Dave Chambers

 Wesley and I share a similar affliction of multiple ski ownership and so we have shared a number of e-mails on the subject over the last couple of years. Given winters coming on in the States, he suggested I write an article about paddling in sunny Auckland NZ. 

I am a member of the Royal Akarana Paddlers (RAP). We are part of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC) and are based at OkahuBay about 4km from Auckland CBD. We started the paddling arm a little less than 2 years ago and we now have over 90 members making us the largest surf ski club in NZ.

 We are lucky where we paddle as there is normally some sort of action on the harbour unless it is a calm day. If that is the case then we go hunting for yachts/slow launches to wash ride. A friend (very skilful I might add) once sat on a ferry wake and went from one side of the harbour to the other, not paddling once. An amazing sight watching him sit in the wake pocket of a twin hulled ferry being sucked along at over 20 km/h. Not for the faint hearted!

We are able to paddle all year round here. In winter, it can drop to around 4⁰C and in summer it can get up to 28-30⁰C. The predominant winds inAucklandare SW & NE. The SW blows down the harbour on a diagonal so not the ideal wind for a downwind. The best wind is W/NW as it blows straight down the harbour. Best surfing conditions are half tide coming in (wind against tide). It’s quite a technical paddle coming down the harbour due to the tidal flow, rebound swells, and boat washes – in a strong down wind it can be challenging with large standing waves under Auckland’s Harbour Bridge.

We can also paddle north in a N/NW wind up to Rangitoto Lighthouse and beyond, or to Mototapu in a NE. Another great run is from Musik Point in a pure easterly, with the tide going out. We drive through the suburbs to Glendowie, launch in an estuary, and paddle across to Musik Point. We then line it up and hit the accelerator. The swell comes in clean lines crossing the estuary and there are times when you can link multiple waves together and not paddle for ages.

 If the tide and wind are right, we sometimes paddle around Rangitoto Island, which is a 27km trip. In a big N/E you can catch the commuter ferry over toWaihekeIslandand surf the 18km back toOkahuBay. The Motuihe Channel can get very lumpy with big steep waves – it’s a notorious stretch of water for boaties in strong NE/SW winds.

 The following images are from NZ’s premier ski race, the King of the Harbour (KOH). This was 2010 and we paddled 22 km from Auckland CBD toWaiheke Islandwith a 23 knot SW tail wind. It was a blast!

Look Back to Auckland

2 Elite Paddlers: Simon McLarin(top), Tim Grammer(bottom)

Mike Walker, winner of race on one of 1st production Stellar SE's

 Aucklandhas two main surf ski clubs – RAP and Takapuna Boating Club (TBC) based at Takapuna. Most of NZ’s best ski paddlers are members of either RAP or TBC and so we have established an annual interclub trophy that is hotly contested.

These are images of the interclub race ran earlier this year at RAYC with 45 starters. Conditions were excellent the day beforehand with a consistent 20 knot easterly breeze, which would have been perfect for the much anticipated downwind. But, in typicalAucklandstyle, the wind dropped on race day and theAuckland boaties took to the water, making the conditions choppy and slightly challenging over the 12km course.  

Race Registration

Just after Start

All direction chop

Tim McLarin(RAP) eventual winner, leading pack at half way point

Chasing Pack

Tim powering home

  

Alan Ferguson, son of 4x Olympic gold medalist Ian Ferguson

Sean

Interclub Trophy won by RAP

View From Dave Chambers Office

In two years, we are moving offices down to the waterfront. I will be able to paddle to work in rush hour, exiting in theViaductBasin, and walking 60m to our new building. The GM of Property has assured me there will be space to store a 6.5m ski. Now that’s cool! 

Dave Chambers