Adv 223 Yumpu

HOMEGROWN
WEST COAST
THE WEST COAST
A region well versed in
its adventurous roots
Words by Chris Birt - Images compliments of Tourism West Coast
The spectacular Hokitika Gorge
The pre-dawn of February 26 1983 emerged with
a bracing breeze, as early mornings often do in
the shadow of New Zealand’s tallest mountain
peaks.
In the half-light, thunderous waves crashed into
black sands at Kumara, just south of Greymouth.
At the water’s edge 79 hardy souls tentatively
anticipating the start of one of the biggest
adventures of their lives.
An excitable little man with an impressive beard
and a commanding character screeched through a
mega-phone: ‘Back, get further back!’
This small contingent of scantily-clad individuals
retreated, the reluctance at starting a new day
immersed in the vast Tasman Sea written all over
their collective faces.
As the chills enveloped them, I asked myself
what these crazy adventurers were doing there.
Equally, what was I doing in such a desolate place
as the sand flies honed in for the kill, especially at
that ungodly time of the day?
Alongside me was Graeme Brown, a young
cameraman in the infancy of his career but
eagerly desirous of having his work presented
to the adventuring world. At that frozen moment
in time he admitted to having those very same
thoughts.
Little did he know it but he was capturing on film
- digital imagery hadn’t been conceived at that
time - adventure racing history in the making.
[Graeme’s fantastic images accompanied my
words in the next Adventure Magazine].
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