Let the Adventures Begin

The rest of the week was pretty mundane and normal. I went to AURAC's club night on Wednesday, and the beach with some friends on Thursday. The water was super warm and we threw a rugby ball around while we were there. Friday I went back to the Panmure gym with actual club members and had some fun meeting and climbing with new friends. I got back from that at around 10PM.

Notice the burn/tan line on my left shoulder (after 4 days)

Saturday was the first Canoe Club event of the semester. It was a flat water river paddle on the Puhoi River, about 30 minutes north of Auckland. I was going up there with my friend Matt, from England, and Rose, from Australia, who both are avid and amazing white water kayakers. So, the three of us loaded up into Matt's '85 van, along with the two boats, and proceeded on towards Puhoi, intending to pick up food for the BBQ afterwards as that was Matt's responsibility as the club's social officer. We had put Rose in charge of navigation and within two minutes we were heading directly South, in the opposite direction from Puhoi and the town of Onewa. Anyways, we realized this and got the sat nav properly organized. With the variety of detours to get food, petrol, and find the river we made it there before everyone else was on the river somehow. In our late arrival I had forgotten to put sunblock on and now have a very good looking life vest burn. Anyways, we got in the kayaks, with skirts on, and entered the river by being pushed down a muddy hillside about 4 meter above water level. It was quite the entrance to white water kayaks and they handle and maneuver way differently than the sea kayaks that I've been in.

The 40 people or so there ended up being 2 too many people for kayaks and we were two kayaks short. Matt let me use his kayak, and he and a friend decided to tandem kayak down the river using Matt's inflatable mattress. Well, it didn't work out. The inner stitches that kept the mattress in a flattened shape ripped and he now owns an inflatable cylinder. The two of them took turns switching on running in the knee deep mud on teh banks, swimming, and making their way down the river. At the half way point somehow a giant mud fight ensued and I became covered in mud. One of the other people said to hold on to the front of his boat and roll over to clean off. Well... I guess I let go because I couldn't get back up and quickly discovered the art of the wet exit in a kayak. So, mud fights, sore shoulders, awkward burns and a barbeque. Oh! And to top it off, since we were two kayaks short, following the mud fight Matt and I attempted to tandem kayak his boat with me sitting on teh back and my feet in the water. We ended up having someone tow his boat and the two of us decided to try and find a shortcut through mangroves. It was definitely not a faster alternative, although I found a random little foresty area wtih some sheep and that was awesome! All in all... a good day. Unfortunately I didn't bring a camera on this trip because it was just paddling and I didn't want to lose a camera when I went upside down.

The evening continued with Rose and myself going slacklining in the domain and watching fireworks from in front of the War Memorial Museum. Another perhaps rookie mistake. Our abs were exhausted from the kayaking so keeping any core tension just didn't work and we ended up covered in bug bites.

And Monday evening Lucy and I went back to climb with club at the other climbing gym. And she now has a car so we have a ride! Last night, on Tuesday, was the first night of pool training with the canoe club. Rose helped me learn how to T-rescue in a white water kayak. Basically how to use your hips and flick the boat upright when you go over without having to do a full roll. Someone else comes over and you push on the bow of their boat to right yourself. It's all in the hips and really doesn't require too much strength surprisingly. But willingly flipping myself was not the most fun. I'm super excited to keep going and work on learning how to do a full roll on my own. Even if I don't get that much river time it will be good to know and have the skills for later on.