Progress Report 11/02/07 Friday - updated by Freya 04.11.07

Forecast from Karel Vissel:
http://www.kayakweather.blogspot.com/
fri mrng ne 2bft noon e 3bft aft e 3 to4bft sea 0.60mtr to 0.80mtr from se
Sat mrng nw 3bft noon e 3bft aft ne 1 bft seas 0.80 mtr from se

Satellite Text Messages Received from Freya Friday 11.02.07:
43.42 173.03 I saddled my Flying Horse today and cut across Pegasus Bay to the Banks Peninsula. Okains Bay 12.5h 75km some entertaining seas out there :)


Update by Freya 04.11.07:
My alarm went at 4.45 am, as John wanted to show up at 5.30 am...actually he knocked at my door already at 5.15, I was barely dressed yet :-))
At least I had a strong helper to get my kayak down to the waterline again, as it was still lowest tide...
I couldn't tell taking "official" publicity pictures is my favourite job, but someone has to do it...and least this reporter was well-known, welcome and announced, different to the guys in Iceland just showing up and disturbing our well-desrved rest :-)) ...
He wanted "action" shots, but how preventing kayaking action in 50 cm hig surf waves??? Out came a really funny shot which was in the Saturday news allover New Zealand...
I eventually managed to launch then at 6.30, mentally prepared for a boring 75 km crossing to Okains Bay at the Banks Peninsula.
I headed right into the darkest spot on the horizon, no land in sight until 2-3 pm, and even then it was hidden in some foggy stuff. Only my trustworthy T-GPS told me I mad good progress despite of some seas coming from the side. Every hour I allowed myself to switch it on and to reward my efforts by counting down the numbers in a reasonable way. The "estimated arrival time" still left an hour open for unexpected delays, and eventually I hit land at 7.30 pm then.

I couldn't help but exploring at least one big cave at the entrance of Okains Bay...sitting in the wide first room for about 10 min to check and listen, no swell was coming in, until I decided to pull out my light to get in a bit further...just backing up from the cave beach through a narrower gap, as there WAS some swell coming in...just in time for me to be safe again...take care, girl! Not he first time to be in caves with some unexpected swell, or, Greg ??? :-))

The same situation as in Motunau Beach, lowest tide and shallow water upstream the river I should actually paddle a bit to see the campspot...means carrying the gear and dragging the boat some 100 meters again...
Tired from the day's paddle and the distance dragging the kayak I picked the next best (actually a great remote one!) spot in the dunes to put up camp, not bothering again to find the "official" campsite...and actually happy NOT to see anybody.

I just found out at night switching my Sat-phone on again I obviously forgot to send out the message of the previous Thursday night I was already typing, but I stored it as I wanted to check the weather first before I announced to cross Pegasus Bay...sorry, guys! Will never happen again...not that the next "Lost in New Zealand" story is going to start... :-))