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Marlborough Sounds Feb 09MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS TRIP 20-22 February 2009 By Agnes Arnold My first YY club trip. I was apprehensive. A feeling not helped by the torrential rain which greeted us at the ferry terminal and the decidedly fit and confident look of my 13 kayaking companions.. Oh, what have I done? Mental note to self – must get fit this year. After a gorgeous 11 km paddle across the Marlborough Sounds in gathering dusk and increasing rain, we reached Kumutoto Bay campsite. While I munched on staple diet of instant noodles with muddy stream water, Jolene and Carol appeared under the rain canopy, which our trip leader Neil thoughtfully provided for us, plates full of steak and fresh vegetables, sipping gourmet wines... Mental note to self – must plan a more adventurous menu next time.
Sandflies were the only annoyance – lucky for the rest of us, they seemed to like Tim best. Wind picked up and it got choppy on a couple of sections, which I found unnerving, so I told Neil I was scared of the waves. He looked around, confused. ‘What waves? Where?’ he asked. Even 13 year old Michelle took it in her stride. Hmmm … Mental note to self – must stop being a wimp.
The sunny weather held on Sunday and our paddle started on flat water. It soon changed as we got blasted by the north-westerly. The waves were big and irregular, hitting us side on and I felt uncomfortable and unstable. I got through it, though, thanks to the fantastic teamwork. The group sensed my rising panic and without even having to ask for it, I always had 2-3 experienced paddlers next to me for encouragement and support on rougher sections. It was immensely comforting. Carol’s calming presence, Jolene’s reassuring pep-talk and Alan’s useful hints (‘’Your rudder isn’t working, but don’t worry, you are doing well anyway!’’) were more appreciated that they will ever know. On my part, I just focussed on following John’s flag bopping up and down, after all he did have a VHF, which didn’t actually work, but still it was a comfort! Finally Picton was in sight and we all turned towards it, apart from Janet, who got picked up by a rouge blast of wind and for a while was pushed onto some rocks on the other side. Thanks so much to Neil and the whole team for this wonderful adventure! |
I woke up to the unfortunate sound of Michelle getting stung by a wasp – ouch! Sun came up and we got out on the water hoping for a great day. And it was! A change of plan due to weather saw us paddling 25 km, right past a playful seal and a shag colony, to the Davies Bay campsite. Yet again, we got a severe soaking, but this time not due to weather, but because of Jim and Alan, whose precise paddle control allowed them to splash us with impressive accuracy. Mental note to self – cereal bars are not totally waterproof! 
Camping that night was a sheer delight. We busked in the sun munching on fortune cookies, sipping beer chilled in a nearby stream. Bliss… Then, fun and games commenced! I never knew a game of Twister could get so intense! Jim knocked me out in the first round with a kamikaze backward flip manoeuvre, while Tim became an overall winner after a nail-biting combat against Neil’s determination and Simon’s agility. Jolene presented the winner with a trophy of tinned chicken, a prise worthy of our champion! I guess we all have Chris and Sue to thank (blame ? J ) for what followed – the highly competitive ‘girls versus boys’ game of charades in the dark was their idea! Kirsten’s fabulous tactics were our biggest asset and secured us an easy, though later highly disputed, win over ‘the boys’. The allegations of cheating were unfounded – whoever said the song title had to be in English? Mental note to self – must learn Italian before the next trip. 
Soon we were all safely back on Picton beach loading our trolleys. Mental note to self – must book in for the next club trip!