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	Sunday, 30 January 2005

Pelorus Bridge to Havlock A perfect midsummer Sunday in Nelson today. Devon and I Kayaked the Lower Pelorus River, from just below the bridge, all the way to the sea at Havlock. It was longer than we expected or maybe its just that the river flows slower than we thought. The slight head wind seemed to cancel out the current making the 19km of paddling quite a slog. A very scenic slog. The last hour was into a stiff head wind as we crawled to the harbour entrance at Havlock, only to have to battle the out-going tide for the last few hundred meters to get to the take out. My body is now screaming for rest and I can tell I'm going to be sore in the morning. Its Nelson Anniversary day tomorrow so I can sleep in. While I'm physically exhausted, I feel recharged in spirit. I was brave enough to take my digital SLR camera out on the river as most of the paddling was flat water. I'm glad I did... 11:18:30 PM    Comment []

	Saturday, 22 January 2005

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	Friday, 21 January 2005

Let the Festival Begin! ... but first a word kite from our sponsors. Today was the first (warm-up) day of the Annual Kite Festival here in Nelson. The other Nelson Kite Club members seemed to have it all under control when I got down to Neale Park after work, so I promptly got my kite stuck in a tree, and followed that with a surprised-man-in-an-ejector-seat impression while buggying in front of a small, but appreciative audience. It was only the second time I've flown the kite I got last week, and the first time was in a much lighter breeze. After a short, but heated battle to untangle lines, and with a little help from Sam, I got it in the air only to find I had every little steering control. I promptly crashed it into the top of a very tall row of willows. Well, it was more like an emergency park, followed by technical relaunch... and a little luck. A short while later on the other side of the park... The wind was strong, but a little gusty and the Arc 630 was giving me plenty of power. At one point I was chasing another buggy, when a gust caught me napping, and lifted me from the buggy seat at a good speed! I had a moment (an IRE* moment) when the only thing keeping me with the buggy were my toes in the foot straps. I made the snap decision to bail and left the buggy, with a roll and a half-pike, coming away with nothing but a grazed knee, and the kite still flying. Less than an hour into the kite festival and I've already crashed a kite and a buggy. An auspicious start :) I found time, between buggy stunts, to take some pictures... I think thats a Flexifoil Scorpion (but I've been wrong before), being flown expertly. Burgers, beer, and kite talk. The two guys on the right are flying the blue and yellow fighter kites pictured below. I have no idea what Ted (the hand on the left) is describing though :) This pair were being flown as fighters. They are single-line kites and one flier would try to knock the other kite out of the air. Some of the battles go on for a long time. The disco fish windsock.  Grooovy... More kites tomorrow! p.s. Some photos from last years festival are here. (*IRE = involuntary rectal expansion) 11:12:16 PM    Comment []

	Sunday, 16 January 2005

Paddle Around Pepin I got my kayak wet for the first time in ages today. Clockwise around Pepin Island... (click to enlarge) We were towing lures behind the kayaks in the hope of catching dinner. Devon caught this kawhai. I caught one too a little further on but decided to let it go at the last second. I made it look like and accident so I wouldn't hurt the fishes pride. For the record it was at least 6 inches bigger than Devon's fish (above). 11:59:15 PM    Comment []

	Sunday, 9 January 2005

One Shot Before Bed I've been at Rabbit Island Beach all afternoon. Nelson Kite Club meet today and the weather was most co-operative. I am exhausted, so for now heres one shot of the beach (click the photo for a really large version). Lots of people here but the west end of the beach was much more roomy.  More photos tommorrow... after sleep. (click to enlarge) 11:25:00 PM    Comment []

	Wednesday, 5 January 2005

Addictions Whoops, I just bought another kite. A second hand Peter Lynn Arc 630 in green and black. I got it dirt cheap on Trademe.co.nz (much cheaper than the kitewing I was drooling over yesterday). I love taking advantage of posers people who just must have the latest technological breakthrough to keep up with the image (theres a lot of that in kitesurfing circles). This kite is four years old and admittedly the design of this style of kite has come a long way since then (with the Phantom and more recently the Venom). But on the other hand, this four year old kite is just as powerful, and just as much fun, as the day it was purchased new... and now its mine! : D OK, the next bit is for all any kite geeks reading, the rest of you can switch off now (I can see your eyes starting to glaze over already).  The Arc is a bridle-less ram-air-foil. The four flying lines connect directly to the wingtips. The foil inflates by the wind entering the patented non-return air valves along the leading edge. Once inflated it will stay inflated for hours, even over night so if you dump it in the water it will float on top. It can also be relaunched from the water without assistance so if I want to have a go at kite surfing it'll come in handy. The kite I've bought is a Arc 630 meaning its flat area is 6.3m2. Because of the 'Arc' shape the kite adopts in the air its projected (read effective)area is 4.5m2, so it should nicely fill the gap between my 3.0m2 Blade, and my 6.3m2 C-quad. Here are some links to pictures of some Arcs flying so you can see the shape (1) (2) (3). Mine a standard Arc, but there are also T-Arc's, and Hi-Arc's, but I really like the sound of the F-Arc  ; ) 5:07:00 PM    Comment []

	Tuesday, 4 January 2005

Kite Wing I simply MUST have one of these. Someone buy me one. Quick. 10:38:54 AM    Comment []

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