Other Pursuits
Employment: Sailing (teaching) & Launch driving (support)
Employment - High Ropes
Date: 2014 -
Location: Anakiwa
Days: 15
Hours: 75
No. of students: 2:14
Weather: Variable, all types!
Extra comments: It's all in the mind....
Location: Anakiwa
Days: 15
Hours: 75
No. of students: 2:14
Weather: Variable, all types!
Extra comments: It's all in the mind....
Volunteer - Teaching Sailing
Date: Feb - April 2014
Location: Nelson, New Zealand
Days: 10
Hours: 20
No. of students: 10
Weather: Variable.
Extra Comments: Got involved helping out teaching sailing at the Nelson Yacht Club to beginners: 8-12 year olds. Kids are absolutely priceless...
Me: Why do we use a jib?
Student: Because we can.
Me: Ok, how many people do you think we need to put this boat into the water?
Student: Ummmm, we need enough.
I love them. They make my day.
Location: Nelson, New Zealand
Days: 10
Hours: 20
No. of students: 10
Weather: Variable.
Extra Comments: Got involved helping out teaching sailing at the Nelson Yacht Club to beginners: 8-12 year olds. Kids are absolutely priceless...
Me: Why do we use a jib?
Student: Because we can.
Me: Ok, how many people do you think we need to put this boat into the water?
Student: Ummmm, we need enough.
I love them. They make my day.
Personal - Sailing
Date: Feb - March 2014
Location: Nelson, New Zealand
Days: 5
Hours: 15
No. of People: 4
Weather: Variable.
Extra Comments: Joined Nelson Yacht Club so I could learn the mechanics of sailing. Am having fun cruising around in a little Topaz.
Week 1: Tacking and ooching.
Week 2: Jibing and hiking
Week 3: Race starts
Week 4: Refining my skills
Week 5: No wind. Theory on land.
Location: Nelson, New Zealand
Days: 5
Hours: 15
No. of People: 4
Weather: Variable.
Extra Comments: Joined Nelson Yacht Club so I could learn the mechanics of sailing. Am having fun cruising around in a little Topaz.
Week 1: Tacking and ooching.
Week 2: Jibing and hiking
Week 3: Race starts
Week 4: Refining my skills
Week 5: No wind. Theory on land.
Personal - Trapeze
Date: Oct-Nov'13
Location: Santa Monica Pier, CA, USA
Days: 20
Hours: 40
No. of People: 10
Extra Comments: I wanna join the circus...
Location: Santa Monica Pier, CA, USA
Days: 20
Hours: 40
No. of People: 10
Extra Comments: I wanna join the circus...
Personal - Caving
Date: 20.5.13
Location: Simply Sumpless - Riwaka Resurgence, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 3
No. of People: 3
Extra Comments: First time in Simply Sumpless, love love loved it.
Location: Simply Sumpless - Riwaka Resurgence, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 3
No. of People: 3
Extra Comments: First time in Simply Sumpless, love love loved it.
Employment, Strathcona Park Lodge: Tethered Canoes
Tethered voyagers with a year 10 group
Dates: 24th - 28th September & 2-3rd September 2011
Location: Burman River
Days: 5/2
Hours: 40/16
No. of People: Instructor to Student ratio 1:5
Sea Conditions: Calm
Weather Conditions: Some wind, mostly fine
Accommodation: Tarps
Extra Comments:
24-28th September 2011 - A two night, three day canoe trip to the Burman River with a day’s prep and wrap up either side with the students. Made a sauna, pit cook with leaf wraps and douglas fir roots for tie’s. Salmon were running and bear sightings were multiple.
2-3 September 2011 - Primitive skills and canoe trip to familiarize ourselves with the area. It was the wildlife trip of the year, saw two bears, two elk, a sea otter, sea lions, harbour seals and bald eagles. Epic.
Location: Burman River
Days: 5/2
Hours: 40/16
No. of People: Instructor to Student ratio 1:5
Sea Conditions: Calm
Weather Conditions: Some wind, mostly fine
Accommodation: Tarps
Extra Comments:
24-28th September 2011 - A two night, three day canoe trip to the Burman River with a day’s prep and wrap up either side with the students. Made a sauna, pit cook with leaf wraps and douglas fir roots for tie’s. Salmon were running and bear sightings were multiple.
2-3 September 2011 - Primitive skills and canoe trip to familiarize ourselves with the area. It was the wildlife trip of the year, saw two bears, two elk, a sea otter, sea lions, harbour seals and bald eagles. Epic.
Employment - Strathcona Park Lodge: Canoe Trips False Echo/Rainbow
Dates: 15th - 18th October, 2012, 31.8.12 - 1.9.12
Location: False Echo/Rainbow
Days: 4/2
Hours: 32/8
No. of People: Instructor to student ratio 1:5 - 8 students.
Lake Conditions: Rough chop
Weather Conditions: Variable, rain to sunshine
Accommodation: Tarps
Extra Comments:
15 - 18 October, 2012 - Eight students, 15 yrs on a 2 night, 3 day canoe trip with a base camp at Rainbow Island. Rained most of the trip, attempted a day trip on the 2nd day however had to cancel the days paddle due to strong wind and waves.
31.8.12 - 1.9.12 - A short overnight canoe trip to False Echo to familiarise ourselves with the area for when we take students out. Best part was jamming until midnight with Emma and Rachel.
Location: False Echo/Rainbow
Days: 4/2
Hours: 32/8
No. of People: Instructor to student ratio 1:5 - 8 students.
Lake Conditions: Rough chop
Weather Conditions: Variable, rain to sunshine
Accommodation: Tarps
Extra Comments:
15 - 18 October, 2012 - Eight students, 15 yrs on a 2 night, 3 day canoe trip with a base camp at Rainbow Island. Rained most of the trip, attempted a day trip on the 2nd day however had to cancel the days paddle due to strong wind and waves.
31.8.12 - 1.9.12 - A short overnight canoe trip to False Echo to familiarise ourselves with the area for when we take students out. Best part was jamming until midnight with Emma and Rachel.
Employment - Strathcona Park Lodge - Caving Instructor Training
Date: 1.9.12
Location: Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Days: 1
Hours: 8
No. of People: 4
Extra Comments: The trip to the caves itself is a bit of a mission...hour and a half canoe across the lake, an hour hike and then the caves. Incredible stalactites and stalagmites with beautifully carved passages throughout.
Location: Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Days: 1
Hours: 8
No. of People: 4
Extra Comments: The trip to the caves itself is a bit of a mission...hour and a half canoe across the lake, an hour hike and then the caves. Incredible stalactites and stalagmites with beautifully carved passages throughout.
Employment - Strathcona Park Lodge: Adventure 1 Program
High Ropes
Date: 17.9 - 21.9.12 & 9.10 - 13.10.12, 28.9.12 & 27.8 - 30.8.12
Location: Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Days: 5/5
Hours: 40/40
No. of People: Instructor to student ratio 1:10 with 1 x chaperone present
Extra Comments:
17.9-21.9.12 & 9.10 - 13.10.12 - Adventure One program incorporating introduction to white water kayaks, rock climbing, rapelling, high and low ropes, zip line, camping skills, hiking and an overnight canoe trip to False Echo.
28.9.12 - Zip line and tree climb with 16 fifteen to seventeen year old students. Instructor to student ratio 1:8. Hours 6.
27.8 - 30.8.12 - Instructor training for high ropes, zip line and tree climb.
Location: Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Days: 5/5
Hours: 40/40
No. of People: Instructor to student ratio 1:10 with 1 x chaperone present
Extra Comments:
17.9-21.9.12 & 9.10 - 13.10.12 - Adventure One program incorporating introduction to white water kayaks, rock climbing, rapelling, high and low ropes, zip line, camping skills, hiking and an overnight canoe trip to False Echo.
28.9.12 - Zip line and tree climb with 16 fifteen to seventeen year old students. Instructor to student ratio 1:8. Hours 6.
27.8 - 30.8.12 - Instructor training for high ropes, zip line and tree climb.
Personal Caving Trip, Point Elizabeth
Date: 23.3.11
Location: Point Elizabeth, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 4
No. of People: 2
Extra Comments: Abseil into the entrance and about a 1 km crawl. Apparently the cave goes back 5k's but we had no map so played it safe. Love caving!
Location: Point Elizabeth, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 4
No. of People: 2
Extra Comments: Abseil into the entrance and about a 1 km crawl. Apparently the cave goes back 5k's but we had no map so played it safe. Love caving!
Coastaleering
Date: 27.12.12
Location: Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 6
No. of People: 2
Extra Comments: What to wear... running shoes, wetsuit, thermal top, life jacket, helmet, drybag that has in it; climbing rope, karabiners, slings, harness, snorkelling gear etc. Pick a coast, any coast and start where the beach stops.
Scramble or climb your way along the coast line and where you can’t climb jump into the sea and swim until you can scramble again. Along the way you might find caves, bird’s nests, amazing views, or cool things to stop and check out by snorkelling or like today...a territorial seal.
Long story short, dropped in on a comfortable mamma seal who became uncomfortable very quickly and decided to chase us up the rocks, into the sea and then kept following us for a good while until she and 160kg daddy seal were convinced we weren’t coming back.
I don’t think I’ve ever swum so fast. Once I got up on the rocks both seals came up and snarled at us as though to have the last word. We continued on our mission, swam through a few caves and finally called it quits at the next inhabited beach we came to. We scrambled up on shore and found a walking track. As we entered the track there was a cardboard sign with black writing that read ‘beware, very aggressive bull seal residing here. Be alert.’ Luckily we were on dry land and could laugh nervously. I’m hooked. Next mission...watering cove to Te Puka Bay. Will keep you posted.
Location: Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 6
No. of People: 2
Extra Comments: What to wear... running shoes, wetsuit, thermal top, life jacket, helmet, drybag that has in it; climbing rope, karabiners, slings, harness, snorkelling gear etc. Pick a coast, any coast and start where the beach stops.
Scramble or climb your way along the coast line and where you can’t climb jump into the sea and swim until you can scramble again. Along the way you might find caves, bird’s nests, amazing views, or cool things to stop and check out by snorkelling or like today...a territorial seal.
Long story short, dropped in on a comfortable mamma seal who became uncomfortable very quickly and decided to chase us up the rocks, into the sea and then kept following us for a good while until she and 160kg daddy seal were convinced we weren’t coming back.
I don’t think I’ve ever swum so fast. Once I got up on the rocks both seals came up and snarled at us as though to have the last word. We continued on our mission, swam through a few caves and finally called it quits at the next inhabited beach we came to. We scrambled up on shore and found a walking track. As we entered the track there was a cardboard sign with black writing that read ‘beware, very aggressive bull seal residing here. Be alert.’ Luckily we were on dry land and could laugh nervously. I’m hooked. Next mission...watering cove to Te Puka Bay. Will keep you posted.
Horse Riding
Date: 2011/12/13 NZ Summer. Summer 2013 USA.
Location: Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand & Malibu, CA, USA.
Days: 50 & 15
Hours: 100 & 50
No. of People: Variable
Extra Comments: I've been tasked with the project of turning 2 Clydesdale cart horses into riding horses. Dale is 17 hands and has issues getting his legs together to canter. Tullymore is a giant 18+ hands and only 5 years old, still a baby. Throw in a few more riding ponies for Marahau Horse Treks and I have my hands full!
- Volunteered for a stable in Malibu, taking horseback riding tours. I found it is very similar to being a kayak guide...just with horses. Still fun, still beautiful, still love it.
Location: Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand & Malibu, CA, USA.
Days: 50 & 15
Hours: 100 & 50
No. of People: Variable
Extra Comments: I've been tasked with the project of turning 2 Clydesdale cart horses into riding horses. Dale is 17 hands and has issues getting his legs together to canter. Tullymore is a giant 18+ hands and only 5 years old, still a baby. Throw in a few more riding ponies for Marahau Horse Treks and I have my hands full!
- Volunteered for a stable in Malibu, taking horseback riding tours. I found it is very similar to being a kayak guide...just with horses. Still fun, still beautiful, still love it.
Adventure Race
Date: 12-13 October, 2011
Location: West Coast, New Zealand
Disciplines: Running, Mountain Biking, Rafting, Tramping, Sea Kayak, Tyrolean.
Days: 1 hours
Hours: 24
No. of People: Four teams of seven.
Incidents: I think any event that goes for 24 hours in an incident in itself! 1 banged up knee (rafting), did something to a bone in my foot (consequence of several zillion kilometres on my feet), lost my voice (anyone’s guess).
Comments: Our Amazing Team of 6 placed 2nd
Stage 1: 12 kilometre run with packs. Introducing the back chafe. Had a blast. Interspersed the run with 5k’s on a mountain bike, oh my legs!
Stage 2: 3 kilometre raft carry. It’s raining. Introducing blisters on the sides of my feet. My arms are now 3 inches longer either side and I have a paddle blade shaped bruise on my right leg. Fun.
Stage 3: Inflating the rafts (with our mouths) while Luke boiled a cup of water on our fire. Not an event I had practiced for, not my forte.
Stage 4: Raft race. 10k’s. It’s still raining. By far the highlight of the entire race for me. We started at the top of the eddy in fourth place, allowed the other three teams to play bumper boats on the rocks and generally get caught up on gravel on the river left while Greg smoothly directed us river right. We shot straight into first place down the main current and the memory still brings a smile to my face. Jumped out of the raft at one point to help it over the rocks, slipped when jumping back in the raft and knee planted on a rock. What is it with me and rocks this month?
Stage 5: Triva. Thank God for reading trashy magazines in the emergency room of the hospital when I mashed my nose on a rock. The name of TomKat’s daughter? Suri. Thank you Women’s Weekly.
Stage 6: Tramp. Anyone who sets off for a 27k tramp at 7:30pm in the rain knows they are in for a long night. Plenty of river crossings to cool our burning feet, plenty of miles to warm them up again. I am officially sick of muesli bars at this point. Reached the checkpoint at 2:45am.
Stage 7: Raft across Lake Kaniere – ½ hour. The rain stops. Arrive at 3:30am. Rest for 2 hours and paddle back in the morning for the Rogan. The last team to come in (4:30am) slept under their raft.
Stage 8: Rogan – 3 hours. Sea Kayak and or tramp around Lake Kaniere to reach check points. Each check point is worth points. Every minute we are late is penalized by deducting 2 points from our total. Back chafe gives way to underarm chafe.
Stage 9: Tyrolean. Erect a zip line across the channel, maximum 2 people at a time. I wound up swimming twice to make it faster. Cold took my breath away. Good way to refresh. Chaos before the rafting begins
Stage 10: Finish! Our magic team after leading most of the way placed 2nd to the team who well and truly deserved it (they chose the toughest checkpoint and pulled it off).
End result? Tired, satisfied, proud.
Do it again? Definitely.
Location: West Coast, New Zealand
Disciplines: Running, Mountain Biking, Rafting, Tramping, Sea Kayak, Tyrolean.
Days: 1 hours
Hours: 24
No. of People: Four teams of seven.
Incidents: I think any event that goes for 24 hours in an incident in itself! 1 banged up knee (rafting), did something to a bone in my foot (consequence of several zillion kilometres on my feet), lost my voice (anyone’s guess).
Comments: Our Amazing Team of 6 placed 2nd
Stage 1: 12 kilometre run with packs. Introducing the back chafe. Had a blast. Interspersed the run with 5k’s on a mountain bike, oh my legs!
Stage 2: 3 kilometre raft carry. It’s raining. Introducing blisters on the sides of my feet. My arms are now 3 inches longer either side and I have a paddle blade shaped bruise on my right leg. Fun.
Stage 3: Inflating the rafts (with our mouths) while Luke boiled a cup of water on our fire. Not an event I had practiced for, not my forte.
Stage 4: Raft race. 10k’s. It’s still raining. By far the highlight of the entire race for me. We started at the top of the eddy in fourth place, allowed the other three teams to play bumper boats on the rocks and generally get caught up on gravel on the river left while Greg smoothly directed us river right. We shot straight into first place down the main current and the memory still brings a smile to my face. Jumped out of the raft at one point to help it over the rocks, slipped when jumping back in the raft and knee planted on a rock. What is it with me and rocks this month?
Stage 5: Triva. Thank God for reading trashy magazines in the emergency room of the hospital when I mashed my nose on a rock. The name of TomKat’s daughter? Suri. Thank you Women’s Weekly.
Stage 6: Tramp. Anyone who sets off for a 27k tramp at 7:30pm in the rain knows they are in for a long night. Plenty of river crossings to cool our burning feet, plenty of miles to warm them up again. I am officially sick of muesli bars at this point. Reached the checkpoint at 2:45am.
Stage 7: Raft across Lake Kaniere – ½ hour. The rain stops. Arrive at 3:30am. Rest for 2 hours and paddle back in the morning for the Rogan. The last team to come in (4:30am) slept under their raft.
Stage 8: Rogan – 3 hours. Sea Kayak and or tramp around Lake Kaniere to reach check points. Each check point is worth points. Every minute we are late is penalized by deducting 2 points from our total. Back chafe gives way to underarm chafe.
Stage 9: Tyrolean. Erect a zip line across the channel, maximum 2 people at a time. I wound up swimming twice to make it faster. Cold took my breath away. Good way to refresh. Chaos before the rafting begins
Stage 10: Finish! Our magic team after leading most of the way placed 2nd to the team who well and truly deserved it (they chose the toughest checkpoint and pulled it off).
End result? Tired, satisfied, proud.
Do it again? Definitely.
Spirit of Adventure - Sailing
Date: 8-18 July, 2011 & 27th Dec - 7th Jan, 2011
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Days: 2 x 10 days
Hours: 2 x 100 hours
No. of People: Forty teenages, groups of ten to one watch leader.
Comments: I voluntered on the Spirit for a 10 day voyage working with forty 15-17 year olds – giving them the experience of a lifetime. They learned to sail, went tramping, rafting, swinging off the side of the boat and jumped in the ocean at 6:45am every single morning…in the middle of winter.
I learnt an absolute ton about boats, working with teenagers and inevitably about myself. I can see how far I have acclimatized to the weather in New Zealand – I was jumping off the side with the best of them. Am looking forward to being back on the Spirit later in the year to do it all again.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Days: 2 x 10 days
Hours: 2 x 100 hours
No. of People: Forty teenages, groups of ten to one watch leader.
Comments: I voluntered on the Spirit for a 10 day voyage working with forty 15-17 year olds – giving them the experience of a lifetime. They learned to sail, went tramping, rafting, swinging off the side of the boat and jumped in the ocean at 6:45am every single morning…in the middle of winter.
I learnt an absolute ton about boats, working with teenagers and inevitably about myself. I can see how far I have acclimatized to the weather in New Zealand – I was jumping off the side with the best of them. Am looking forward to being back on the Spirit later in the year to do it all again.
Canoe Polo
Date: Term 2/3 2011 & Oct-Nov 2013.
Location: Greymouth, New Zealand & LA, CA, USA.
Days: 10 games/10 games
Hours: 10 hours/20 hours
Comments: Had my first game of canoe polo last night. My only instructions were 'put the round thing in the square thing'. I think I managed quite well considering it was my first forage into the polo world.
Am working on my hand roll - am having some success which is encouraging - can't wait for training days so I can work on my left roll, my hand roll, my strokes, shooting, defending...rules of the game!!!
Decided to jump back into the canoe polo game. Did NOT realise the team I had joined placed fourth at nationals last month... So i'm getting my stern kicked in a big way.
Location: Greymouth, New Zealand & LA, CA, USA.
Days: 10 games/10 games
Hours: 10 hours/20 hours
Comments: Had my first game of canoe polo last night. My only instructions were 'put the round thing in the square thing'. I think I managed quite well considering it was my first forage into the polo world.
Am working on my hand roll - am having some success which is encouraging - can't wait for training days so I can work on my left roll, my hand roll, my strokes, shooting, defending...rules of the game!!!
Decided to jump back into the canoe polo game. Did NOT realise the team I had joined placed fourth at nationals last month... So i'm getting my stern kicked in a big way.
Around Brunner Cycle Race
Date: 16.4.11
Location: Greymouth, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 6
Comments: I participated in a 130km road race around Lake Brunner...with zero training. In a nutshell it hurt - a lot, I have permament chaffing scars on my butt, it rained for four of the six hours and was about 30k's too long...but I finished.
Location: Greymouth, New Zealand
Days: 1
Hours: 6
Comments: I participated in a 130km road race around Lake Brunner...with zero training. In a nutshell it hurt - a lot, I have permament chaffing scars on my butt, it rained for four of the six hours and was about 30k's too long...but I finished.