IN THIS EDITION…

• 2006 Reflections
• Trees for Travellers – how to be an environmentally conscious traveller
• Feature Guide - André Booth
• Guides Ready for Anything!
• Personal encounter – Leah’s Soren Larsen tall ship sailing
• Share your story – your chance to receive a free merino top.

Hiking New Zealand moved into its teen years in 2006, celebrating 13 years of operation. Each year we see hundreds of travellers come and go, some for their second, third, fourth or fifth trip to New Zealand. It’s always a real treat for a guide to meet up with returning hikers and be able to reminisce about the good old days. Thanks to everyone who completed a trip with us last year, we hope to see many of you returning to New Zealand again.

Our feedback forms indicate that our range of tours and adventures available are reaching just about everyone. If there’s something else you think would enhance our range, please let us know and we’ll look into the possibilities. Wishing you all an adventurous, exciting and happy 2007!

Leah and the Hiking New Zealand team

Trees for Travellers

From the 1st February 2007, Hiking New Zealand will offer you the opportunity to have a tree planted on your behalf to help counter the effects of your travel. Hiking is a low-impact, energy-efficient, non-polluting way to see the country, but for many, the journey to New Zealand has the highest environmental impact.

In 2002 Hiking New Zealand was awarded the Service to the Environment Award at the New Zealand Tourism Awards. We are extremely proud of this achievement as it highlights our commitment to preserving New Zealand’s naturally beautiful environment and wildlife. During the last 13 years we have donated over $55,000 to the New Zealand Wildlife Research Fund, which contributes towards conservation and research of the playful Hector’s Dolphins. We also incorporate a strict Environmental Care Code on our hiking safaris and we are now embarking on a new project which will help you contribute directly to preserving the environment for future travellers.

The tree-planting initiative will involve a local New Zealand organisation, Trees for Canterbury, who have planted 500,000 trees in the Canterbury region since 1993. With their knowledge of native plants, they will assign a suitable location for planting and a Hiking New Zealand representative will plant one tree per contribution.

The process of contributing is simple, giving you the opportunity when you make a booking to have a tree planted on your behalf. Trees will be planted on a regular basis, and you can choose how many trees you wish to donate - of course, every small contribution counts. Donations can also be made without a booking by going to our Booking Form and selecting “Plant a Tree”, then following the directions on the form. We look forward to getting out and planting trees to help you improve your environmental footprint.

We will be giving away a free Hiking New Zealand t-shirt to the first five people who make a tour booking with a tree donation!

If you have ventured into the mountains with us in the last year or two, chances are André may have been your guide. André chose to put a promising musical career on hold to pursue his guiding career, so we feel privileged to have him on board. Rumour has it that the high flying Kiwi band, Fat Freddy’s Drop were desperately trying to lure André into the band a few years ago. André doesn’t give too much away but we heard his role in the band was going to be as a Human Beat Box (HBB). HBB artists produce an amazing repertoire of noises and beats without the aid of instruments. A free t-shirt goes to the first person who can get André to do a demonstration of this extraordinary talent!

It’s great to have André back for another season – he headed off to the Northern hemisphere for our winter and spent a bit of time getting back to his roots up in the Scottish Highlands as well as catching up with a few past clients scattered around Europe. If you’re lucky enough to get André as your guide, please be gentle with him, good guides are hard to find and we want to keep him for a wee while yet!

Guides Ready for Anything

October is the time of year that Hiking New Zealand’s safari guides ready themselves for the season with a week-long training safari followed by a risk management and outdoor first-aid weekend. Senior Guide, Regan, led an enthusiastic group of guides around the lower South Island, encountering weather in the extremes, preparing them for anything that lies ahead. Our safari guides are experienced in hiking in the backcountry, and all have an interesting array of personal talents that they are more than happy to share with willing travellers!

Guide, Mark O'Connor, contemplates the route on what is usually a straight-forward hike in Fiordland National Park.

Tall Ship Sailing on Soren Larsen

My voyage begins in Russell, a small, historic town in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand’s Far North. The sun shines as I see the Brigantine Soren Larsen gracefully cruise into the bay, anchoring not far from the wharf. I am picked up in a small tender, and shuttled to the ship. She is beautifully maintained with polished brass and varnished oak. My introduction to the ship’s Captain and crew is personal and friendly; the first glimpse of how the rest of the voyage will be.

Once on board, formalities are conducted - emergency procedures, wet weather gear, berths, leading hands, watch hours, bathrooms – known as heads, and how to correctly pump! Without wasting any time, I am assigned my first duty to hold a fender overboard while we make a brief stop in Opua. Next, coiling a few ropes to tidy the deck.

Over a fresh, tasty lunch on deck in the sun, I get to know other passengers (known as Voyage Crew). Ages range from 19 to 77, and I quickly realise that this expedition will certainly have something for everyone on board. Most Voyage Crew have an interest in sailing or a life-long love of tall ships, while others simply long for pure adventure. This is where I fit in, and I can’t wait to receive my next tasks as a sailor!

Although mostly young, the permanent crew are extensively experienced in sailing tall ships and cheerfully instruct each of us how to perform our duties. As well as teaching, the crew and officers entertain us as we sail. Stories of previous voyages, shanties to keep us hauling in-time, and at this early stage, their lingo – which I’m sure we will slowly become accustomed to. In teams, we are split between the bow, main deck and stern to take responsibility for certain sails, informing the Captain, taking the helm or making rounds of the ship.

The first day ends in a sheltered bay at Roberton Island, and as we lower anchor, First Mate, James, tells us the story of James Cook’s arrival here. Each island we visit has its own unique history, wildlife and scenery, and it helps to feel part of the experience, imagining what the old days at sea were like in old wooden sailing ships.

Our second day at sea brings with it the opportunity to go aloft! I jump at this chance, and once mastered, am often called on when we are unfurling or furling sails. Those who don’t wish to see the ship from so far above are given other tasks, or are free to relax on deck.

Over the six days of the voyage, I learn more than I ever expect to; I understand sailing terms, uses for different ropes and become comfortable with the responsibility. I enjoy the routine of ship life and the camaraderie that comes with spending time with a group, while all trying to achieve a similar goal. It is a moderately intense tour, with each person choosing how much they do each day. It is a real adventure holiday if you choose to keep involved and can be very rewarding.

The Captain consults us each morning at breakfast and we are trusted to make decisions about locations we visit and have the opportunity to sail onto and off anchor with all hands on deck. We have plenty of time to talk and sing together after the sun goes down. We explore Great Barrier Island and Kawau Island on foot and pass several other islands at close range. We swim and relax in the sun. The voyage is flexible, allowing for changes in weather and sea conditions and voyage crew’s requests. We sail the ship together, and successfully arrive in Auckland Harbour on day 5 in spectacular fashion, just in time for peak hour car traffic to see us sailing under the Harbour Bridge.

I wish that the voyage was a little longer – sea life is simple and serene. I have made some wonderful friends and experienced the ocean how it should be experienced. I might not be a hardened sailor just yet, but I know some people who can help me learn…

For more history, details and photos from this adventure holiday, see the Soren Larsen Dossier on our website.

If you have been on an adventure through Hiking New Zealand and would like to have your experience published in an upcoming newsletter please let us know. Send your story to:

Info@HikingNewZealand.com

We will be giving away a free merino top with every experience published in our Hiking New Zealand Newsletter.

Your story is valued – it’s a great way to inform other travellers about adventures in Aotearoa.

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