Otautahi meanderings

From Marlborough I headed south to Christchurch, Otautahi, to visit my friend Brent and go paddling with him and Jenny, who was down from Wellington for a few days.

I joined them for a paddle across Lyttleton Harbour, me in my inflatable kayak and them in hard shells. It became apparent very quickly that I couldn't maintain their pace so I turned back and let them continue without me. The wind picked up a bit during their crossing, so I was glad to have turned back, and instead spent the time waiting for my kayak to dry. Being fabric, it actually takes a ridiculous amount of time to dry here in cold damp NZ, unlike the claims of quick drying made by the seller on the sunny Gold Coast of Australia.

The problem with a damp boat in NZ is that there is a real risk of introducing aquatic pests into new waterways if your boat isn't completely dry. It is the single biggest issue I have with the kayak. I don't mind that it's a bit slow, I don't mind that there isn't a huge amount of storage space, but I do mind that it can take days to dry completely.

On the day Jenny was flying back to Wellington she borrowed Brent's packraft and we went for a float down the Avon. We parked our car in the red zone then walked through Hagley Park to our put in just below a weir. From there we had a leisurely time floating through the botanic gardens and right through the CBD, past some Maori waka, and back to the red zone. A very novel way to see the city.

I stayed a few more days, because I was very keen to visit the Caravan and Motorhome Show. I wanted to see what options were out there for upgrading my transport. I very quickly decided that these large campervans were not my cup of tea, but I did see an interesting slide on unit on the back of a 4WD ute that got me thinking....

I went up to Godley Head to enjoy the view and learn about the WW2 coastal defences, and Brent and I went for a few bike rides. We cycled around the estuary, up to Sumner, and around to Ferrymead, where we spent an amusing hour or so enjoying the quirky collections. 

We also went for another walk up onto the crater rim, where there were more old coastal defence sites, these a little more derelict. The views never disappoint though.

Another day Brent took me for a paddle in a borrowed hard shell kayak out from Sumner Beach and around to Boulder Bay, where a bunch of old baches still line the shore. It took me a while to get used to the larger craft but I won't be buying one of them anytime in my future!

After a few enjoyable days exploring Christchurch it was time to begin the road trip south again for the winter. 

That's next..