Autumn, Fiordland

After last years debacle of a paddling trip to fiordland. We needed to readdress the prioroties.

Number one: the pub is for after the paddling has been done with! Critical ..
Number two: Ensure there is enough water!

Sophie, Vaughan ( 900 Km from Westport, Howie) and I bolted early on a monday arvo making a bee line for Te Anau to met up, then went on to Homer Hut.

The Stationary front parked over the fiords topped up the rivers, with just enough for us to have a couple of days of good boating.

Tuesday morning had us down at the legendary "Paddle on Inn" sipping cups of tea with Blake Reed, sea kayak guide extraordinaire, a morning off!! Nice life in the Fiords.

We sped up the process and fitted in a couple of short runs on the Cleddau River (not enough water to run from Slip Creek). Access for the get in at the Guliver/Donne is so sweet, The trail is on the Homer hut side of the Guliver bridge, down to the Foot bridge.

Craig waiting for the crowds to die down at the get in.

(H. Wilson)

Sophie Ballagh and Blake Reed
(Photo: H Wilson)

Vaughan Gribben warming up (photo: H Wilson)

Sophie Ballagh (Photo: H Wilson)



After dropping Blake back, to his afternoon clients, we scoffed down lunch and elected to walk up the Tutoko River for 30minutes, best idea of the trip!

30 minutes of consisitent walking put us at a rocky stream bed, so we turned right 25 minutes of walking ducking, diving and dragging had us river side.

430pm we peeled out, all boat scoutable, (until it got dark enough near the end to reduce the 3rd dimension of the 3D) continuous goodtimes, nothing chunky, just fun fun fun. Standing by the van stoked at 630pm

Note:
The water in the Tutoko held looking good till the next afternoon! Whereas the Cleddau drops like a rock!

Photos: H Wilson

The view downstream from where we popped out, Sweet!

View upstream, still looks good, more for next time... Just perfect for us, timewise.

Times have changed and getting to the Arthur River legally is now a little bit of a rigamarole!

Thought i would spell it out here for everybody

Didymo is not present in the Arthur, rumour has it!

Before you get there you should probably ring Alan at Fiordland Lobster 03 249 8093
He is in charge of issuing the required permit to get over there and paddle.

He will want to see that your kit and boat has been cleaned in the Black and blue barrels that are stashed by the sea kayaking drying tent. (Check in with the crew at Paddle on Inn, they could smoooth the whole process for you).

Then the crux of the mission is getting transported across the sound to Sandfly Point so that none of you or your kit touch that polluted sound.

Real Journeys run the Anita Bay and at a cost of $29 a head, Wow I know thats what i said!!
So we met a fishing charter guy and he got us across on his tender for a case of beer! Sweet

Little boat full of little boats, mind ya toes getting in wouldn't blow the whle cleaning process

Vaughan Gribben hanging on!

After all that, the walk was a pleasure, Lake Ada and we were off

Brian Prince from Mephis, Tennesse

After a great couple of days boating, it was time to celebrate over a fantastic meal.

more blue cod, and crays than you can shake the stick at! then a hard earned trip to the pub to wash it all down!

A big shout out to Blake and Rosie for turing on the hospitality for us, it made this trip a complete success!

The next morning folks were a little bit washed out so for most the crew flagged the paddling option. Howie managed to rouse hinself for a run thru the drops on the Falls creek section of the Hollyford River.

Cheers guys for A GREAT TRIP!