Pelorus Sounds - A change of pace

All the posts on this blog so far were about whitewater.

Not this one.

Even though I spent the last ten years almos exclusively in whitewater boats I come from a background of seakayaking. I guess growing up a few km's from the "beach" in Northern Germany made that a pretty obvious way of getting into kayaking in an area without any mountains (my parent's house sits below waterlevel) or even hills.

Now New Zealand has not a only a big reputation for amazing whitewater but also a huge system of sounds and bays, cutting far into the land, bordered by mountains raising right from sea level.
The possibilities are endless, there are incredibly famous destinations like Milford Sounds, pristine and rather crowded ones like Abel Tasman to the very remote areas of Fjordland.
There also is a big system right at the northern end of the South Island.
Most travellers experiencing NZ will have seen a tiny bit of it from the Interislander Ferries while approaching Picton.

With limited time on our hands and the idea to do something that neither of us had done I teamed up with long time Milford Guide and Paddlerzone Sea Kayak Instructor Matt "Tex" Walker to explore the area around Pelorus Sounds. Our time frame was roughly a week, weather seemed to be alright and with a week of hectic organizing we made our way North. Pretty stressed at that point to be quite honest.
It took us until the second day to shake off the daily grind and start enjoying the unique area.
Options are endless and after listening to some of the Mountain Radio forecasts we altered our plan to mission D'Urville Island and rather have a proper holiday.
Days still averaging around 20 to 30 km's after that decision (instead of a daily 40) we spent a lot of our time exploring, fishing, relaxing, eating well and lots.

After having had my last longer seakayak trip in 2003 it took me a while to get back into enjoying the special eventfulness of seakayaking. You are traveling at a rather slow pace and thus have tons of time to enjoy what is happening around you. And other than the fast paced whitewater part of our sport it is all of a sudden more about the little things that entertain you.
Wildlife was a big one, penguins, seals, stingrays, kormorans, seeing (!) king fish all made us stop for bits and just observe.

Fishing from the kayaks was another big part.
Matt was trolling pretty much throughout the whole trip, with tons of enthusiasm but very limited success. Well, he did catch a good sized and really mean looking Barracuda - until it put its razorsharp teeth to work and snapped the line.
As soon as we would stop at the rocky points where the tides stirred up the water around the steep rockbeds we would get lucky. Baitfishing it wasn't uncommon to pull up two blue cods at once! Delicious!

The moment I will remember the most though is one that was impossible to get on camera.
Close to the end of the trip we were battling a strong southerly wind all day to make it to the campsite. In a place where the hills are shooting right out of the water it is hard to find a good spot to sleep, so we stuck to the excellent little DOC campsites.
We had an hour or so left before sunset at this point, about seven kms to go but now both tide and wind in out back. We were sure we would make it.
We didn't.
Matt decided to climb up a somewhat accessible spot in a little bay, tying his boat close to sea level. I wasn't sure how high the tide would go in that spot, didn't want to risk my gear and the thought of climbing in almost darkness just to not find a flat spot for my thermarest didn't seem appealing either.
Though exhausted from the longest day we had I was still fit enough to do another few km's, do the last crossing to the campsite. By that point it was almost completely dark.
And then it all came together.
Lining up the stars I had marks on where I should end up. Headtorch flicked to red above my visor so it wouldn't blind but I'd still be seen I left shore.
A warm evening land breeze was blowing against me, but only mildly so.
After a while of paddling, just listening to the sounds, enjoying the blurred reflection of the stars I realized something had changed.
I could see my paddlestrokes! I had seen it before, but never in an area this big and a setting like this. Bioluminescense is caused by microorganisms that are stimulated to light up through motion or touch. What that meant for me was that not only my paddlestrokes but my whole boat and the waves coming of it where ILLUMINATED!
And to finish it off I did find a good campspot, had a little fire and enjoyed a small nightly hike.

I often find it hard to not spend time off on whitewater and it is still where my passion is, but I would go for a trip like this anytime again!

Another good thing by the way was that I spent some more time with my camera, playing around with pictures more challenging than the obvious action of whitewater kayaking.

Enjoy the shots!

PELORUS!

peer pressure

guess where there is good fishing!

mi casa!

campfires and bad spelling.

time to chill

amazing campsites

showers

find the sign. all you can see from the DOC sites

so delicious!

Tex trolling.

in spots you feel like coming into jurassic park

rushhour!

my ride! Mission Eco Bezhig! What a packhorse!

Green shelled mussels. Not so green anymore but about to pop open next to the fire!

My last night by myself.

Same spot.

Pollution. Or a romantic sighting of rusty anchors.

Sting Rays. RIP Steve Irwin!

Peace!

Sven

What the...

Everybody please stay away from me!

Well, that is if you're supersticious.
(I'm usually not!)

But for some reason I just seem to attract trouble lately.

The above picture is me checking how much my face is actually bleeding after running
Maruia Falls.
The very bottom one is our ride back to Christchurch. Rather wrecked.

But I shouldn't start here.
Good things first I guess.

After a lot of convincing, repeated messages, kind words and promises of an unforgettable weekend I made my way to Bullerfest. (Thanks Jordy, Barny and Nils!)
And I have to admit, it was amazing! Unlike a lot of events back home every skill level, every age, every style of boating was to be found within the crowd that made the pilgrimage.
The only on-water activity I partook in was the raft race - we killed the first heat starting late and finishing first and then got last in the second. So much fun though!

Apart from that I did the middle Matakitaki with a bunch of good friends and partied my face off on both nights. Amazing spirits!

So congrats to Ben Jackson and his team for an amazing job hosting one of the funnest events I've been to!

Not a whole lot of Buller shots, too hungover most of the time. But:
The main site on saturday for raft and slalom
The weather was horrible, can you tell?

People were wearing eight layers of down gear.
Nobody smiled.

And yes, slalom can be done for fun and by everyone.
Tits on fire!

Tired and happy we made our way back to Christchurch on Sunday.
My one goal for the weekend was to do Maruia Falls, but up to the point of leaving I just couldn't find time or the right people.
It wasn't until we were almost there that Anna offered to stop and wait for me to run it. I was pumped!

I saw the first shots of Maruia Falls about eleven years ago, when Arnd Schaeftlein was showing us the "waters of wisdom" on VHS tape!

It's not a hard drop. At all!
But rather scenic.
And fun!
Following shots by Tyler Da Silva

My first run was sweet. I was in a bit of a rush, as the girls only stopped to let me run it. Thanks Anna!
Boof stroke, tuck, stomp! So smooth!

My second run.
My intention was to wheel it, changed that last second and pulled another boof.
Very flat, very high up.
Flexibility is key if you try to kiss your cockpit. Split my nose.
Taped in hospital a while later. I am now off for a week.
And the swell here in Christchurch is pumping!!!!

As if that wasn't enough.
The grand finale.
Span representing mad rallye skills as we tried a new line.
Straight is the new right!
Everybody was fine, just meant another night in Murchison.
And a future of cycling for the unlucky owner. Sorry Span!

Well. So now I am back here, sore face, whiplashed neck, four more days of work with people staring at my nose, and then: Relaxation. Seven days of seakayaking, fishing and chilling in the Marlborough Sounds. Maybe I'll make it without carnage this time. Who knows?

Peace,
Sven

KARMA!

It's been over ten years now that I've been running whitewater and thus been traveling and living out of cars quite a bit. I never had anything happen to me, Cameras, travelgear, kayakgear, whole lives carried around in a car are obviously quite attractive for the criminal mind.

So I guess it's just been a matter of time until what happened would happen.

A few weeks ago I went for a hike. I'm not much of a hiker, but there was no water in the rivers to begin with so I decided to give it a try. Croesus Track, crossing the Paparoa Range near Greymouth, West Coast of New Zealand. A good friends recommendation, supposedly one of the most beautiful spots he's seen!
I started late, busted up the track and loved every second of it. Arrived at a hut just before sunset, got invited for some food by the couple that was staying there and as I was wondering why I didn't see their transport in the carpark they mentioned that they had been warned by locals that this exact spot was prone for break-ins. I was worried, but shook the thoughts off. 7km rough gravel, mid week, main tourist season over, I convinced myself that my car would be alright.
The next morning I continued the track, parting from the two, they went back to the carpark. I made good progress, scenery was stunning, just myself on one of the most stunning ridges I've seen! After making it down to the sea I hitchhiked back tot the carpark. No more than five minutes wait for any of the three rides that would get me all the way back to my truck. I would be there the same time the two others would be! I was stoked, everything seemed to be running so smooth.

Until I got to the carpark. When I checked the spot where I parked my car I instinctively looked around to see where it could be. There was a car in the same spot, but not a lot reminded of the big black and white Mitsubishi Pajero that I was so proud of.

The fire had only left metal, even the windscreen was melted down, well, you see the photos. The rock on the passenger's seat killed the thought of accident or self inflicted fire pretty quickly.
In the car was my complete kayaking gear, boat, paddle, pretty much everything that I owned and couldn't fit into the daypack I was carrying. My whole life gone in an instant!

Quite a while later I am sitting at the desk at PaddlerZone, the kayakshop I'm working at.
The past weeks have been an amazing display of openness, friendliness, helpfulness ot of everyone I know. PaddlerZone was helping me out with gear, friends gave me clothes, invited me for beers, even offered paying for my Laser Eye that was so close but now moved into a far distance again. I am now playing a new guitar, signed by seventeen friends - my little washburn disappeared as well. Sponsors offered to help out. At this spot:
Thanks so much to everyone!!!
Funnily enough losing pretty much all my possessions made me realize that I am still very rich. Living a restless lifestyle like I do these days it is incredible to see that kind of support!

And the mail I have in my inbox makes me smile! Satisfaction overcomes me, a bit of an evil smile, too. The police has found my paddles and camera lenses on someones property. The first person is arrested, they're trying to find the rest.
It is Karma. What you deserve is what you get!

Being aware of this I am looking forward to one and a half more months in New Zealand! An incredible country with outstanding people.
Next weekend I'll be attending the infamous Bullerfest, I'll be seakayaking for a week, hopefully hit some more rivers, hike (why did I never try that before?). Wow!

Okay, thought I'd share that story, but I also owe a few pictures. This time I included a bit more than just the standard kayak shots. Being able to live the life I'm living is definitely worth the hassle I went through! This place is stunning!
Bare with me if they're all over the place...

Parked quite well, don't you think?
Only metal left.
In the foreground you see a bit of a burnt bush.
It was really dry the weeks before, so not only did those people screw my life over but also almost set the hill on fire!

The Croesus Hutt!
In any other situation I would have said this was worth any trouble!
Stunning spot - Thanks DOC (department of conservation)

Same spot, now how is that morning view?

Tree on the track.

Work: Guiding the Waimakariri.
70km of class I-II, the kayak leg of the infamous
coast to coast race.

Max Siech styling as usual.
Upper Kakapotahi

Thomas Voessing: last stroke before the blind mandatory.
Upper Kakapotahi

Following shots in reverse order:
Nils Moeller, Upper Styx

Milos Trnka, Upper Styx

A throwbag. That's right Nils! Used to rescue people.
Good boy!

Richard Bax Clark, First Rapid Upper Styx

Waiting for Milos. Worse places to hang out.

Another team on the Styx.
One crew lost and broke a total of four paddles!

Best seats! Cheers Dando!

The master at work.

Nils, you really should focus more if you're flying a chopper!

Different day. Beer and good river days are always good!
Crew: Me, Gaz, Sam, Kev, JV, Jye
photo jeremy holiday

Oh, yeah, another Croesus view

Local fun: Nils rappelling off Castle Rock, Christchurch

Occasionaly I have somewhat nice views from my house.

Suggested Actionlines should not be ended upside down in rocks.
The price you pay: A snapped brand new paddle!
Check the flex on that spare!
Upper Kakapotahi, blind mandatory boof next to sieve...
picture courtesy of max siech

Peace!
Sven