Sea Kayak Out Trips

Sea Kayak Tai Poutini Polytechnic

Date: 31/08/2012

Trip Location: Able Tasman Sea Kayak

Trip Name: Apple Tree Bay to Stephens Bay

Group Members: Tutors- Zak Shaw, Taz Students- Rebecca Reidie, Tim Read, Conor Livesey, Jono Irvine, Hugo Reid, Kristin Tisdall, Logan Froriep, Jeremy Black, Watson Green, Rhys Hillock

High/Low Tide Times: High - 9:23 & 21:50  Low - 3:05 & 15:35

Duration of the activity: One Full Day (day six of trip)

Weather conditions: light off shore winds in the morning, clear skies, 0.5m swell

A short narrative which shares your learning and highlights: We did a sunrise paddle today so we had to make sure our group management skills on the water were really good through the dark. We experienced some offshore winds that funneled down the valleys and we needed to adjust our bearing to make sure the winds didn’t push us out to sea. 

- Looking back to Fisherman Island

- Sunrise paddle, outstanding!!

Date: 30/08/2012

Trip Name/location: Onetahuti Bay to Apple Tree Bay

High/Low Tide Times: High - 8:49 & 21:00  Low - 2:35 & 14:55

Duration of the activity: One Full Day (day five of trip)

Weather conditions: Calm seas, clear blue skies, light southeast breeze, 0.5m swell.

A short narrative which shares your learning and highlights: We had our assessment on our different rescue techniques including deep water rescue, paddle float self rescue, rolling, and re-entry roll self rescue. We also had our assessment on the ddifferent paddle strokes including forward stroke, backwards, carving, sweep stroke, bow draws, emergency stopping, and low bracing. Continued to practice paddling around the rocks by using good turning strokes to get through narrow gaps and tight turns.

- View of the last bit of sun on Fisherman Island

- Game playing on the beach

Date: 29/08/2012

Trip Name/location: Whariwharangi Bay to Onetahuti Bay

High/Low Tide Times: High - 7:50 & 20:48  Low - 1:43 & 14:03

Duration of the activity: One Full Day (day four of trip)

Weather conditions: Clear skies, warm temperatures, light southeast breeze, no swell

A short narrative which shares your learning and highlights: We learnt the techniques used for towing sea kayaks and when to use the right technique. Throughout the day we practiced the different towing methods including short, medium, and a long tow by using slings or a tow rope. We continued to paddle around the rocks close to shore to better our turning strokes.

- Paddling through the rocks

Date: 28/08/2012

Trip Name/location: Goat Bay to Whariwharangi Bay

High/Low Tide Times: High - 6:43 & 19:30  Low - 00:35 & 13:20

Duration of the activity: One Full Day (day three of trip)

Weather conditions: Clear blue skies, light sea breeze from the north, carm seas

A short narrative which shares your learning and highlights: We practiced rolling our sea kayaks and a re-entry roll as a self rescue technique. We did a session on the correct paddle strokes for sea kayaking including: sweep stroke, carving, bracing, bow draw, and cross bow draw. Throughout the day we paddled around rocks close to shore to practice the different turning strokes and watching how the swell and waves effected gaps between the rocks. Practiced doing surf landings when we arrived at our camp site for the night.

- Getting ready to hit the water

- Nice sunset looking back to where we came from

Date: 27/08/2012

Trip Name/location: Mosquito Bay to Goat Bay

High/Low Tide Times: High - 5:25 & 17:32  Low -11:08

Duration of the activity: One Full Day (day two of trip)

Weather conditions: Partly cloudy throughout the day, northerly wind in the morning changing to northwest in the afternoon and easing, 1m swell with some white caps.

A short narrative which shares your learning and highlights: Learnt how tides effect a sea kayaking trip, how to read and work out high and low tide times throughout the day. Talked about risk management specific to sea kayaking where you have to think about the terrain, weather, and sea conditions for each day before you get onto the water. Talked more about group management on the water with different formations and good spots for where a guide should be on the water. Learnt and practiced how to surf land on a beach when there is swell and big surf is hitting the beach.

- Packing the kayaks for the day

- Grey clouds on the horizon

Date: 26/08/2012

Trip Name/location: Stephens Bay to Mosquito Bay

High/Low Tide Times: High - 16:30  Low - 9:48 & 23:52

Duration of the activity: One Full Day (day one of trip)

Weather conditions: Overcast with rain falling in the afternoon, moderate northwest wind in the morning changing to the north during the afternoon, 1-2m swell with white caps.

A short narrative which shares your learning and highlights: Learnt how to pack our kayaks correctly with good weight distribution, learnt and practiced the different paddle strokes for sea kayaking, learnt different group formations and management on the water, practiced different rescue techniques including: deep water rescue, paddle float, and the John Wayne self rescue method.