came into the cockpit. with a variety of conditions from fl at K2 Feathercraft folding sea kayak Then the boat fi lled up, and I hopped calm to rather rough and some hard $3850. onto an island, and I didn’t have any paddling done. K1 Feathercraft folding sea kayak way to get onshore.” $3250. In April, 17 paddlers kayaked on Lake Both in top condition with low Firefi ghters picked up Cox on Crow Rotoma, then Lake Okataina in May mileage. Island, while his yellow kayak fl oated which was a tad windy and yet 13 down to the Hilton Hotel in Saint John. turned up to take part with the group. Contact Terry on: 035248447. Cox has paddled around the world Papamoa to Kaituna and back on the Email: tfeasthope@ farmside.co.nz including Africa, South America and coast – we had nine arrive and many Australia. tip-outs during the day while land-

The phenomenon of the Reversing PADDLER’S MATE Falls is caused by rise and fall of the Attached is a photo I couldn’t resist taking. We were walking along the edge tides of the Bay of Fundy, the highest of Lake Tekapo last weekend, and spied a paddler out fi shing. His trusty in the world. companion was sitting patiently in a large, well appointed, basket next to the van (in the sun) awaiting his master’s return, obviously used to this routine. Thrills and Spills at Lyttlelton Our return trip coincided with the paddler arriving back to the shore. The from Peter Sullivan dog (Zak) shot out of his basket to perform his duty of carrying the paddle A really entertaining afternoon is to back for the weary paddler. I noted that he wasn’t so silly as to get his paws sit near the public slipway at Lyttelton wet though. Photo and caption: Martin Fraser and watch bods like this get into all sorts of trouble. The best one I saw was when a guy was standing on the draw bar holding a rope tied to the bow of his pride and joy. His wife was backing down and he was giving directions. He yelled stop, the women braked violently, he sort of launched off the drawbar hanging onto his boat and ended up fl ying through the air and into the drink - bloody hilarious. He was screaming and raging at his wife who got absolutely pissed off, got out of the car, left it on the slipway and stormed off. This got all those in the queue riled up - it was almost a civil war - very entertaining.

5 No. 141 June - July 2009

He reinforced that the fi nal outcome KASK should result in safety at sea. CONSERVATION The outcome of the meeting was that President’s Report July 2009 ARC would continue to liaise with us Project Island Song Update by John Hesseling and suggested that we all meet again BAY OF ISLANDS in August. It is hoped that at that time from Pauline Moretti It has been a short time since my last we will be able to view the ARC Sub- report and newsletter but the KASK Committee’s recommendation to the The eradication stage of Project Island committee have been kept busy. A face full Council on the review of Rule 2.17. to face committee meeting has been Song is nearing completion. The De- arranged for September and we have partment of Conservation (DoC) con- continued to liaise with the Northland SAFETY cluded the second of two aerial drops Canoe Club regarding the 2010 forum. of rat poison on Ipipiri (islands in the Kayaking & Canoeing eastern Bay of Islands) on 22 June. Further to the April 2009 hearing Safety Initiatives to be Project Island Song is a shared vision on the submissions to the ARC Rolled Out Navigation Safety Bylaw Clause 2.17, to return native wildlife and plant life on 21st July 2009 myself, together with by John Marshall to Ipipiri (islands in the eastern Bay of six other kayaking representatives Islands). It is led by the Guardians of (including Kevin Dunsford, Gerry The Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) the Bay of Islands Inc, Patukeha and Maire, Paul Hayward, Pete Townend safety in kayaking and canoeing strat- Ngati Kuta (resident hapu at Rawhiti) and Ian Fergusson) met with Auckland egy, released earlier this year, set out and DoC, with support from local Regional Council chairman Mike Lee, a range of initiatives to be developed landowners and tourism interests. four ARC Councillors including three over the next 3–5 years, covering both from the Navigation Safety Bylaw recreational and commercial kayaking The Guardians are also working with Sub-Committee, the ARC Harbour and canoeing activities. the Northland Regional Council, Master and the ARC Regulatory Eastern Bay of Islands Preservation Services General Manager. We MNZ Safety Auditor Colin Sonneveld Society, Te Rawhiti Enterprises Ltd outlined our concerns with the says “Initiatives envisioned in the and the New Zealand Kiwi Founda- existing Rule 2.17 in the Auckland strategy include an “all-in-one” safety tion on a complementary mainland Maritime Safety Bylaw regarding pack for beginner and intermediate pest control project. It’s necessary to paddle craft visibility and also the kayakers, as well as experienced visit- control pests on the nearby mainland lack of consultation with kayakers and ing overseas paddlers; and guidelines to avoid reinvasion by rats and stoats paddlers prior to the rule becoming for accommodation providers supply- swimming to the islands. operative in 2008. We also stressed ing paddle craft for their guests’ use.” to the ARC representatives that a MNZ will partner with sector bodies Skywork Helicopters carried out the majority of paddling organisations and opinion leaders, including KASK, drop without a hitch, in ideal weather strongly supported a recommendation in the development of these resources. conditions. Clear southerly weather in the bylaw regarding kayak visibility with four fi ne nights afterwards, on rather than a prescriptive rule. This is Two draft guidelines – one for rivers both occasions, meant the rats had in line with what was implemented by with rapids, and one for lakes, fl at optimal opportunity to feast on the Environment Waikato in Appendix V water rivers and sheltered coastal bait. Structures on the islands were of their July 2009 Navigation Safety areas – are currently being circulated hand baited, both on the days of the Bylaw update. In this respect I felt for comment. For more information on operation as well as follow up baiting that we had the support of at least one these email Colin: colin.sonneveld@ to ensure none escaped. ARC councillor. maritimenz.govt.nz. Rock stacks were also baited by hand. The Harbour Master outlined that the More information on the strategy is This was done by intrepid DoC staff problem with kayaks was that they are available from the MNZ website, leaning out of the helicopter and toss- too small and have a low profi le. He along with MNZ’s general guidelines ing a bag full of bait onto each one. wants to ensure that kayakers are kept for commercial kayaking and canoe- Advanced technology ensured cover- safe and are able to be seen whether ing at: age was accurate. GPS coordinates by way of education, regulation or www.maritimenz.govt.nz/adventu- and bait calibrations were worked out recommendation. reactivity ahead of time and computer printouts on site, showed excellent coverage of The ARC Chairman pointed out John Marshall is based in Wel- the islands. Stoat trapping has been that they were conducting an open lington with MNZ: his role is carried out following the poison drop, process and that ARC would resist Manager, Environmental Research by Te Rawhiti Enterprises, to catch the temptation to force a bylaw on us. and Analysis any remaining stoats.

6 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter

The Guardians of the Bay of Islands In the meantime DoC has been carry- shoes clear of weed-seeds. Check your and other members of the community ing out a comprehensive monitoring supplies before leaving home. have been a great help in protecting programme to analyse the effects of New Zealand Dotterels by remov- the operation so results can be reported Keep supplies, once checked, in sealed ing bait from beaches, and helping back to the community and Northland containers during transit to move Pateke (brown teal ducks) Regional Council. to the mainland. Bait was removed If you see pests (rats, stoats or Argen- from beaches within hours of it being We can now look forward to a future tine ants)on the islands call DoC 09 sown, therefore not allowing sand where the islands will sing again. 407 0300 (offi ce hours) or 0800DOC hoppers which are dotterel food, to Ridding the islands of rodents will HOT (after hours) access the bait. give bird species a chance to fl ourish and will also enable future release Check out progress of Project Island As a precautionary measure a rahui of other endangered species to occur Song: www.doc.govt.nz/projectis- was placed on gathering seafood from such as tieke (saddleback), korimako landsong within 100 metres of the MHW for a (bellbird) and kakariki. month following the poison drops. Join the Guardians of the Bay of Is- This has now been lifted. Also the It’s now vital that we all do our bit to lands: www.boiguardians.co.nz DoC campgrounds were closed tem- prevent reinvasion. Taking the follow- porarily. Notifi cation will be given on ing precautions will help: the DoC website once they are open again. It’s hoped they will be opened Keep your kayak, pack and tent, picnic again late August. gear, free of rats, mice and ants, your Te Rawhiti Marae

More Expedition and Trip News

ISRAEL - Misha Hoichman: Circumnavigation FREYA HOFFMEISTER from Stanley Mulvany of Tasmania in 2005 and Ireland in Around Australia I have just returned from a six month 2007 with Alon Ohad. Circumnavigation Attempt sabbatical on distant seas and shores - Alon Ohad: Visited here a few and am looking forward to getting out years ago and solo circumnavigated Freya is making good progress with again in my sea kayak. When I was Stewart Island; circumnavigation her attempt to paddle around Australia. away, I did manage to go sea kayak- of Tasmania and Ireland. Attempted She started from Queenscliff, near ing in Israel with Misha Hoichman circumnavigation of Spitzbergen in Melbourne, on 17 January. As of 6 off Tel Aviv. It was a bit challenging Norwegian Atctic. August, she had reached Red Bluff, due to the narrow tippy kayak minus a - Haddas Feldman: Circumnaviga- on the Western Australian coast, with rudder of course and a strong onshore tions of Newfoundland, Japan, South about a week’s paddling to reach the wind driving 1 metre steep waves on Georgia (with Brits who used a yacht Zuytdorp Cliffs which are the crux of my beam. Thankfully I did not have for rests unlike the Kiwis!) expedition the Aussie trip. to practice my roll. Of interest is the to Kamchatka organization of sea kayaking in Israel, - Rotim Ron: Solo circumnavigation Sea Kayaker magazine has regular which is very different from NZ. of Ireland articles and interviews on Freya’s trip; the August issue has an interview with Sea kayaking in Israel is a recognized Israelis have some distinct advantages Freya following her eight day direct sport for about 12 years. It is organized in skill accretion in that they have crossing of the Gulf of Carpentaria on commercial lines. There are at least year round warm water to practice in and an interview with her sister re four large clubs, Terra Santa and Lev and rarely have storms in the Levant. formative years. Hayam being two of them. There is an The organization on commercial lines annual membership fee of about US$ means there is always an instructor Her website is updated nearly 900 and for this you get free use of club there to teach novices unlike here every day: kayaks and instruction. One cannot where we teach ourselves. Their in- take out a kayak by yourself unless structors work with the BCU so have http://qajaqunderground.com/austra- you pass a competency test. There are excellent skills. lia-2008/ various levels of competency; calm, rough with instructor, calm and rough Stanley and Belinda also paddled in without an instructor. northern Sardinia and at Skye in the Inner Hebrides. Photos and hopefully Israel is producing some world class a story to come in the next newsletter. sea kayakers:

7 No. 141 June - July 2009

Took my spray skirt off and saw the NZ accident investigators, the sting- kayak cockpit is half full of water. ray said it only looked away for a ‘BUGGER!’FILE I didn’t know at that stage it was a moment and thought it was maintain- 125 x 125 mm three-sided fl ap that ing a proper lookout. The stingray, had opened up in the side of the speaking through a lawyer who was A Fishy Story kayak beside my thigh area below wearing a SCUBA outfi t, gave notice by Phil Hansen the water line. of taking Phil to court to sue for loss of enjoyment while swimming within Linda and I decided we would do What to do? 200 metres from shore. an overnighter to Little Waihi. The weather on our favourite Metview We were about one kilometre from Mr Hansen assured the investigators website looked OK - if we got our tim- home, OK, so I have watertight bulk- that he was wearing a high visibility ing right. The paddle down on Monday heads fore and aft. I won’t sink, so hat and had a chopper fl ag on the 19 July was a bit windy but going our paddle like hell. I survived the fi rst kayak stern at the time of the bruising way so we could ride the waves. two waves heading to the beach but the encounter. shore break got me with a waterlogged Tuesday morning we decided on an kayak. I was able to step out of it and Local biologists are astounded at the early start so we were on the water not get any wetter. fl uke encounter of Mr Hansen with at fi rst light as soon as we could see what may be an entirely new species what the waves at the bar were doing. So I will be giving stingrays a great of stingray. After viewing photos of After rounding the rocks out from deal of respect in the future, they are the 125 mm square hole in the side of Maketu, and saying good morning to not the friendly creatures I thought the Beachcomber kayak, the scientists the yawning seals (I think they were they were. are excited to be in a race for naming yawning - maybe telling us to bugger rights to a brand new species, of either off), we paddled close to shore in case When my kayak is repaired I will be a hammerhead stingray or a square- that dreaded head wind eventuated. back on the water. nosed stingray?

We decided to paddle all the way home, Phil Hansen - July 22 2009 Phil informed the BASK roving re- without a stop, and have a cuppa on porter that he requires a new pair of the beach at Papamoa before trollying UPDATE shorts and is thinking about taking up our kayaks home. The BASK roving reporter was able a safer sport like base jumping. to dredge up more incident details: All of a sudden, ‘WHAM’ in the side of Also that the kayak manufacturer is my kayak. “What the hell was that?” When interviewed at the Tauranga collecting the kayak to fi x it for him. animal rescue hospital by Maritime I had been reading Freya’s Blog about her shark attack in Australia - that rushed into my consciousness then this grey missile launched itself over my spray skirt, onto the deck - thoughts immediately of Steve Irwin. Adrenaline kicks in and I dispatched a grey stingray back to the water from where it came.

We were paddling just outside the breakers in one to two metres of water. Phil Hansen I don’t know if it was being chased or showing the 120 if it just ‘Attacked’. I looked across mm square fl ap at Linda and she said it sounded like opened in his my kayak had exploded and then this kayak hull when grey triangle was writhing on the deck a disturbed of my kayak. stingray, smashed into Time for deep breaths to get my heart his kayak with rate down - I fi nd myself in the breaker water going zone. I start to paddle out away from everywhere and danger – ‘Hello’ my shorts are wet - the ray ended No, I didn’t, did I? up on the kayak deck.

8 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter

Our watch barometers were consistent always come after I take my foot off with the Met Service forecast we had the pedal. It had been a long haul to NEW ZEALAND seen at the DoC Visitors’ Centre in Te get here. Frantic efforts to complete Anau that morning. 1041 millibars. a project before leaving work, two TRIP REPORTS A big fat high was situated over the days completing a post-graduate country, and we were rapt to have a study assignment on the ferry and then Dusky Sound 2009 great forecast for the next few days. fi nishing it off at midnight at Paul’s by Cathye Haddock With a slight tail breeze, we cruised before the long drive to Te Anau via the 11 kms in 1.5 hours to our fi rst the West Coast. Paul, also exhausted (See also colour photographs on campsite, watching hundreds of bar- from fi nishing the KASK newsletter pages 2 & 24) racuda leaping and jumping out of the before the trip, slept in on the fi rst 31 March: “Are we on holiday yet?” water on our way. Our fi rst campsite morning. My headache and nausea Peter asked as we watched the helicop- was one of William Docherty’s camps, subsided while Paul cooked up bacon ter lift off and swoop away from Sup- and within minutes of landing Peter and eggs (from our chooks) for our per Cove, leaving us with a mountain had found the moss-covered remains fi rst breakfast on the beach. We were of gear and our kayaks on the beach. of his chimney stones in the bush. fi nally on the water at 11 am!

I fi rst set my sights on a Dusky trip We had fi rst come across William Paddling along, I refl ected on the rush on our way home from two weeks sea Docherty on our trip into Preservation that life can sometimes be. We had kayaking in Preservation and Chalky Inlet in 2005. We had visited his grave arrived in Te Anau at 10.30 pm the Inlets in February 2005. Four years on Cemetery Island opposite the site previous night and were scheduled slipped by before Dusky was back on of Cromarty township. Doherty had to load our boats at 7 am, ready to fl y the radar - as Patagonia had beckoned, led a solitary life in Dusky Sound for into Supper Cove, but that’s another then Doubtful Sound and the sandfl y- many years, prospecting for minerals story. This seemed all so crazy in the free Far North in the intervening years. in the rugged mountains, with limited peaceful refl ections of Dusky Sound, success. While he found asbestos, broken only by the V-shaped wakes of Like any wilderness trip, a lot of nickel and copper, none were in viable my two paddling mates ahead of me. planning, research and training went quantities for commercial mining. He Simply being here was a brilliant way into preparing for the Dusky trip. As also made an income from skinning of getting life back in perspective. we packed our hatches with home- native birds such as kapapo, kokako dehydrated meals, camping gear, fi rst and takahe and selling these to Andreas I thought Paul had lost it completely aid and emergency gear, mountain and Reischek a well-known bird collector when I saw him stop paddling and marine radios, warm clothes and wet who sold them to overseas museums. start talking to himself ahead of me. weather gear, laminated maps and Finally he paddled his dinghy, ‘held As I got closer, I made out the red Buller gumboots, the careful planning together by wire and string’, down the and black checked swanni of a deer and crumpled checklists had done their open coast to Preservation Inlet where hunter - Paul wasn’t losing it after all. jobs. Our research heightened our ex- he joined the gold rush. The hunter and his mate were off the citement and anticipation of retracing Paragon, a charter boat we had spot- the paddle strokes of the Ngati Mamoe, We cooked chops and fresh veges from ted that morning. The hunters radioed following in Captain Cook’s wake, our garden on a fi re for tea, followed their skipper for a pick up to return to exploring the sealers’ camps and the by custard and apricots for dessert. the mother ship, and we could already remnants of Richard Henry’s 14 years A search for the celebratory kask of hear the tinny heading our way. We of conservation work. wine revealed that someone had left it had a yarn with the guys, who were in the van! Paul rescued the moment from the Riverton area, and continued For Paul, it was also retracing his by sharing a tot of his whiskey and along our way. own paddle strokes of this leg of his we toasted to being here. The forecast South Island trip with Max Reynolds, on the mountain radio was for fi ne, Within 20 minutes, we were experienc- 32 years before. With the last of the fi ne and fi ne weather! We drifted off ing serious doubts about Paul when gear stowed in the kayaks, and a bag to sleep listening to kea on the far of helicopter strops and ties stowed peaks and sinking comfortably into Deer hunter on the northern in the bush, we carried our creaking our sphagnum moss mattress. shore of Dusky Sound boats the last metre to the water and hopped in. Our fi rst strokes broke the 1 April: I awoke with my head in a mirror of the fi ord. Our muscles fret- vice. I searched the portable fi eld ted for the rhythm of the paddle. The hospital I had painstakingly prepared weekends of training over preceding for the trip, and there was everything months were about to pay off. but panadol! Fortunately Peter had “Yes, we are on holiday!” we all some in his small kit, which I scoffed agreed. sitting on a log watching the dusky mauve sunrise over Cooper Island. I don’t get migraines often, but they

9 No. 141 June - July 2009 we saw him talking to the trees again. Then we heard another voice from the Stingray in the shallows at the head of the Basin. bush, and a third hunter appeared, gun Photo: Peter Simpson in hand, at the steep edge of the fi ord. He also radioed his skipper and Cyril Lawless came and picked him up in the tinny once he had dropped the other two off at the Paragon. We had a great yarn with Cyril, who had been bring- ing hunting charters into Fiordland for over 20 years. It turned out it was Cyril who had taken Bevan Walker and his mate out to Riverton after being weather bound at the Puysegur Point Oil Store for 11 days, 20 years earlier. Cyril then recounted the story of being in Dagg Sound in 2004 when the big earthquake hit Fiordland.

From the charter boat he had watched rocks bouncing down the surrounding see a ruru (morepork) in a tree outside stingray partially submerged in sand mountains and landing in the fi ord. the biv. Earlier we had seen a pair of on the bottom with its tail erect. On Next day they had ventured ashore bellbirds chasing each other around, the granite side of the fi ord I saw an to fi nd that many of the ‘rocks’ were lots of fantails ducking and diving octopus smooching along a crack and the size of houses, and the track from around us, and a kereru (woodpigeon) a single yellow tulip-shaped seaweed Dagg through to Doubtful Sound was fl ying overhead. As we ate our dinner suctioned to the granite. We had lunch covered in a huge landslide. Cyril also outside the biv, we marvelled at the on a sunny white sand beach and Paul described how he had been in Chalky distinct lack of tiny biting black fl y- brewed up a cuppa. Inlet last year when, just on dark, he ing fauna that were notably absent on heard a woman’s voice outside. He this trip. Being late in the season, and From the Basin we paddled around thought ‘there are no women around cooler, we never even got our sandfl y the south side of Pigeon Island where here,’ and carried on with his chores. armour out for the whole trip! The Richard Henry, Fiordland’s first On hearing the voice again he went on mountain radio said more fi ne weather ranger, spent just over 14 years (1894 deck to investigate and was surprised but gales about the coast were forecast - 1909) transferring kakapo, takahe, to fi nd Babs Lindman calling out from in a few days. kokako and kiwi from the mainland her sea kayak. They helped her on to Resolution Island to protect them board and she spent 3-4 days with them Paul gave me my fi rst salsa lesson on from the inevitable arrival of stoats after battling stormy weather and big the helipad that night. In keeping with across the Fiordland mountains from seas around the south-west corner of Paul’s routine on the West Coast, we Otago. We explored the remnants of the South Island. When Babs set off were to have gumboot salsa lessons Richard Henry’s boat ramp, house, again to continue her South Island on Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30 and bird enclosures, still visible 100 circumnavigation, Cyril followed her pm. We sorted our food drop and years after the fi rst stoats arrived and almost to Dusky Sound to make sure Paul ordered that no one was to be a dejected Richard Henry left to work she was okay. What a delight to meet up before 8 am. as a ranger on Kapiti Island. and yarn with Cyril, a real Fiordland character - a small world indeed. 2 April: At 8.15 am Peter gave us tea in bed followed by porridge. We carried on paddling, heard the From the shore, we saw dolphins off odd stag roar along the way, and saw Porpoise Point (named by Captain a seal fi shing off a point. We called in Cook). We set off at 10.30 am and to Passage Point where Paul and Max called into the Basin for lunch. This had camped for a couple of days wait- was a large keyhole bay with a huge ing out a storm 32 years before. We granite dome at the head, refl ected had lunch on a sunny beach and had perfectly in the mirror of the fi ord. a calm crossing of Acheron Passage. We saw the most marine life on the We landed at Duck Cove Biv on the trip here, due to the shallow, clear southern end of Resolution Island in water and the white sandy bottom, the late afternoon and settled in. We which was unusual for Fiordland. We intended leaving a food drop here, and saw big blue cod, spottys, red moki, Richard Henry at would return for it later in the trip. lots of kina, sea cucumbers, yellow, Pigeon Island circa 1900 After dark, Peter called Paul and I to orange and red spiky starfi sh and a

10 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter

Paul and Peter looking bird life of yesteryear to his beloved The sea was strewn with whitecaps and for the light on a stormy Resolution Island. The comparative regular williwaws, sudden blasts of day at Goose Cove. abundance of birds we had seen on the wind, descended from the steep fi ords Photo: Cathye Haddock island and the morning chorus that had to the sea. Cook’s diaries warned of awoken our slumbers the last few days, these dangers in Goose Cove as did was testament to their success so far. the Begg Brothers’ book Dusky Bay. The birdy racket reminded us of our time on Secretary Island, a predator We spent the day walking across the free island in Doubtful Sound we had mudfl ats to the two islands in the visited two years earlier. narrow passage of Goose Cove and walking more of the tracks on Resolu- After our mid afternoon return to the tion Island. We saw a pair of paradise biv and a late lunch, we made use of ducks feeding on the mudfl ats, stand- the strengthening wind and did some ing their ground in the strong wind, washing. Our long-johns looked like beaks ahead and literally blown to a airstrip windsocks blowing horizon- standstill. The sea gulls were enjoying tally on the line. After boiling the billy, stationary fl ying too. fi lling the solar shower and suspending Paddling into a strengthening head it from a branch in the bush, we all had 5 April: We woke to wind and show- wind, we worked hard to get to the a luxury scrub and polish followed ers, the Fiordland we know and love. Goose Cove Biv on the western shore by a blow dry in the relentless wind. Everyone went back to bed. However, of Resolution Island. Arriving at 6.30 Finally there was nothing to do but when I ventured out to take the spade pm, tired but refl ective of the seeds of retire to the biv for a spot of reading. for a walk - the rain had stopped and conservation in NZ. We cooked dinner I won the most boring reading mate- the wind had died down. We decided and settled in for a windy night. The rial prize, two policy papers for my to move and see how far we could get. forecast confi rmed gales about the university homework! We were on the water by 10.20 am, Fiordland coast. our earliest start yet! 4 April: We woke to 65-70 knot 3 April: Peter delivered tea in bed winds and I wished Peter a happy We paddled to Facile Harbour, which at 8 am followed by pancakes and anniversary. What a great place to was sheltered and calm, so we decided maple syrup made by Cathye. It spend it! Peter and Paul proceeded to explore. We soon found old tracks was too windy to paddle today so to give me a physics lesson about the and hut sites where 244 sealers and we walked up to the head of Goose venturi effect: when air fl ows through stowaways (ex convicts and fugitives) Cove, across the low lying dunes that a tube or pipe with a constriction in had lived from 1792-95. We paddled separated Goose Cove from Woodhen it, it must speed up in the restriction. quietly around in the vicinity of the Cove to the north. There was a heap Goose Cove narrowed towards its head old Endeavour wreck, but as it was of fi shing boat rubbish on the shore, and we were right in the constriction, high tide, we neither saw the ballast blown in by the relentless northerlies. where the wind velocity was fastest. stones visible at low tide, nor the wreck Fish crates, ropes, even a huge glass Essentially we were in a wind tunnel. through the deep dark water. This was light bulb littered the shore amongst driftwood, seaweed and other more Cathye by the Goose Cove bivvy; kayaks tethered to trees due to the natural debris. We walked as far as strength of storm-force northerly winds. Photograph: Peter Simpson possible along the shore on the Five Fingers Peninsula side and watched a fi shing boat bobbing about like a cork checking its craypots.

Using a map given to us by Peter’s DoC colleagues, we found a track up to the ridge on Five Fingers Peninsula. Watching the tide draining from the head of Goose Cove, we saw that we would later be able to walk back to the biv across the mudfl ats. The tracks were well-formed and quick travel for the DoC staff and volunteers that use them to bait and check the thousands of stoat traps all over the peninsula and Resolution Island. Richard Henry would be proud of DoC’s efforts to eradicate predators and restore the

11 No. 141 June - July 2009 not Cook’s Endeavour, but an old barely sea-worthy trade ship that sailed to Dusky Bay from Sydney in 1792. The Captain was charged with scup- pering the Endeavour and fi nishing off the Providence, an almost completed ship built by sealers in Luncheon Cove in 1792. The Endeavour was duly beached, stripped and sunk in Facile Harbour in October 1795. The Begg Brothers saw the ghostly hulk 14 meters below the surface, lit up by a shaft of sunlight, at low tide in the 1960s.

Leaving the ghosts of this harbour, we paddled off to the Useless Islands, where we had an ‘eat and a think’. The weather was holding, but we were nervous to push our luck given the sea conditions that we had witnessed over Cathye standing by old house site remains at Facile Harbour. the last few days. However, our ba- Photo: Peter Simpson rometers had settled, and the wind had Weary and happy, we paddled into dark tannin-stained and slow-moving dropped completely, so we decided to our cosy little Duck Cove by 4.45 between towering ancient podocarps. paddle to Luncheon Cove on Anchor pm. This had been an unexpected We had several heavy downpours but Island at 12.30 pm. On our way, we saw bonus day, with interesting exploration no wind in the sheltered cove. I fol- seals on the many rocks and islands to and 30 kms under our belts on a day lowed Peter to a waterfall, starting high the south of Anchor Island. we nearly didn’t bother getting up! on the side of the fi ord and cascading in Smoked chicken cabonara was the three huge drops into the sea far below. Paddling into Luncheon Cove, we order of the day followed by yummy Then we paddled out to the entrance of saw the spot where Captain Cook peppermint creams, a fi tting anniver- the cove in light drizzle and dead fl at had eaten his lobster lunch on his fi rst sary celebration. calm. Peter was a bit cold so wanted to visit. There were seals to greet us on return to the biv. I looked longingly at the site of the fi rst house ever built in Paul provided the evening’s entertain- Indian Cove some 3 - 4 kms away and New Zealand, in 1792. Adjacent to ment with a recital of Alfred Lord then to Porpoise Point on the opposite the house site was the site where the Tennyson’s Ulysses, an epic poem side of Duck Cove entrance. Vertical Providence was built, the fi rst ship ever of the sea. Peter admitted to being vapour jets were visible in the mirror to be built in New Zealand. an ‘uncouth, uncultured yob’ at this mist - dolphins! Indian Island would point, leaving Paul and I to marvel have to wait another day. The forest looked unchanged since at Tennyson’s words while Peter these early settlers were here. There read more of the history of Fiordland We both headed to the other side of are not many places where this would under the solar-powered light in our the cove where we were surrounded be so in New Zealand. Soaking up the cosy wee biv. by 30 or so big bottle nosed dolphins, history, we wandered around exclaim- curiously surfacing in front, behind, ing whenever we found the remains 6 April: Drizzle and rain was forecast beside us and swimming under our of a drain or some tar-like substance for the day and it was delivered aplenty. boats. I turned the camera to video on the rocks of the shipbuilding site. Paul was keen to have a rest day. I was mode and fi lmed the sleek creatures, antsy and keen to go to Indian Island to dorsal fi ns and tails breaking the sur- On our way out of Luncheon Cove explore the waka harbour. Peter was face in all directions. After an hour we had a look at the barges, with happy to rest and go with the fl ow. with these mammals we went in our satellite dishes and helipads atop, We had all shared our goals for the separate directions - they beyond Por- used to collect the cray catch ready trip a few months before, so I knew poise Point and us back to the Duck for export each season. We were Peter and Paul were keen on rest days Cove biv, where Paul greeted us with back opposite the Useless Islands among the paddling. I respected this a steaming hot cuppa to warm us up. by 3 pm, the weather was still calm and started preparing a bit of gear for and our barometers still stable. We my damp exploration. To my delight, We spent the rest of the afternoon in had paddled to Luncheon Cove in 1 Peter made stirring sounds and ended our pits, quizzing each other about hour 10 minutes and returned in 50 up coming with me. the history of Fiordland, using the hut minutes. My running friends would copy of Neville Peat’s NZ’s Fiord her- be impressed with the negative split! We paddled a few hundred meters up itage – A guide to the historic sites of the river at the head of Duck Cove, coastal Fiordland as our source of quiz

12 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter question ideas. With all our reading for Seal mother and pup at the head of Luncheon Cove. this and other trips, we got a surprising Photo: P. Caffyn number of questions right and it was great fun as the rain pattered. In the quiz I discovered that Captain Cook had met the Ngati Mamoe chief, Maru, and his whanau on Indian Island on 6 April 1773. Today was the anniversary. Could this explain the pull I felt to visit Indian Island today of all days? Madras lamb curry was a warming meal to complete a magic day.

7 April: The forecast was for more rain and isolated thunderstorms, but as the cove was calm, we decided to move to Cascade Cove via Indian Island and Astronomer’s Point where Cap- tain Cook had anchored his ship the Resolution for fi ve weeks after sailing through the Southern Ocean to reach Dusky Bay on his second trip to New completely soaked, even with rain- We ate a more leisurely second Zealand in April 1773. We left shore at coat and overtrou on. Peter and Paul breakfast in town and came up with 10.30 am and paddled across the cove. sensibly stayed dry and warm. a plan B, which was to drive out to I was behind, taking photos of Peter Southern Lakes Helicopters. The and Paul paddling off, with bright sun That night, our seventh consecutive legendary Hannibal Hayes said, “no bursting through clouds beyond a dark night in a cozy dry biv, we praised worries, guys, come back in two hours backdrop of Long Island and double Doc Sutherland of South West Heli- and we can fl y you in at midday.” rainbows arching over all (see p.24). copters again, for refusing to take us Chuffed and relieved, we went to into Dusky Sound. As mentioned at change our intentions at the DoC As I paddled off to catch the other the beginning of this story, we had visitor centre. two, the sky completely darkened and arrived in Te Anau at 10.30 pm and a dark band of water sped towards me. were due at South West Helicopters While there, we called in to see our old Moments later, hail pelted my boat and at 7 am the following morning ready mate the Area Manager, who gave us drilled holes in the fl at sea. Off with to load our boats to fl y in to Supper a key to the DoC bivs on Resolution the pogies and out with the camera Cove. After arriving at the hangar on Island and a DoC map showing all the again and onto movie mode - I panned a frosty dark morning, Doc Sutherland tracks and bivs. around to see Peter and Paul sprinting took one look at our fi breglass and for the shelter of the trees overhang- kevlar boats and said, “I don’t think This more than made up for our earlier ing the fi ord. When I saw an intense, I can fl y you in.” We were shocked. encounter with the grumpy old bugger bright fl ash, followed momentarily by from SW Helicopters. So each night loud thunder, I stuffed the camera into I had booked the fl ights months before we were ensconced in a warm and dry my PFD and motored for the trees. “I and given the company all the boat biv, we praised the grumpy old bugger think we should pull the plug,” I said details, including length, weight, and from SWH! to the guys. what they were made of. The guy was as grumpy as but began tying the boats Cathye Haddock Once the squall passed we paddled on anyway. Any advice offered, was back to the biv. As we landed ashore, defi nitely not welcome. Finally, once out came the sun, so we decided to Paul heard his kevlar boat crack - he leave the boats semi-packed and see lost it and swore at the guy. At this what the weather did. Paul and Peter point it was all on with a full-blown said they would have been quite altercation and the pilot started unty- happy to carry on since they were ing the boats. wet anyway. We loaded the boats back on the cars However, once ensconced in the dry in stunned silence. Just as we were and cozy hut, the rot set in. We counted leaving, the pilot approached me, six more hail showers, complete with apologised, and said to come back lightning, thunder and heavy rain. I later in the day when he would have went for a two-hour walk on another more time, or we were welcome to track on Resolution Island, and got make other arrangements.

13 No. 141 June - July 2009

Abe’s provides the silk that holds the BOOK REVIEW whole thing together. It’s as simple as bringing up their home page and Enchanted Vagabonds putting the likeliest bit of description by Dana & Ginger Lamb (for the book you want) into the correct reviewed by: Natasha Romoff box on the screen. Plug in as much of the Title or Author’s name as you Dana and Ginger Lamb grew up remember and let them search for together in the early 1900s. They anything like it. I’ve yet to have it fail were adventurous kids who developed to come up with a match. strong outdoor skills and gathered a vast knowledge by reading historical As an example, tonight there are 46 tales of adventure and discovery. copies of Enchanted Vagabonds that Childhood sweethearts, they got show up on Abe’s - from bookstores in married during the Depression. Rather Australia, Canada, Spain, the UK & than follow the normal route dictated the US - and from 20 to 250 $US. The by society, they decided to leave the most expensive ones are collectors’ negativity of a struggling American items - signed by the authors and/or economy and set off on an epic fi rst editions. The cost of the postage coastal passage. Their transport was from anywhere further than Australia a home-built 16 ft sailing decked-in may rival (or exceed) the book cost - so ‘canoe’ that was really just a wooden if you have time, check the shipping frame covered in painted canvas. fees before you plunge. Finding old Books The book describes their journey and As an example, our clean hardcover side adventures from Los Angeles, copy (with a ratty dustcover - but by Paul Hayward along the west coast of North America all the photos) cost $30 plus $12.49 south to Mexico, and as far as the Natasha and I heard about this book, postage. I could have spent less for the Panama Canal. No easy task with decided that it might be interesting paperback - but the old hardcover just little money, a small boat and very and that our chances of fi nding it in seemed worth it. On the same evening, little more than a shotgun, a pistol, a an Auckland bookstore were zero. I succumbed to an as-new hardcover machete, fi sh hooks, some rice, beans What to do? copy of Chris Duff’s’ delightful tale and a hell of a lot of ammunition! Not of his Irish circumnavigation and to mention that 50% of the crew was In case you have not yet enjoyed ancestral quest for a mere $12.95 (and female – which is why authorities poking through the dusty corners of $11.88 post). Beware of this! nearly stopped them before the trip had an Internet book shop - hunting some begun! They relied on their abilities 100-year-old tome of fascinating For the cheapest (and comparable) to hunt and forage, to learn from kayak lore, I’ll give you a gentle push rates of postage, arrival times from the natives they met along the way, in the right direction. Be warned, the the US tend to be about 4 - 7 days and and their ingenuity to survive. They following steps can lead to many lost from the UK, about 20-30 days. After reveled in their adventures and hours, a small hole in the bank account a few of those experiences, I confess I describe the journey in such a vibrant and untold adventure. now prefer the US mail. Note that the way. US bookstores often offer a slow and You can, of course, go to the 500-pound a fast mail rate (expensive and really Their forays inland were in search of gorilla called Amazon (www.amazon. expensive). I always pick the cheaper - lost tribes and forgotten civilizations. com) who sell more than just new and it still comes very quickly. I don’t They fi nd a Mayan city in the jungle books. They sell old ones and they know why. undergrowth and solve mysteries list old ones for sale by other shops. cloaked in local folklore and legend. They may show pictures of the cover I have bought books principally from They go to offshore islands described and offer snippets of text and they may the US and the UK. All have been well in ancient treasure maps. All gripping have reviews by a wide assortment wrapped and have arrived safely. I’ve stuff and written in such an enjoyable of the great and fallible public. They never (touch wood) had any problems narrative, that also takes the time to tend to be somewhat expensive - and with shonky merchants. I suspect that analyze why they succeeded where so does their shipping. I use them as there are faster bucks to be made than others have failed. a fi rst stop, but I almost always buy running a crooked used-book store. used books from elsewhere. If you can get your hands on this book, Good luck and good hunting! fi nd a warm cozy spot with a good atlas You can do a lot worse than visiting Paul Hayward (or your laptop with Google Earth) at Abe’s (www.AbeBooks.com), which the ready and settle down for a really is a huge spider-web of bookstores. great read.

14 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter

HISTORY Ken Taylor’s Kayak The Origins of Modern Greenland-Style Kayaks by Duncan R. Winning

Inuit kayaks have been around for up a trophy for an annual kayak race a lot of time the previous winter in an millennia, but the story of one par- for Greenlanders from Igdlorssuit to unheated pool learning the skill and ticular kayak built by Emmanuelle Uummannaq, an open sea crossing of this aided in the villagers’ acceptance Korniliussen of Greenland starts in some 50 miles. When he left Greenland of him. He paddled with the seal- 1937 when Harald Drever, a young he took his kayak to Scotland, where catchers, learning a great deal about geologist from Edinburgh, Scotland, it was used to train others in skills he their kayaks, hunting equipment and visited Ubekendt Ejland (Unknown Is- had learned. methods in the process. Interestingly, land). Ubekendt is located in Umanak although he was allowed to use his Fjord on the west coast of Greenland, Harald later became a professor at St. Scottish touring kayak on the hunts, more than 300 miles north of the Arctic Andrews University in Scotland. In he had to keep well to the rear because Circle. Harald was attracted to the is- 1955 he met Kenneth Taylor, a kayaker of the noise made by his European- land by its unique geology, but he was and a student at Glasgow University, style paddles. much more than a visiting academic. and persuaded him to combine his studies with his paddling interests The seal-catchers loved to borrow Harald Drever and go to Igdlorssuit to investigate his paddles and go for high-speed the Greenland kayak and its place in sprints, but not when there were seals Inuit culture. about! While Ken was in Igdlorssuit, Emmanuelle Korniliussen - the last Ken and I were members of the Scot- kayak builder in the village - built him tish Hostellers’ Canoe Club. The club a sealskin-covered kayak, complete had its origins in the late 1930s and with hunting equipment. Ken was after World War II, it was probably to have another kayak built for the the only club in Britain to specialize respected American kayak enthusiast in sea paddling. Club members devel- John D. Heath. However, as there was oped their own design of sea kayak, insuffi cient sealskin for both kayaks, During his near 40-year association compiled standards for fl otation, life John had to make do with a frame. with the island, he did much to as- jackets and more; years before others sist the community and established a in the UK. In the spring of 1960, following his close relationship with the villagers return to Scotland, Ken gave a dem- in Igdlorssuit. He learned kayaking So, in 1959 Ken spent three months onstration of rolling his Greenland skills from them, including rolling, at Igdlorssuit. Very few paddlers in kayak and harpoon throwing to the and had his own kayak. He also put Scotland could roll, but Ken had spent Hostellers. Those of us in the club who Ken Taylor in his kayak on Loch Lomond, Scotland, on April 24 1960, during a demonstration to his fellow members of the Scottish Hosteller’s Canoe Club. His kayak and equipment, normally kept in storage, are with the Glasgow Museum Service, part of the City of Glasgow Local Authority Organisation, Scotland. This kayak was built at Igdlorssuit in 1959 by Emanuelle Kornielsen. Photo: Duncan R. Winning

15 No. 141 June - July 2009

and we spent the rest of the afternoon repairing it and sorting gear.

The following noon the fog lifted suffi ciently and allowed us to see Storøen (Sagdliaruseq), an island four miles east of Uummannaq, and confi rm a compass heading. We were off paddling among Greenland ice for the fi rst time. We passed hundreds of bergs on our way to the small island of Saattut, where we camped at the site of an old settlement. From camp we walked west to the village, which appeared to be expanding with new houses and a very smart school that was decorated with large images On the gravel beach at Igdlorssuit, freshly landed seals are being skinned, of whales, sea birds and seals. Less showing the pale pink blubber which keeps them warm in icy seas. This endearing was the inescapable and circa 1955 photo by Harald Drever shows the increasing use of wooden constant noise emanating from the clinker-style dinghies beginning to replace the traditional skin boats - two of multitude of roaming sled dogs. We which can be seen across the thwarts of the most seaward dinghy. examined four kayaks in the village before we returned to our campsite could squeeze into his kayak got to an interest in Greenland kayaking; he and quiet. paddle it. I was one of the lucky ones, made his fi rst Greenland-style paddle although donning the wet, smelly, 17 years ago. In 2003, Gordon sug- Fog was hanging in the morning air sealskin tuilik, or paddling jacket, was gested that the logical extension to as we set off island-hopping to Agpat, not so enchanting. my interest in Inuit kayaks would be where we skirted the southern coast to visit Greenland. I had never seri- before crossing to Sagleq some two I had been designing and building ously considered such a trip as it was miles to the west. At the northern end my own kayaks for seven years, and beyond my fi nancial circumstances. of the island, the fog was dense but by while I was well pleased with the However, at his suggestion I applied then we had taken suffi cient bearings performance of my latest design, I to the Winston Churchill Memorial to confi rm the magnetic variation, was very impressed with the handling Trust, which provides some 100 trav- which was over 40 degrees west. We of Ken’s boat. I should not have been elling fellowships annually, and was set off into the gloom for Qeqertat, an surprised that my experimenting with fortunate to be awarded one of only abandoned settlement on a relatively kayak design would compare rather two fellowships in a canoeing-related small island about 1.5 miles distant. poorly against the thousands of years fi eld for 2004. Nearing our destination we encoun- of development that had gone into the tered a large number of sled dogs on a kayak from Igdlorssuit. In July of 2004, I set off to Greenland rocky islet. From their demeanour they on a four-week project titled, The Inuit obviously expected a bearer of food to My experience with Ken’s kayak Origins of Modern Recreational Sea disembark from any approaching craft. when I was 20 years of age led to Kayaks. It was to be a pilgrimage to Unable to oblige, we stayed resolutely a lifelong interest in Inuit kayaks, the birthplace of Ken’s kayak and an in our kayaks. Soon after landing at especially those from Greenland. My investigation into design changes in Qeqertat we were safely nestled into fi rst rudimentary line drawing of the Greenland kayaks and paddles since our sleeping bags. Igdlorssuit kayak became the fi rst their creation. Gordon accompanied plan in the ‘Project Eskimo’ series me on the fi rst phase of the project, In the morning the fog had gone and established in 1961 in conjunction paddling from Uummannaq to Igd- we could see the dramatic cliffs we had with the British magazine Canoeing. lorssuit and back. paddled under yesterday, unaware of I had been active in the Scottish pad- what had towered unseen more than dling scene since my teens and was An overnight stop scheduled between 3,000 feet above us. Around our camp closely involved in setting up the fl ights at Ilulissat turned into a three- we found the remains of old round and Scottish Canoe Association Coaching day hold up and we fi nally arrived in square style winter houses, traditional Scheme, which subsequently joined Uummannaq at Saturday lunchtime. graves marked by stone cairns and a with that of the British Canoe Union. Our kayaks had been shipped out in small cemetery on the hill contain- advance, but the warehouse was closed ing 60 to 100 graves, many of them Through this connection I met a young for the day. However, the helpful man children’s. Gordon Brown, now one of the lead- at the heliport phoned the manager ing sea paddling coaches in the UK. to come and open up for us. My boat Sunshine accompanied us on the cross- For quite some time we have shared had been damaged in several places ing to a lunch stop on the end of Alfred

16 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter

were lost. We visited the cemetery along with his collection of harpoon and were taken aback by the sight of heads. The model kayaks have the brightly coloured fl owers still in place gunwale boards raised in the way of the since the interment of the four, some masik (the deck beam supporting the 16 months previously. It soon dawned forward end of the cockpit) as do most Igdlorssuit on us that the fl owers were plastic. of the full-sized kayaks seen in the village, a feature not seen elsewhere. We gave Elizabeth a leafl et I had prepared about Ken’s visit and his Edward’s house is built on the spot connection to Harald Drever. She where Ken Taylor camped in 1959, and promised to ask around and see if Edward has a kayak in the basement anyone in the village remembered the which he bought second hand but has two men. Later she asked us about Har- never paddled. In the evening Edward Wegener Peninsula. As we progressed ald Drever, as her school was named appeared at our ‘lodging’. Without a westward across Kangerdluarssuk Harald’s School in his honour. She led common language save pencil and Fjord, conditions deteriorated, so us to her offi ce where a photograph paper, by sketching we had two hours we landed near its mouth to await an of an oilskin-clad fi gure and a shield of ‘conversation’ and found out many improvement. We lit a fi re to warm our hung above the door. It was Harald things about his life, including that his toes, but our wait was in vain and the Drever and the shield of St. Andrews outboard motor had suffered a broken temporary respite became an overnight University. (See photo on page 15). driveshaft and that we were invited to camp on the shingle. join him at his house for coffee the Elizabeth learned that several de- following morning. Next morning, improved conditions scendants of Emmanuelle lived on merited an early rise and we were on the island: two sons, two grandsons Edward showed us his 19-foot fi bre- the water before 7.00 am. A follow- and several great grandchildren. She glass fi shing boat, fi shing gear, work- ing wind pushed us to the corner of arranged visits to the homes of a son, shop and the kayak in the basement. Upernivik and into Igdlorssuit Sound. Hendrik (Indarinnquaq) Korniliussen The rest of the afternoon was spent The nine-mile crossing to Ubekendt and a grandson, Edward (Ilvarti). exploring the village and examining Ejland started in good conditions, Emmanuelle had been the last kayak the nine other kayaks found there. One but by the time our bows touched the builder on the island. The only kayak was the last built by Emmanuelle and shore it was blowing Force 6 from the built since his death was a child’s had lain on its rack ever since its owner, southwest and it was raining. After kayak made in 2002 by the other son a seal-catcher, had died. All were in 33 miles paddling that day we were Jurgen (Juulut). See Photograph below. varying stages of decay except one glad to be ashore, all the more so, as belonging to a man from Niaqornat we were now within yards of where Grandson Edward builds excellent on the south side of Umanak Fjord. Emmanuelle Korniliussen had built model kayaks, sleds and harpoon sets, It was a fi ne example, complete with Ken Taylor’s kayak 45 years earlier. all of which we carefully examined hunting gear. It was fi tting that the fi breglass kayaks that carried us, were the latest in a long Sons of the 1959 kayak builder, Emanuelle Kornielsen, at Igdlorssuit. line of modern sea kayaks to be based From left: Hendrik (Indarinnguaq), Jurgen (Juulut) Kornielsen on that particular craft. (Korniliussen), Duncan R Winning and the village teacher Elizabeth Fleischer, who kindly acted as interpreter for Duncan and Gordon - The assembled group, who had 15 July 2004. Photograph: Gordon Brown watched us arrive, acknowledged our “Hallo” with a smile and an echoing “Allo.” Our common vocabulary ended there. Elizabeth Fleischer, a newly arrived teacher at the village school and the only person on the island who could speak English, ar- ranged for us to hire the small village hall for our stay. This was luxury for us with central heating and a fully equipped kitchen. Elizabeth said that there was no hunting by kayak now Recreational paddling had been se- verely affected by low morale in the village brought on by an accident in the spring of the previous year when a snowmobile towing a boat broke through the sea ice and four lives

17 No. 141 June - July 2009

Early the following morning we rose feet long and featured an unusually scarfed and the very thin deck beams and were quickly on the water. The extended, deep and narrow bow. We had not been tenoned through the return crossing of the sund was unhur- made camp at the old abandoned set- gunwales but had sat in blind holes. ried on a calm sea in pleasant morn- tlement of Akuliaruseq, with the usual The paddle was very short and slender, ing sunshine. The wind rose strongly cheering fi re to accompany the late the shaft being longer in relation to toward the end of the day’s paddle and evening coffee. the blades than any other I had seen we landed at almost the same spot we in Greenland. Another less ancient had camped at four days earlier, on the Near the Silardleq Glacier we no- kayak of the Avasisaartoq type with a west side of Kangerdluarssuk Fjord. ticed the words ‘1966 Tobias Jensen’ sharply upturned stern, was minus its No shingle bed this time, but a bit of scraped in the lichen on the rock sur- cockpit and all the ribs had collapsed. greenery just vacated by an arctic fox face. It brought home to us just how Outside the museum was a modern that was not inclined to share it with fragile the environment is in these kayak, different from the local types us. After a good meal we sat at the fi re northern latitudes, that the lichen but similar to ones seen later at Nuuk. before turning in at about 11.00 pm. scraped off the rock 38 years before, Maligiag said that John Petersen, a had not yet grown back. The last six previous kayak champion, had built it. As the morning showed no improve- miles back to Uummannaq were on ment, a long rest made up for the previ- calm seas but with much more ice My next stop was in Nuuk, the capital ous day’s exertion A wrecked sledge about. The harbour was almost com- of Greenland. At the National Mu- provided fuel for a pleasant evening pletely choked with smaller chunks, seum I was pleased to see the Peary- fi re, enjoyed all the more for the view the larger bergs having grounded far- land Umiak had been returned from of glaciers and mountains rising over ther out. At Uummannaq we packed Copenhagen where it was taken for 6,000 feet from the opposite side of the kayaks for shipment home. Gordon reconstruction after being found in the fjord some four miles away. headed back to Copenhagen and I fl ew 1949 and sawn into bits for transport. It to Sisimiut to continue my research. is estimated to be nearly 600 years old! The following morning brought calm seas and we resumed our jour- Most of my three-day sojourn there In addition to the kayaks we saw in ney, arriving by mid-afternoon at was spent at the kayak club watching Greenland’s museums, we viewed Uvkusigssat. It was a busy place with Maligiag Padilla, the young Greenland nearly 80 kayaks in Greenland. Most a fi sh processing plant and seemed to kayaking champion, building a kayak. were canvas-covered, some only in be expanding with a high percentage of It was the 29th he had built and his frame and a very few skin-covered. new houses. We examined fi ve kayaks, ninth that year. At the museum were The newer ones were usually associ- none of which appeared to be in use. the remains of a very old kayak from ated with kayak clubs. The older ones One extreme example was nearly 23 about 1650 to 1700. One gunwale was that had once been used for hunting

The Duncan Winning survey of Ken Taylor’s Igdlorssuit kayak.

18 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter were mostly in a bad state, abandoned on kayak stands and left to rot. Some The Importance of Ken’s Kayak were still in use for recreational pad- dling, but many of the deck fi ttings When Ken brought his kayak to Scot- were built worldwide and some are used for hunting were missing. land, no commercial designs were still in use today. available in the UK for sea-touring As in most cultures, readily available kayaks. Most paddlers made do with In 1964 Ken moved to the United materials in Greenland had found their general-purpose boats while a small States and left his kayak in the care of way into traditional craft. Plastic strips number built their own. So I took my paddling buddy, the late Joe Reid, are often used now for kayak ribs. photographs and used these as the and myself. We carefully measured it This, I believe, has led to a change in basis for the hull shape of my next and I produced a drawing (see p.18) the cross section of some craft, as the touring kayak and for a double ver- which has given rise to a large number plastic tends to take up a semicircular sion, the need for which arose from of semi-replicas, designs for do-it- shape, compared with the traditional other youthful desires in the shape of yourself builders, at least four com- wooden ribs, which could be set to a a young lady of close acquaintance. mercial Greenland-style hard-chined fl atter profi le. This could explain why Both of these designs proved popular kayaks and a number of round bilge many of the kayaks we saw that had within the Scottish sea-paddling scene designs, all with a connection to the plastic ribs, had a deeper V to the bot- and were adopted by the plans’ service Igdlorssuit kayak. Such designs, from tom than recorded in older examples. of Canoeing magazine. Examples various parts of the world, now total Canvas is now more easily obtained than sealskin and is the most common Duncan Winning refl ected on the icy waters of West Greenland, near covering. Igdlorssuit. Photograph: Gordon Brown

Throughout the trip, local variations in the basic kayak shape were evident. For instance, the kayaks being built by Maligiaq in Sisimiut have more symmetry in profi le than those being built in Nuuk. In both places the use of imported timber, such as ash and oak, has led to heavier ribs placed farther apart, compared to the more numerous slender split sapling ribs of the older examples. In two of the modern kay- aks examined, an additional stringer had been added between the keel and the chine, giving greater support to the covering and a more rounded cross-section. One of these had much shorter overhangs at the ends, giving a longer waterline for the overall length and in turn faster calm water speed, all other things being equal.

Generally, the newer kayaks had longer waterlines, reduced rocker and a deeper cross section than the old hunting craft, making them less manoeuvrable but more suitable for racing at the national championships. Another type of kayak has evolved from the traditional hunting kayak. It is shorter with a very low freeboard, made for ease of rolling in competition.

To retain traditional values, all kayaks used by Greenlanders in the champi- onships must be skin (or canvas) on frame, contain no metal fastenings, be fi tted with deck straps and be propelled by narrow-bladed Greenland paddles.

19 No. 141 June - July 2009 nearly 50! The Anas Acuta is one of Only his has spawned abundant de- the better-known offspring. rivatives and continues to do so. A very few who paddle such kayaks have In the 1960s, English paddler Geoffrey heard of Ken Taylor and his kayak, Blackford could not fi nd a suitable but hardly any know of Emmanuelle commercial sea kayak, nor a design Korniliussen from the village of Igd- to build one, so I gave him a copy lorssuit. I think he fi nally deserves to of my drawing of Ken’s kayak. He be recognized. lengthened the kayak by 9.75 inches, altered the ends to suit plywood con- NOTE ON THE AUTHOR struction and fi tted a deck and cockpit Duncan R. Winning, O.B.E., is the to accommodate a larger paddler. The honorary president of both the Scot- Anas Acuta was an instant success and tish Canoe Association and Historic Carel Quaife, one-time British Canoe Canoe and Kayak Associations and Union development offi cer, produced a vice-president of the British Canoe a mould for a fi breglass version. Union. He started kayaking at age 10 and has designed and built his own sea Alan Byde, a popular kayak designer, kayaks since 1953. coach and author, later refi ned the mould. Frank Goodman of Valley Duncan can provide a 23x16-inch Canoe Products took up commercial copy of his line drawings of the Ko- production of the Anas under license rniliussen/Taylor kayak to interested Harald Drever’s kayak in the proc- from Blackford, Quaife and Byde. readers. $5 US to cover the costs of ess of being covered with seal skins copying and mailing. Contact Duncan at Igdlorssuit. A large number of Inuit kayaks, mostly via e-mail: from Greenland, have been brought [email protected] Thanks: To Duncan for permission to reprint to Britain over many years, but none this article and for checking the fi nal have had the impact on the design of The text of this article originally layout and captions; Gordon Brown modern recreational sea kayaks that appeared in the December 2008 is- for use of his photos, and Alan Byde Ken Taylor’s has, at least in Britain. sue of Sea Kayaker magazine. Used for providing me with a CD of scanned here with permission. images taken by Harald Drever. www.seakayakermag.com

KAYAKING KALENDAR

2nd National (Australian) Sea Kayaking Symposium Weekend of 27 - 29 November 2009 Palm Beach Currumbin High School, Thrower Drive, Currumbin, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia Queensland Canoeing Incorporated. Email: [email protected] For more information: www.qld.canoe.org.au

COASTBUSTERS 2010 Weekend of 26 – 28 February 2010 - Auckland And an International Kayak Week following as per 2008. See: www.coastbusters.org.nz

2010 ROCK’N’ROLL - Australia Date: Weekend of 19 - 22 March 2010 Venue: Batemans Bay Beach Resort, New South Wales For further information: www.nswseakayker.asn.au (the annual gather of the New South Wales Sea Kayak Club)

KASK FORUM 2010 Date: weekend of 16 – 18 April 2010 Venue: north of Whangarei at the Manaia Christian Camp. Right on the edge of Whangarei Harbour, with camping, bunkroom and chalet accommodation. Key note speaker for Friday night is Jeff Allen from the UK, who has paddled around Japan and South Georgia. Saturday night will be dancing from 8 – 12pm. The following week, 19 – 25 April, is scheduled for semi-organized social paddling, in the area north of Whangarei up to the Bay of Islands.

20 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter

One o’clock came, however, and he Perils of Drunkenness HUMOUR hadn’t returned - 2 am and no hired A drunk gets up from the bar and heads (beware racist content) hand. He fi nally returned around 2.30 for the toilet. Rye Bread am to the farmhouse, and found the A few minutes later, a loud, blood Two old guys, one 80 and one 87, widow sitting by the fi replace with curdling scream is heard coming were sitting on their usual park bench a glass of white wine in her hand, from the toilet. A few minutes after one morning. The 87 year old had just waiting patiently for him. She quietly that, another loud scream reverberates fi nished his morning jog and wasn’t called him over to her. through the bar. The barman storms even short of breath. The 80 year old “Unbutton my blouse and take it out to the toilet to investigate why the was amazed at his friend’s stamina and off,” she said. Trembling, he did as drunk is screaming. asked him what he did to have so much she directed. “What’s all the screaming about in energy. The 87 year old said, “Well, I “Now take off my boots.” He did as there?” he yells. “You’re scaring my eat rye bread every day. It keeps your she asked, ever so slowly. customers!” energy level high and you’ll have great “Now take off my skirt.” He slowly “I’m just sitting here on the toilet,” stamina with the ladies.” unbuttoned it, constantly watching her slurs the drunk, “and every time I So, on the way home, 80 year old eyes in the fi relight. try to fl ush, something comes up and stops at the bakery. As he was looking “Now take off my stockings.” He squeezes the hell out of my nuts.” around, the lady asked if he needed removed each gently and placed them The barman opens the door, looks in, any help. He said, “Do you have any neatly by her boots. and says, “You idiot! You’re sitting Rye bread?” “Now take off my G string.” With on the mop bucket!” She said, “Yes, there’s a whole shelf great care he did this. of it. Would you like some?” “Now take off my bra.” Again, with True Love He said, “I want fi ve loaves.” trembling hands, he did as he was told A man was sitting on the settee watch- She said, “My goodness, fi ve loaves and dropped it to the fl oor. ing TV when he heard his wife’s voice - by the time you get to the third loaf, Then she looked him straight in his from the kitchen. it’ll be hard.” eyes and said, “If I ever catch you “What would you like for dinner love? He replied, “I can’t believe it, every- wearing my clothes into town again, Chicken, beef or lamb?” body knows about this s **it but me.” you’re fi red!” He said, “Thank you, I’ll have chicken.” High Country Widow Stretching Finances “Shut up. You’re having soup. I was A successful South Island farmer A Scottish Soldier in full dress uniform talking to the cat.” fell off his perch and left everything marches into a chemist shop. to his devoted wife. She was a very Very carefully he opens his sporran Why is it so hard for women to fi nd good-looking woman, and although and pulls out a neatly folded cotton men that are sensitive, caring, and she knew bugger all about farming, bandana, unfolds it to reveal a smaller good-looking? she was determined to keep the high silk square handkerchief, which he Because those men already have country sheep station. The widow also unfolds to reveal a condom. boyfriends. decided to place an advert in the local The condom has a number of patches newspaper for a farm hand. Two young on it. The chemist holds it up and eyes What’s the difference between a new blokes applied for the job. it critically. husband and a new dog? After a year, “How much to repair it?” the Scot the dog is still excited to see you. One bloke was as camp as a row of asks the chemist. tents and the other had a serious drink- “Six pence,” says the chemist. What makes men chase women they ing problem, She thought long and “How much for a new one?” have no intention of marrying? hard about it, and when no one else “Ten pence,” says the chemist. The same urge that makes dogs chase applied, she decided to hire the gay The Scot painstakingly folds the con- cars they have no intention of driving. guy, fi guring it would be safer to have dom into the silk square handkerchief him around the house than the drunk. and the cotton bandana, replaces it What would you call it when an Italian He proved to be a hard worker who carefully in his sporran and marches has one arm shorter than the other? put in long hours every day and knew out of the door, shoulders back and A speech impediment. a lot about high country farming. For kilt swinging. A moment or two later weeks, the two of them worked to- the chemist hears a great shout go up What’s the difference between an gether, and the station was doing very outside, followed by an even greater Australian zoo and an English zoo? well. Then one day, the widow said shout. The Scottish soldier marches An Australian zoo has a description to the hired hand, “You have done a back into the chemists and addresses of the animal on the front of the cage really good job, and the station looks the proprietor, this time with a grin along with... “a recipe..” great. You should go into town and on his face. kick up your heels.” How do you get a sweet little 80-year- “The regiment has taken a vote,” he old lady to say the F... word? The hired hand readily agreed and says. “We’ll have a new one.” Get another sweet little 80-year-old headed into town on Saturday night. lady to yell, “*BINGO*!”

21 No. 141 June - July 2009 4th. Ed. KASK HANDBOOK Rotorua Kayak Club KASK Updated to March 2008 7 Mahana Place, Rotorua KASK, the Kiwi Association of Sea For trade orders of this mother of all Ph: (027) 292 3138 Kayakers (N.Z.) Inc., a network of sea kayaking handbooks, contact Paul email: [email protected] New Zealand sea kayakers, has the Caffyn, RD 1, Runanga, 7873, West GISBORNE Sea Kayakers Club objectives of: Coast. Ph/fax: (03)7311806 John Humphris, 3 Matthews Rd, Gisborne 1. promoting and encouraging the e-mail: [email protected] Ph: (06) 868 4657 sport of sea kayaking Shop RRP: $34.90 email: [email protected] 2. promoting safety standards Price to KASK members only, Website:www.geocities.com/gis- 3. developing techniques & including p&p, $22.50 borne_sea_kayakers/ equipment Make cheques out to KASK (NZ) Inc. 4. dealing with issues of coastal and mail to KASK Administrator: WELLINGTON Sea Kayak Network access and protection PO Box 23 Runanga, 7841 West Coast Sandy Winterton, 1 Antico St. 5. organizing an annual sea kayak New members: gratis Melrose, Wellington forum em: [email protected] 6. publishing a bimonthly The fourth edition of the KASK Ph: (04) 977 1862 newsletter. Handbook, is a mammoth compila- Website: www.wskn.wellington.net.nz tion on all aspects of sea kayaking in The Sea Canoeist Newsletter is New Zealand, by many of the most published bimonthly as the offi cial SOUTH ISLAND experienced paddlers in the Universe. newsletter of the Kiwi Association MARLBOROUGH KASK Contact Following a brief introduction, the of Sea Kayakers (N.Z.) Inc. Martyn Smith handbook is divided into six sections: Articles, trips reports, book reviews, Ph: (03) 577 6256 - Kayak, Paddle & Equipment equipment reviews, new techniques, [email protected] -Techniques & Equipment letter to the editor, and moments when NELSON - KASK Contact - The Elements the word ‘Bugger!’ was said singu- Nora Flight - Trips and Expeditions larly or often {referred to by some as Ph: (03) 544 7877 - Places to Go - Resources incidents} are sought to enliven the email: nfl [email protected] pages of the newsletter. CANTERBURY Sea Kayak SEA KAYAKING Network Send in a plain brown envelope, or NETWORK ADDRESSES Andy & Deirdre Sheppard via cybermail to: NORTH ISLAND 53 Kent Lodge Ave Editor: Paul Caffyn, NORTHLAND Canoe Club Avonhead, Christchurch. 8004 RD 1, Runanga. 7873 PO Box 755, Whangarei Ph: (03) 342 7929 West Coast .N.Z. Catherine Keleher email: [email protected] Ph/Fax: (03) 7311806 Ph: (09) 436 0341 www.CanterburySeaKayak.orcon.net.nz Email: [email protected] email: [email protected] OTAGO KASK Contact AUCKLAND Canoe Club Mark Robertson KASK Annual Subscription PO Box 9271, [email protected] $35 single membership Newmarket, Auckland. Ph: (03) 472 7313 (021) 450075 ($105 for 3 years; $175 for 5 years) email:[email protected] SOUTHLAND Sea Kayak Network $40 family membership. HAURAKI Kayak Group Stan Mulvany $35 overseas Pelham Housego 03 215 7263 PO Box 46-146, Herne Bay, Auckland email: [email protected] A subscription form can be down- WAIKATO KASK Contact Website: www.sskn.uniformnz.com loaded from the KASK website. Evan Pugh, RD2, Putaruru. 3482 Cheques should be made out to: [email protected] SKOANZ K.A.S.K. (NZ) Inc. & mailed to: Ph: (07) 883 6898 Sea Kayak Operators Assn. NZ KASK Administrator RUAHINE Whitewater Club PO Box 6269, Dunedin North PO Box 23, Runanga. 7841 71 Salisbury St., Ashhurst. email: [email protected] West Coast Ph: 06 326 8667 Fax: 06 326 8472 Website: www.skoanz.org.nz www.q-kayaks.co.nz/pages/club.asp Correspondence/Queries to: YAKITY YAK CLUBS Linda Ingram BAY OF PLENTY - KASK Contact Website: www.canoeandkayak.co.nz KASK Administrator Iona Bailey, Tauranga or freephone: 0508 KAYAKNZ PO Box 23, Runanga. 7841 Ph: (07) 576 1492 (0508) 522 2569 West Coast email: [email protected] ROTORUA- KASK Contact Send address changes for receiving John Flemming, PO Box 1872, KASK Website: the newsletter via email to Linda at: Rotorua [email protected] Ph/fax: (07) 347 9950 www.kask.org.nz email: [email protected]

22 Paul Caffyn and Conrad Edwards approaching the small West Greenland village of Igdlorssuit on 1 August 1999. Forty years earlier, Ken Taylor has a skin kayak built for him in this village, the lines of which were used to develop the lines of the Nordkapp kayaks we were paddling (See story on page 15). Photograph: Paul Caffyn

In 1999, this was the only kayak remaining in good condition at the village of Igdlorrsuit, where once every hunter in the village would have owned a kayak. Photograph: Paul Caffyn MAILED TO

If undelivered, please return to: KASK , PO Box 23, Runanga, West Coast. 7841

A rainbow heralds an approaching hailstorm in Duck Cove, Dusky Sound, Fiordland. (See story on page 9). Photograph: Cathye Haddock

KASK MEMBERSHIP POLICY Current membership fees are: - $35 for ordinary membership - $40 for family or joint membership - $35 for overseas membership - new members receive a free copy of the handbook - members should endeavour to renew by 1 August - the KASK fi nancial year runs 1 August to 31 July the following year - a subscription due notice and up to two reminders are sent out with the newsletters between June and October - if a membership renewal is not received by 30 September, membership lapses - new members who join between 1 June and 31 July automatically get their membership credited to the following year, receiving a 14 month membership - the KASK committee puts its emphasis confi rming renewals from existing members from July to October; and pro- moting new KASK memberships from November to February.