Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

2003-08-14T00:48:25+12:00

Alan Hoffman is coordinating a working bee for Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 August. The aims are to set foundations blocks for relocated hut, clean up weeds around the course and area, fit wire lock clamps to the Slalom Gate support wires so adjustments to one section doesn’t alter others, start working on the lower course discharge area and eddies, improve the walking track from the start of the course down to Pats peril and develop a put in and river access area above the course. If you can help, contact Alan at kirsty.hoffman[@t]internet.co.nz.

2003-07-30T05:49:01+12:00

The Annual General Meeting for the NZRCA will be held on Saturday 6 September at Level 6, PSA House, 10 Aurora Terrace, Wellington from 9am to 9am to 12.30pm. Lunch will be provided.All paddlers are welcome to attend, at any stage of the day. The AGM will be followed by an Executive meeting from 1.30pm to 5pm, then we’ll be keen on a drink and dinner at a local restaurant. Please send your nominations for Canoeist of the Year to [email protected]

Whitewater NZ

2003-07-17T21:28:03+12:00

The releases for the Wairoa for the 2003-04 season are online in Events & Releases.

2003-07-10T22:09:01+12:00

Here’s a winter retrospective of paddling adventures with a historical flavour: An account of an 1889 canoe trip by Mannering and Dixon down the Tasman, Pukaki and Waitaki rivers, and as previously published: The Park Brother’s epic journey from Hokitika to Christchurch via the Taramakau and Hokitika rivers, an early descent of the Clarence River, the first descent of Sargoods Weir on the Kawarau and the first descent of Huka Falls.

2003-07-01T11:02:06+12:00

Now you can access the NZRCA news feed as RSS (What is RSS?). If you are a webmaster, that means you can syndicate NZRCA news items and have them appear on your site (example, using javascript). As a web user, you can read RSS feeds using RSS readers such as NetNewsWire or others.

2003-06-23T23:15:58+12:00

According to the FMC Bulletin, April 2003 Air New Zealand have adopted IATA guidelines which allow camping stoves to be checked in providing they are ‘nullified’. Nullification involves completely draining the fuel, allowing the container to stand uncapped for at least 6 hours, or adding cooking oil (which elevates the flash point of any residual fuel), and appropriately sealing the equipment. Check-in staff may require you to sign a declaration form confirming these actions.

2003-06-17T16:51:21+12:00

ECAN are reviewing flow requirements for the Middle Rangitata (from the Klondyke irrigation intake to Peel Forest). If you have kayaked this section and have kept a logbook, please send details of your trips (ie. dates, flow, degree of difficulty, level of enjoyment) to Doug Rankin who has volunteered collate the reports and provide them to ECAN. The intention is understand how flow affects the recreational amenity for kayakers.

2003-06-12T10:10:53+12:00

The Rotorua Canoe Club, originally founded in the 1970’s, has a new lease of life.
Contact them at [email protected] or contact Donald Calder on (021) 343 980.

2004-01-31T10:57:08+13:00

Detailed records can help the NRZCA when it comes to conservation, access and flow preferences. They are also handy for personal reference and logging hours for instruction. Jonathan Hunt makes the case for keeping a logbook of your your kayaking experiences.

Access

2004-01-29T12:25:12+13:00

The Pre-Worlds were held last week in Penrith.
Nathan Ashmore (Rotorua) came second in the Men’s Junior class. Check out the
event web site and for results,
photos and video clips see the Bliss-Stick
web site

2004-01-29T12:23:26+13:00

As part of the Ministry for the Environment‘s Water Programme of Action, input is requested for an online survey on recreational use of freshwater rivers and lakes. The online survey for Freshwater asks which recreational pursuits you follow; canoeing and kayaking is an option. It asks how many days a year you canoe and kayak, how long it took to get to your last trip, who you kayak with, what are the key factors for the experience (note that Degree of canoeing challenge or similar will need to go under ‘Other’) and asks you to rank the factors by importance. It asks which three locations you have (and haven’t) visited which best represent your key factors. It also asks you to list and rank the factors that may limit your experience. The survey requires completion by 13 February. These questions will be easier to answer if you maintain a Logbook. Some background to the Water Programme of Action can be found in a speech by Marion Hobbs.

Access

2004-01-28T21:58:35+13:00

The NZRCA welcomes Steffan Lamont of Christchurch to the Education portfolio on the NZRCA Executive.

2004-01-23T21:11:43+13:00

Alan Hoffman reports, “Race 4 of the SI Series will be at the Tekapo Course on Sunday 25. The course will be open for practise on Saturday 24, with gates available in the afternoon for practise and coaching. An informal rodeo will be held on Sunday.Saturday 24: 0900 – 1030 Course Set up,
1000 hrs water on at dam (1045 at course,
1030 Safety briefing and walk the course,
1045 Course open for playboating and practise,
1300 Slalom Coaching available,
1700 Water off at dam, 1745 diminishing at course.
Race registration from 1500 on
1900 to 2000 Working bee / track maintainance / Nationals 2004 meeting and task allocation.Sunday 25:
0900 Water on at Dam (0945 at course),
0900 Race briefing and registration,
0945 First runs,
1115 Second runs,
1300 Rodeo and Pack up gates,
1500 Results / Prizes,
1600 Water off at Dam, course flow diminishing 1645 onwards.

Entry fee $5.00.
Register early by email (kirsty.hoffman at internet dot co dot nz) before Saturday, makes my job easier.
Bring a shovel/rake to tidy low area of track by Pat’s Peril. PS. Hut is on site thanks to Garry’s hard work.”

2004-01-22T20:49:24+13:00

The Minister for the Environment Marian Hobbs has annouced that she is to establish a Special Tribunal to hear an application to modify the Buller Water Conservation Order. The Buller Water Conservation Order provides varying degrees of protection for parts of the Buller River and its tributaries, which are considered to have outstanding characteristics. The proposal affects the Gowan River (a tributary of the Buller). The application from Majac Trust requests that the Order be amended to allow it to apply to the Tasman District Council for resource consent to divert water from the Gowan River for a Hydroelectric power scheme. The water would then be returned to the river approximately 3.5km before the Gowan and the Buller Rivers join. The members of the Special Tribunal will be appointed in early 2004, after which the tribunal will call for submissions on the proposal.

2004-01-21T00:07:26+13:00

The TEVA 2004 Wairoa Whitewater Extreme Race, organised by Andi Uhl, is on the weekend of February 14 and 15. Pre-entries are requested by 3 February, and you can use an online form. A RED BULL Party is planned for the Saturday night.

2004-01-20T00:02:11+13:00

The Department of Conservation is conducting a national survey on outdoor recreation. There is an online form, or a PDF form. There is no clear end date, but the response target is expected to be reached in the first few months of 2004. It’s important that kayakers respond to the survey. It will help if you have been maintaining a logbook of your kayaking trips.

2004-01-13T10:12:18+13:00

ECAN has announced a public meeting regarding “Hurunui Catchment rivers and groundwater planning” to be held at the Culverden Community Centre, 7:30pm, Monday 9 February. The aim of the meeting is to:
Hear/discuss a presentation about what we [ECAN] know about the hydrology of the Hurunui River and the flow requirements of instream uses and values;
Hear/discuss about the hydrology of the groundwater system;
Establish a Community Advisory Group that is representative of stakeholder groups with an interest in these matters to liaise with Environment Canterbury staff and to make recommendations to ECAN.

The CAG will meet fortnightly. This meeting is an important opportunity to ensure kayakers’ flow preferences are recognised, and have kayaker representation on the Advisory Group.

2004-01-06T11:16:46+13:00

DoC are conducting a national review of facilities including bridges and huts. There is an overview document (PDF, 283k) and specific proposal documents are available for each region.

Some of these facilities will be relevant to kayakers, for example bridges on the Kokatahi track, Mid-Taipo Hut and Venus Hut on the Karamea. Access to the Kokatahi (from a safety perspective) could be affected by removal of the Top Kokatahi and Crawford Junction. The Mid-Taipo hut is scheduled for expansion, which would enhance the experience of running the Upper Taipo as a multiday option. It is proposed to remove Venus Hut from the Upper Karamea, which could affect paddlers starting high on the river.

Indicate your support or opposition to DoC’s proposals using the online form or a hardcopy form (PDF, 16k), before 31 January 2004.

2003-12-19T13:34:01+13:00

To support maintenance work, the NZRCA has agreed to a Meridian Energy request to reschedule the Tekapo River releases from 17 and 18 January to 27 and 28 March 2004.

2003-12-18T23:11:40+13:00

The Summer 2003 (03.3) issue of NZ Canoeing has been dispatched to members and includes articles such as Roll on summer! (Tony Ward-Holmes), Newssplashes (Tony Ward-Holmes), Releases (Tony Ward-Holmes), Public Liability (Glenn Murdoch), Labour weekend on the Clarence (Polly Miller), Alan Hoffman: COTY 2003 (Kirsty Hoffman), Conservation and Access (Anonymous), Steep action in Bolivia (Dave Moore) and Legends of Aotearoa Whitewater: Sargood’s Weir (Tony Ward-Holmes, Robin Rutter-Baumann).

Whitewater NZ

2003-12-12T23:43:44+13:00

The definitive guide to the Whanganui river has been updated for the new season. NZRCA members can receive a discount; refer Order Form (PDF, 12k).

2003-12-09T23:16:01+13:00

[6 October 2003] The Niamh Tomkins Memorial Rodeo is an annual freestyle kayak event at Fulljames rapid on the Waikato River, Taupo, New Zealand, for all skill levels. It is planned for Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 December this year. For details, see http://www.kayakhuka.org.nz/rodeo/. Update: 9 December, Mike Birch reports the rodeo ‘went off’ last weekend with Stephan Paetsch (C1), Polly Green (Women’s Open K1), Lawrance Simpson (Men’s Junior K1), Darryl Bayly (Men’s Novice K1) and Nick Wimsett (Men’s Open K1) winning their respective finals. Full results are on the Niamh Tomkins Memorial Rodeo site.

2003-12-09T07:41:13+13:00

River Valley and Bliss-Stick and putting on another River Festival on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 December, featuring a Big Air Comp, Downriver Race, Whitewater Rodeo, free camping, and a party.

2003-11-29T03:16:29+13:00

Maree Baker has compiled the NZRCA’s submission on the Land Access Reference Group’s report : Walking Access in the New Zealand Outdoors. The NZRCA made an earlier submission in March 2003.