c&k#35 dps-m spg - Canoe & Kayak

Motiti by Lesley NoelSpur of the moment is wonderful thing. Four Clubbieshaving a free Friday decided to do a trip out to Motiti Island.We had been looking at this trip for some time andconditions were ideal. We met at six am down at the end ofPapamoa beach. It was dark and the only thing to be heardwas the gentle lap of waves on the shore.The Island always looked so far away and I was apprehensive. We had takentwo demo boats out as well as Irene’s penguin and my Tasman Elite. Big Stevetook some time getting himself organized in the Challenge 5 and while hewas fluffing around I took some pictures of the dawn with Roger in the EuroX. What a way to watch the sun come up, sitting on calm seas with an excitingtrip ahead.The trip actually only took about an hour and a half to cover the 10 kms toWairere Bay having gone around Taumaihi Island. Taumaihi is not an Islandmost of the time, it joins Motiti by a rocky causeway which can only becrossed either side of high tide. Once landed we were joined by one of themanagers of the avocado orchard on the Island and with us all beinginterested in the place he offered to take us on a tiki tour of the Island. Wewalked up thru a huge cutting, made for future exports of their fruit. At thetop we climbed into his four-wheel drive and he took us through theplantings up to the highest point where we could survey all. They have over16000 avocado trees planted and will soon be a major player in the industry,as there is a micro climate on the Island which results in the fruit being ripeat least two weeks earlier than elsewhere. No possums and few rats help aswell. This is a privately owned Island half by avocado growers and the otherby Maori. An airstrip helps with transportation to and fro. A new landing/jetty where the cut has been made will be the major way of transportingthe fruit.We were back in our kayaks just in time to scrape over the rocks and nothave to go around Taumaihi Island. We cruised slowly up the inside coast ofMotiti rock gardening where we could. About half way up the Island is TeRotoharakeke Point and around the corner to Orongatea Bay, where there isthe only accommodation on the Island, a lodge. The beach was long anddeserted and we landed to have a bite to eat. After swapping boats we cruisedfurther up the coast to find seals on the rocks and even in the water to playwith us. We made the farthermost point past Te Manaiti Point and could seethe outside sea was a little rougher than where we were. Time didn’t allowus to circumnavigate the Island so we turned around and made a quick stopon the previous beach, and swapped kayaks again. Coming into the beachwe disturbed at least a dozen large stingrays sunning themselves in theshallow waters. From there we took off back to the mainland keeping oureye on the radio aerial which would bring us back to the cars.It was the most awesome sea to kayak in, oily calm. Pictures don’t conveyadequately the feeling. We arrived back at the beach at 3pm having to braveonly a small surf landing. In summer snorkeling and swimming will be a mustfor a return visit and with longer days it will be another awesome trip.24 ISSUE THIRTYfive • 2006