Okains Bay 17/18 Feburary 2024

Scarborough small-surf training 31 January 2024

Christmas paddle/overnighter at Ōtamahua/Quail Island was on 16/17 December 2023

KASK Kayasafe training was on 29 Nov & at Cass Bay 2 Dec 2023

Okains Bay training weekend was 25/26 February 2023

Christmas paddle/overnighter at Ōtamahua/Quail Island was on 17/18 December 2022

KASK Kayaksafe training was held in November 2022 at Further Faster and at Cass Bay

Okains Bay 2022 training weekend was 26/27 February

KASK 'Meet The Paddlers' safety training day was 4 December 2021 at Naval Point Club & nearby Magazine Bay, Lyttelton

Okains Bay 2021 training weekend was 20/21 February

Saturday evening we used the Okains Bay Community Hall for the day's debrief, some short sharp presentations and to plan for Sunday.

Saturday 30 January 2021 KASK one day training workshop (meet the paddlers) was held for the second time - Free

See the poster in Document Repository

Wednesday evening surfing 16  Dec - Not intended to be a teaching session, though there may be some learning

New Brighton. north side of the pier.

Summer paddling program loaded October 2020, updated Feb 2021 (v6).

Please note:

CSKN trips are open to all, however difficulty (experience needed) varies with location and of course the weather conditions on the day. If you are a beginner, then pick Cass Bay  Wednesday morning paddles and for Wed evenings as the paddles can be configured to suit whoever comes. Best to check ahead by text with the organiser. Launching at Redcliffs or Sumner (to surf) is for those comfortable spending time out of their kayak and getting tossed about by large waves. Ability to roll makes the surf most enjoyable.

At 16 September 2020 we were back to L2 restrictions so evening meetings were posponed (old info now)

A summer paddling programme is overdue and we hope to get it set up soon.

Covid-19 retrictions move to level 2 on Thursday 14 May 2020 (old info now).

That means more kayaking freedom, but still a need to constrian group numbers and perhaps track who you kayak with. Sporty (or Sportsground) who provide this website, have develped iDMe app, enabling a personal QR code to be created https://idme.co.nz/  that can be scanned with a phone (by someone in the network with the matching scanning approval) automatically and without contact recording the detials of people in a group. Data is deleted after a month. I'm going to try  it out.

Ian McK 12 may 2020

A successful Training Day was held on 14 March 2020, put on by the Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers as part of the national series "Meet The People".

We used the Naval Point Club, Lyttelton for the fIrst part of the day,  indoors learning about the capability & differences of sea kayaks, what equipment you need & why, understadning weather forecasts, Mayday & rescues, navigation & regulations, trip planning. In the afternoon we paddled from Magazine Bay to Cass Bay covering on-the-water skills.

2020 Okains Bay training weekend was Sat 22 & Sun 23 February

We had 50 people, good conditions for surf training on Saturday and a really nice day Sunday with light easterly breeze that enabled us to form into groups, discuss expectations, leadership, how a pod might work & then paddle out of the bay for a look at the cave around the corner, seal colony (still with a few babies) and then on to the sea stack with intermittant waves crashing nearby.

(Draft Programme was loaded to Doc repository tab 13 January 2020 & updated just before the weekend)

Emergency Communication Guidelines For Remote Activity Providers

See this document at Click here

This is a 10 page document, and has good information for those going into remoter areas. If you tramp it is equally useful.

A good page to check is page 5 "What Information Should We Provide in an Emergancy Message?"

This is probably as important as any - what to say, how to say it.

This is followed by PLB information, what happens, how best to get help via using one.

The last two pages are a form to use "Emergency Communication Plan for Remote Outdoor Activity".

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Past Events

Okains Bay Training Weekend (email from Sandy 14 Feb 2019, with slight modifications)

You do not need to pre-book or pre-register.
The programme is on the CSKNet website (see doc repository) & facebook
Helmets needed for surf sessions

Start -
Saturday - 9.30 a.m. Sign-in, note safety requirements and guidelines.

10.00 a.m. Welcome, guidelines for the weekend, health & safety, description of activities

10.30 a.m. Activities start

Camp Ground Booking In

For those who haven't been before, the office is in a house on the left before entering the camp ground.

Say you are part of the Canterbury Sea Kayak group and there could be a small discount. They are expecting us. Remember that showers cost $2. Change can usually be provided at the office.

Where We Will Be
This is still undecided but Ian will be there on Friday early to check out the best area. It might be near the lagoon so be prepared to drive around looking for other kayakers.

Helmets & Bilge Pumps from PaddlerZone
If anyone needs a helmet or bilge pump for the Okains weekend, call into Paddlerzone as we will do free hire on these items this weekend.
P.S. we have around 10 available for hire.
Regards
Peter

Weather
It is not going to be a heatwave and there might be a shower sometime. Only the Metservice website indicates rain, other sites say maybe a passing shower.

Sandy Ferguson

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Summer Paddling programme loaded 8 Nov 2018 - 2019

Wed 14 Nov evening paddle is Cass Bay. Paddle to Otamahua/Quail Is to suit all comers.

No further meetings at Paddlerzone until 2019

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Monthly Meeting 17 October 2018, 7.30pm

What: Past Tsunamis on Lyttelton Harbour by Graeme Small. Graeme has witnessed two and has pictures of them. However those witnessed tsunamis  are just the recent ones, there have been many more.

Where: Paddlerzone, 311 Blenheim Road

Please bring a chair.

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Lake Heron Trip was 5 August 2018 - see the Lake Heron tab for details.

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Monthly meeting 20June 2018, 7.30 p.m.

Also listed as an event on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/canterburyseakayak

What: A short paddle, long journey - Te Piaka/Adderley Head to Purau. Ian McKenzie
Where: Paddlerzone, 311 Blenheim Road

A collection of photos, with a bit of historical, geological & biological commentary thrown at you so that you might dream a little next time you are out this way.

See the gallery button to the right and in the Document Repository - 'Photos with Connections'.

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Monthly meeting 16 May 2018, 7.30 p.m.

Also listed on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/canterburyseakayak

What: Paddler, paddle and paddling - Peter Sullivan
Where: Paddlerzone, 311 Blenheim Road

This is for all, though those new to kayaking should definitely come to learn. The paddle is the key to moving a kayak. Peter will talk about it and how you interface with the paddle. Types of paddles you might use, types of paddles for other craft, why and how they work. Like the STIG on Top Gear, they do say that Peter taught Adam how to paddle, and to do it properly.

Avon River Rules (May 2018)
New Clauses:
 • Part B (1) - (i) Navigation Safety Bylaw 2016 and Controls :

Rowing, sweep and sculling craft (such as rowers and surf boats who face backwards to the direction of travel)  travel downstream and upstream as close as practicable to their right side of the river i.e. keep to the nearest bank on the starboard side (right side). On encountering an oncoming forward facing craft, rowing craft are to hold their line. Rowing craft are not to row side by side unless passing, and if passing, must give way to forward facing craft already engaged in a passing manoeuvre.

• Part B (1) - (ii) Navigation Safety Bylaw 2016 and Controls:

All craft facing forward to the direction of travel (Kayaks, Surfskis, Stand Up Paddle Boards, Waka Ama, Dragonboats) travel downstream and upstream as close as practicable to their left side of the river i.e. keep to the nearest bank on their port side (left side), facing oncoming rowing craft. On encountering an oncoming rowing craft, forward facing craft are to pass by steering towards the centre of the river. They are then to return to the left side of the river as soon as practicable after the completion of the passing manoeuvre.

Monthly meeting 20 September 2017, 7.30 p.m.
What:  "Paddling the Andaman Sea on warm day (monkey included)" - Waveney & Sandy. It should also include scrubbing elephants and playing ball (coconuts) with monkeys plus how to paddle a REALLY big kayak (cruise ship).
Where: PaddlerZone, 311 Blenheim Road

Kayak Fest 2018 - 3 & 4 march 2018, Wellington
The details are on the KASK website. See the Home page and half way down, links to the Fest and International Kayak Week (IKW) which is held the week afterwards.
IKW will be at Elaine Bay and French Pass, details link beside the Fest link. On the Fest page, check the FAQ for full details.

Freebies - Newsletters
Anyone want hard copies of Sea Canoeist Newsletter April 1996 to Sept 2006 or Canterbury Sea Kayak Network Newsletter Sept 1994 - Nov 2003 - free to a good home! Located Chch.
Murray Watson 0212947012

Sumner Road Blasting - Still on-going, See - Click here
From 12 June, blasting above Windy Point south side of Gollans Bay. There are buoys marking the No-Go Zone.

Contact Details - on your kayak
Do you have your name and contact details somewhere on your kayak? Those details are supposed to be applied somewhere so that a missing kayak can be traced and hopefully no false call-outs generated.

Sandy
(on a warm 30C evening north of the equator)

CSKNet - January 2017 Newsletter

NOTE - the modification to the Network website address, "sportsground" replaced with "sporty".
The original address will cease about the end of January.

Okains Bay - 18-19 February (2017)
CSKNet Training Weekend at Okains Bay
Most drive over on Friday night (17 Feb). Book your site at the camp office on the left on the way in. Drive around looking for kayaks, find a spot to put up your tent or park your caravan.

We will start at 9.00 a.m. so be up bright and early. Sessions will be arranged and noted on the white-board They will depend on who wants what and who is available to run what, when.

For anyone who hasn't been before, it is all FREE except for camp fees and showers ($2 ???). We do like you to "register" as it gives us an idea how many came and bragging rights for kayak support and training (as if we actually needed it) and so we can let you know our safety requirmements

Events 2017

April
19 April - Monthly Meeting - J K-A "Paddling the sub Antarctic Islands"

KASK Forum / Okains Bay 2018
KASK have suggested we combine Okains Bay and the National Forum next year. Ideas? Anyone willing to put their hand up to help? Let Ian, David or myself know.

Sandy (with slight mods to the original email (Ian))
CSKNet Co-ordinator

Last Newsletter for the year - Posted 20 December 2016

Events
Programme - see Document Repository

The Xmas Paddle - (Steve Cooper)
Thought I’d better write the Trip Report for the 2016 CSKNet Xmas paddle to Quail Island as I was the only one who went! So here goes.
It was kind of Marie to turn up at Cass Bay and invite me to a pot luck in Diamond Harbour but I was psyched up to paddle.

There was a strong easterly with whitecaps! Was I being hardy or fool hardy? I went anyway. The sea was the murky colour of a painter’s water jar. A complete contrast to Lake Brunner and Lady Lake where I’d been paddling, and trout spotting, last Wednesday.

Paddled over to the island and round the west end to Whakamaru Beach. The beach was sheltered and quiet, apart from the wind in the trees, the waves on the shore and the odd bird. I had a tea and a snack. The only signs of human visitors were the dried footprints on the track. I had the swing all to myself. I hoped, after 20 minutes of hanging out, that the beastly easterly would have dropped for the return paddle. It hadn’t.

Headed off round the east end and straight into it. Took a line towards the petrol tanks. It felt like a long ferry glide. A couple of waves broke over me. Then turned and caught some of them into Cass Bay. “Did you have an enjoyable paddle?” a passer-by asked me in the car park. “Enjoyable? I’m not sure. But it was a good workout,” was my reply.

Steve
(I believe others had dinner at Diamond Harbour. If so its not the first time members have stayed ashore due to weather).

The Past Year
Another year in the existence of CSKNet. How many? 30 ? Having existed so long in the manner we have it would seem the formulae isn't too bad.

Events - I like to thank all of those who have been part of it and contributed this year, those who ran the training sessions at Okains Bay, Martin & Fiona for the Nydia Bay trip and things, Ian for the use of his projector and being my backup as well as his behind the scenes (as far as CSKNet go) work for KASK, David Welch for putting together a paddling programme and running training, to all who have contributed meeting talks and "slide" shows (when did you last see a film slide projected) including John K-A for training and talks, Peter Sullivan for talks and support, and talks and shows by Jillian Wilson, Bronwyn, Jon Sullivan, Robert Hall, Andy & Deirdre. Also a thanks to all our members for participating.

Last, but by no means least, PaddlerZone and staff for supporting and accommodating us.

Sandy

No meeting on 19 October (2016)

Sandy is away and we have not organised any presentations at Paddlerzone for this Wednesday.The paddling programme is in full swing though, Wed evening launch is at Redcliffs this week.Welcome to those people new to the CSKN email group and to a few of you that I know are new to paddling.

Training - Sat 8 October (2016)

David Welch is giving novice level training at Cass Bay this Saturday (postponement day is Sunday). Contact David if you want to participate. 027 363 9554. See the paddling programme for other training days

2016-2017 Paddling Programme Published

The Summer Paddling Programme for Wednesday evenings and some weekends is now available on the web site & face book page. There is a range of launch locations, though every second week is at Cass Bay.

Spring Dust-off Trip 01 – 02 October (2016)

Meet Cass Bay for on the water at 13.30 hrThis trip is for sea kayaks, (not sit-on-tops), with sealed compartments front and rear, and paddlers wearing a PFD and a spray deck while paddling.Paddle up to Ripapa Island, stop on the beach for a leg stretch.  Paddle round the island then back to Quail Island for an overnighter.Please make sure your gear isn’t harbouring any critters.Sunday on the water at 9.30 a.m. to paddle up to Little Port Cooper, stop there for a snack then paddle back to Cass Bay.Contact for questions – Fiona Fraser