ISSN 1177-4177 THE SEA CANOEIST NEWSLETTER TThehe JJournalournal ooff tthehe KKiwiiwi AAssociationssociation ooff SSeaea KKayakersayakers ((NZ)NZ) IIncnc - KKASKASK NNo.o. 147147 JJuneune - JulyJuly 22010010 The Sea Canoeist Newsletter INDEX EDITORIAL Overseas Reports EDITORIAL p. 3 Newsletter Articles Update on Stuart Truman’s Around Max Grant has written a superb ac- Australia (with a sail) Paddle: KASK count of the last stage of the South Albany – 28 July 2010 President’s Report July 2010 Island Circumnavigation that he and I’ve seen humpback and southern right by John Hesseling p. 4 his daughter Melanie have been stag- whales most days along the coast and WSNZ Education Forum ing over several years. Their expedi- three different types of albatross along by Kevin Dunsford p.4 tion blog address: with seals and dolphins. It’s a dramatic Webmaster’s Picks http://southislandcharityexpedition. coast with cliffy headlands, islands from Sandy Ferguson p.5 blogspot.com/ and beaches tucked away for camping. CONSERVATION Kerry Howe has a second instalment I was a bit of a slog getting into Albany Pest-free Islands in Eastern Bay of of his photo essay of the Canoe Cul- Harbour, yesterday against a head- Islands Already Showing Signs of ture of Papua New Guinea/Melane- wind. I must have looked as though I Recovery sia. A comprehensive further reading was struggling, as a whale-watching from Helen Ough Dealy p. 5 list rounds off the article. charter boat called the Sea Rescue to let them know a paddler was ‘doing it SAFETY Sandy Winteron has compiled a bril- tough’. I made it in but was knackered. Displaying of Dive Flags liant report on Wing Paddles, which Don’t tell them I struggled, as I put From Small Vessels impressed Conrad Edwards no end: on my brave face as they motored off. from Peter Crabb p. 6 Stuart’s blog: ‘Great article, best I’ve ever read http://nadgeekayaks.com.au/news- NEW ZEALAND TRIP REPORTS on my favourite subject (other than events/australia-by-kayak.html South Island Circumnavigation wine, women and song). I would personally not describe the Kinetic 12 Mile to Jackson Bay KASK Handbook - on CD by Max Grant p. 7 Wing as a hybrid, regarding it not as between a traditional paddle and As a result of an AGM motion re a wing, but rather the next evolu- consideration to PDFing the hand- OVERSEAS REPORT tionary step beyond a wing - it is book fi les for adding to the KASK The Canoe World of Papua New essentially a wing with the concave website, Sandy Ferguson suggested Guinea/Melanesia side fi lled in. Like the move from at a recent committee meeting that A Photo Essay - Part II a hang-glider (thin wing) to a true we produce the handbook on a CD. by Kerry Howe p.12 glider (aircraft wing cross-section). It would be individual chapters in Or, as Sandy points out better, it is PDF format, but this would have the original wing concept (I didn’t TECHNICAL great benefi t in terms of distribu- know that) and we’ve just seen two On the Wing (Wing paddles) tion, and cost of producing in com- by Sandy Winterton p.15 decades of mere hybrids before the true form was fi rst revealed (in a parison with the printed handbook. light manifestation) as the Kinetic Any thoughts, or suggestions, please BOOK REVIEWS Wing. ‘tis the way of the future...’ email me at: [email protected] Dancing on Ice by Jeremy Scott Kevin Dunsford attending a recent Books review: Alan Byde p.18 Water Safety hosted education forum A 25th anniversary of edition of The Confessions of a Wave Warrior in Auckland and has compiled a com- Dreamtime Voyage has been printed. by Eric Soares prehensive report. The committee is Email me for a cattledog of new and review: Paul Caffyn p.20 most grateful for Kevin to have at- secondhand paddling books, which tended the forum and written inform- now includes Eric Soare’s Confes- HUMOUR p.21 ative reports on what transpired. sions of a Wave Warrior (see review on p. 20) Thanks to all the KASK FORUM 2011 Paul Caffyn contributors and The Anakiwa Outward Bound photographers. School has confi rmed our booking for 1- 3 April 2011. At the head of KASK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE Deadline for next newsletter Queen Charlotte Sound, this venue is NOW DUE. PLEASE RENEW 17 September 2010 a cracker for the next KASK forum. PROMPTLY PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS Cover: Melanie and Max with celebratory glasses of champagne after completing their South Island circumnavigation; Melz becoming the fi rst Kiwi girl and Max the oldest Kiwi bloke to complete this arduous trip. Photo: Belinda Mulvany Facing page: Top left - Max and Melanie discussing the day’s goal before launching from the 12 Mile, on the West Coast of the South Island. Photo: Paul Caffyn. See page 7 for more photos and a report by Max on this last stage. Bottom Left: Max Grant paddling against a magnifi cent backdrop of the Southern Alps and the Franz Josef Glacier. Photo: Melanie Grant 3 No. 147 June - July 2010 Jim Lott of Maritime New Zealand KASK Water Safety NZ (MNZ) spoke saying the change in EDUCATION FORUM Government has helped MNZ with funding. Currently a road tax of 43 President’s Report 21 July 2010 cents per litre of petrol, represent- July 2010 by Kevin Dunsford ing about $46M, has gone to road- By John Hesseling ing each year. Since a proportion of Water Safety NZ conducts four edu- petrol is used by boating, the Gov- With winter upon us, paddling op- cation forums each year. The pur- ernment has agreed to make about portunities have been few and far pose is to provide a forum for mem- $8M available to boating, of which between. The weather over Queens bers, such as KASK, to participate MNZ will receive about $900,000. Birthday was wet so a planned kay- in the development and coordination This amount has already been allo- aking weekend at Hot Water Beach of water safety education initiatives. cated to promoting two main MNZ was spent indoors. The 21 July forum, held recently in objectives: Auckland, included a two yearly re- - the compulsory wearing of life The KASK Committee has been in- view of the forum and a chance for jackets in vessels under 6m in length volved in fi nalising the Sit on Top member organizations to make rec- (unless the skipper gives permission safety brochure and it is hoped to ommendations on it, to WSNZ. for their removal), due to come in on have the draft ready for comment by 1 October this year, and the end of the month. In addition to its role in education, - the compulsory carriage of commu- WSNZ acts as gate-keeper for grants nications devices, which still needs The committee is also investigating to member organizations for wa- more work. A survey conducted for mechanisms by which KASK can ter safety initiatives. For example, MNZ showed that 9 out of 10 people represent a greater number of pad- Paul Caffyn is currently completing remember TV ads about life jackets dlers especially at a national level. an education brochure for new sit- from last year so get ready for an on- on-top kayakers to be distributed at slaught of ads this coming season. A possibility includes a category of retail and other outlets, and this has membership for clubs or for regional been partially funded by WSNZ, Another interesting fact from MNZ’s networks. KASK is a member of with Paul donating his own time. nationwide survey was kayaks now Water Safety New Zealand and is are at least as numerous as trailer the only paddling organisation that As this was the fi rst time I had at- boats. Is it any wonder kayaks have is a member of the National Pleasure tended the forum, I could not judge suddenly become visible to boat- Boat Safety Forum. The more pad- its past performance but was interest- ies and regulators? This also means dlers that we can represent at these ed in other organizations’ comments kayaker education is a now a po- national organisations the more no- arising out of workshops. Members tential large money earner and may tice will be taken of us. I would considered the forum to be of greater account for the interest in establish- appreciate any feedback from mem- value when information was relevant ing formal kayaker qualifi cations by bers. to their own area of interest and of boating, instructing and educational average value other times. This is organizations. NZOIA, the New It is that time of the year when an- probably to be expected considering Zealand Outdoor Instructor’s Or- nual subscriptions are due and I the wide range of forum members ganization, has a formal agreement encourage all members to promote (see http://www.watersafety.org.nz/ with SKOANZ and ITO’s on the KASK to fellow paddlers and get members). formulation of kayaking qualifi ca- them to join up. More members will tions and is interested in resuming allow us to further promote safe sea An overriding message emerging discussions with KASK. Coastguard kayaking. was the potential for members to Boating Education has recently es- network common issues, whether di- tablished kayak safety courses, both rectly related to water safety or not. formal and online, although they are John Hesseling This point was further reinforced at a loss to explain why not many signalling for a beer to me by the desire of the CEO of sit-on kayakers and kayak fi shermen NZOIA (NZ Outdoor Instructor’s have taken them up or completed the Association) to discuss kayak edu- courses.