Keep Calm and Kayak On! Sarah Holmes and Emma Millen started at and paddled to the very end of the River at .

“They said it couldn’t be done, but we knew we could do it. We knew were those that doubted it could be done (including the author of this we had the fitness, skills and above all determination on our side to article!) At approximately 425 kilometres this was certainly a challenge, make it happen, but more than that we chose to do it as we couldn’t find but mid morning on Boxing Day 2012, as most people were recovering any record of anyone completing the challenge – let alone two females from Christmas Day and wondering how many alternative meals they - in six days.” could make out of a turkey, the girls slipped quietly onto the lake and These are the motivational words of two Auckland women who had paddled to the centre in their white water boats . Avoiding a Cessna 206 originally made a pledge to kayak the mighty Waikato, ’s float plane as it skimmed across the water on landing was to set the longest river, in ten days. Sarah Holmes and Emma Millen would start scene in an unexpected fashion, typically the duo saw the funny side as close to the source as possible at Lake Taupo and paddle to the very and ploughed on regardless – Keep Calm and Kayak On! end, where crystal-clear, fresh water becomes the salty expanse of the The first stage to conquer was the initial rapids section to Reid’s Farm Tasman Sea at Port Waikato. and then sensibly abandon all hope of cascading over the Huka Falls. Why? Why not? The 22-year old fitness fanatics, who have been firm Emma took the rapids in her stride whilst Sarah, a comparative novice friends since childhood, are very much of the ‘life is for living’ brigade, battled through until she came to grief near the world-famous Huka in their case the seed was sown back in 2011 when Sarah tragically lost Lodge Hotel. A brief portage to the safer side of the daunting falls saw her mum Michelle after a lengthy battle against depression. Emma had some deft abseiling as the girls lowered themselves and their equipment also seen her own mother suffering with different medical battles and so the planning phase commenced, with the theme ‘Doing it for the Mums’ at the forefront of their minds. Unlike most challenges of this nature sponsorship was never an issue. “It wasn’t about raising money” said Sarah, a Personal Trainer, “It was all about raising the profile of depression in New Zealand and about how important our mums are.” The planning phase was completed quickly by Emma, a professional kayaker. Mapping out the journey, calculating the daily route down to the minute and giving consideration to logistics, nutrition and above all safety was paramount for Emma, “We knew that we had to average seven kilometres an hour, ten hours a day or we wouldn’t do it. We wanted to be the first and fastest, however my goal was to do it safely or not at all”. Even as they made their way to Taupo with their Support Team there www.kayaknz.co.nz ISSUE SIXTY Nine • Autumn 2013 9 down to the river. With the enormous power of the river on their side a rope, a plastic duck called Edna. As they set off, pausing only for a they made quick time to the Aratiatia Dam. Met by the Support Team photograph and a brief word of encouragement they knew now that a they quickly ate lunch and before you could say splash deck were combination of their personal goals and fighting spirit would be essential leaving the crew behind to get back into the water the other side of the to get them home. As they wound their way up river they looked for – a Grade six and beyond the ability of even the most places to stay each night, their outdoor education experience to the fore hardened kayaker. From here the river drops 28 metres in a kilometre: during one overnighter when they created a home-from-home under an this is what endears the area to the hearts and minds of international old disused concrete roof. Other river users shouted encouragement kayaker’s. The girls lowered themselves back to the water and drifted and disbelieving looks when informed of the journey, “It can’t be done!” off into the mist mindful that the next phase, ‘Full James’ the site of the they shouted, foolishly. 1999 World Whitewater Championships, would be a challenge, and if Despite taking precautions they were sunburnt and raw. Sleep became nothing else it would certainly put a smile on Sarah’s face. By now the a luxury, tired beyond their wildest imagination, over the next few weather had worsened, a constant drizzle fell from the skies leading to days they had navigated through the lakes of the central North Island, the Support Team getting lost in unfamiliar territory. Soon however all paddled their way to , , Karapiro, Cambridge, were reunited alongside the stunning, and now somewhat calmer river, it’s deeply mesmerizing turquoise waters swirling to the surface, inviting and enticing, allowing the girls for a moment to take a breath and consider what lay ahead of them. At this stage good humour still prevailed and despite the now torrential rain they were desperate to get back onto the water, the words ‘they say it can’t be done’ echoing in their collective minds. But time and tide waits for no woman: Day One was over. Much-needed rest followed; mind and bodies soon replenished, Day Two and the start of the more arduous aspect of the trip would follow before you could say “Are there really two four o’clock’s in one day?” Crack of dawn the following morning saw the pair sliding their way down a wet and treacherous footpath to the waters edge, they had now changed vessels, the early stages had demanded short kayaks but from here onwards a two-man would be their companion as they made their way North West to the ocean. Their trusty steed was to be a much-loved red Contour 490 Tandem, complete with adequate storage (they were carrying around 200 kg of equipment) and most importantly their lucky mascot trailing behind on 10 ISSUE SIXTY Nine • Autumn 2013 www.kayaknz.co.nz Tui Excel A versatile, go anywhere kayak

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For all the kayak specs. and stockists, visit www.q-kayaks.co.nz or phone 06 326 8667 Skua - 1st Plastic Sea Kayak -Trans Taupo Race 2011 - Circumnavigation around the South Island. www.kayaknz.co.nz ISSUE SIXTY Nine • Autumn 2013 11 Hamilton and Huntly and on Day Five they reached Mercer. It was New the river mouth until the immensely-proud welcoming committee arrived. Year’s Eve 2012. As revellers danced the night away oblivious of the Reunited with their families, the girls collapsed onto the beach, shook massive effort, the girls grabbed some brief sleep; they knew that the hands, hugged and then nodded to one another before sprinting to following day, in order to beat the tide, they would have to start early. the sea. “We were exhausted and the pressure we had put ourselves under “We were shattered but we had made a pact to leap into the ocean was starting to show – I knew how close we were, we had reduced the – we knew that our mums would be incredibly proud of what we had journey from ten to six days and we were in striking range. For the first achieved. It was at this stage when someone shouted ‘you never know time I felt we might have set the benchmark,” said Emma. girls, you might have set a record…’” At 2.30am New years Day 2013, surrounded by mist they set off, Words and images: Mark Bond 2013 © Emma’s father acting as a guide in the family boat, torches lighting the way. Emotions were high as the pair dug deep and paddled against the flow, passing old training grounds in Franklin; near now, near to the finish. White caps were whipped up by the 20 knot wind as they finally saw the sand bar that crosses the river and announces the end of the journey. They had made such good time that they had to paddle around

12 ISSUE SIXTY Nine • Autumn 2013 www.kayaknz.co.nz