2008-02-11, Peel Forest. Day Twenty-six.
Today is my third day in Peel Forest. It has rained since my first night here, almost steady. The rivers are running the white color of glacial silt. The reports of salmon in the rivers are regular and I remain skeptical of my New Zealand fishing successes.I started the day at 10am. My plan for [...]
2008-02-10, Peel Forest. Day Twenty-five.
I woke up groggy. I slept horribly. I was being harassed by at least one sniffy possum until the rains moved in. At that point I was occasionally awakened by gushing down pours, which I was able to identify by the leaks in the seams in my tent that has been worn by the seasons. [...]
2008-02-09, Peel Forest. Day Twenty-four.
I arrived in Peel Forest this afternoon. I paid $18 for two nights camping and bought some gas for my stove at $3.20.I set my tent and headed for the Rangitata River just down the road and across the path from camp. The Rangitata River. The Rangi is a medium sized river with braids and [...]
2008-02-08. Hammer Springs. Day Twenty-three.
Today I barely made it out of the hostel in Hammer Springs by the 10am check-out time. I spent two night in Hammer, fished the Waiau River and caught nothing but myself. I put a #10 tungsten bead head nymph though my shirt and my right nipple. Thankfully the hook was barbless. I met several [...]
2008-02-07, Abel Tasman to Hammer Springs. Day Twenty-two.
I woke at 11am and started my tramp back to Marahau at 11.30am. I made the coastal walk that was rated for four hours in 2 and a half hours. it truly was my missing to be the clock on this one and I was able to do just that, even finding the time to [...]
2008-02-06, Abel Tasman National Park. Day Twenty-one.
I slept until 10am. The campground is barren save for our Pacific Challengers and two late rising kayakers. My shade tree kept me cool well past sunrise. I awoke to the buzzing of a giant Kiwi bumblebee that was trapped between my rain fly and tent. I swatted the bee with my pillow a few [...]
2008-02-05, Abel Tasman National Park. Day Twenty.
I feel that Mother Nature has directed me back to me. I spent the last few nights in room seven of the Nelson Youth Hostel Association hostel with five of Pacific Challenge group four’s students. Today I walked 11 kilometers in three and a half hours from Marahau to the Anchorage campsite, of which, this [...]
2008-02-03, Cable Bay. Day Eighteen.
I drove the half-hour or so west of Nelson in search of Wuakapuaka Stream. From what the stream was described, as it would be similar to fishing in southeast Minnesota. A small stream with smallish trout.I scouted the stream by car driving down a winding road to the coast aptly named Cable Bay as many [...]
2008-02-02, Nelson / Marlbourough Reigon. Day Seventeen.
I made my way from Kaikoura back to Nelson today as I was to meet and asist Pacific Challenge group four on their way into Able Tasman in a few days time. On my way back i decided to have a go at some South Island Trout on Wuakamarina Stream. I drove a logging road [...]
2008-02-01, Kaikoura. Day Sixteen.
I drove several hours to the other coast of New Zealand to have a bit of fishing near Kaikoura as I had heard the the fishing was good there right now. I drove through a wine country named Marlborough onto the east coast. As I drove past seals resting on the rocks memories from home [...]
2008-01-31. The Crossing. Day Fifteen.
I woke several times in the middle of the night to the sounds of the city; sirens, race cars, people screaming and shouting however still managed to get up in time to be the first one in line for the bus. Being the first in line does not always mean that you are the first [...]
2008-01-30. Mangawenka. Day Fourteen.
Mangaweka was the next stop on my list with my travels with Pacific Challenge group 4. I have been grateful for the leftover food for dinner and for the extra spot on the tour van that would eventually take me to Wellington where I would make my crossing into the South Island.The road to Mangaweka [...]
2008-01-29. The Tongario Crossing. Day Thirteen.
The Tongario Crossing is located just south of Torangi and is in the central North Island of New Zealand. The track of 18.5 miles is said to take 7-9 hours depending on your ability to overcome difficult climbing trails. The group of 18 students divided into to groups. The plan was to have a van [...]
2008-01-27. Taupo. Day Eleven.
Taupo. I couldn’t come here without fishing even just for one day even if it was lake fishing for trout, something which I know nothing about. I started the day with a van ride to Huka Falls. Huka Falls are a great powerful falls in the Waikato River. The area was extremely busy with tourists [...]
2008-01-26. Waitomo to Taupo. Day Ten.
Today I began to travel south through the hills into the Volcano fields of crater lakes and hot springs of the Taupo area. Breaking camp was easy. The Marae caretakers made it a point to wish me luck on my journeys to the south. According to the local tour guide operation owners I was gifted [...]
2008-01-25. Waitomo. Day Nine.
Otorohanga is a town whereas Waitomo is a village with a populaiton of 42 people and 350,000 annual tourists. I got dropped in downtown and got some cash form the ATM. I stopped in the sports store and checked out the spinning rods, there was nothing worth buying and then checked out the fly selection. [...]
2008-01-24. Waitomo. Day Eight.
Today I woke up and had a coffee, undid the trailers from the vans, and got a ride from Holly, an Aussie, to the end of Ngatapuwae Road where I walked solo into the bush in search of Moakurua Stream at 8.30am. I found a track to the left today however did not take it [...]
2008-01-23. Waitomo. Day Seven.
I woke and had a cup of coffee and got set to walk about an hour an a half to the east in search of Moakuraua Stream. According to the locals this stream is rocky bottom and holds larger fish than Waitomo Stream however is about a 5-6km walk from the Marae. I am not [...]
2008-01-20. Waitomo. Day Four.
I took the walk from the Marae to to the Ruakuri Bush Walk. I had my fishing rod along and walked the creek looking for Browns. I found none. Two-thirds the way through the walk I crossed a pasture that was holding calves, cows, steers, and bulls. I did not get good vibes from them. [...]
2008-01-19. Waitomo. Day Three.
I started the day with instant coffee and mixed berry jam toast. I prepared my fishing gear and headed down to the creek to find that it was stained enough to not be able to site fish for the Browns. I need to site fish this creek not knowing the creek and the fish in [...]
2008-01-18, Waitomo. Day Two.
My day started with two hours to fish before my appointment to take a blackwater rafting tour. I walked the same section of creek that I walked the evening before with the hopes that I would find and catch one fish. I spotted a fish in the same run that I saw one the night [...]
2008-01-17. Los Angeles to Auckland to Waitomo. Day One.
I took a cab from Shawn’s house to the Airport. For $30 I had a full sized passenger van freeway ride to LAX. I arrived at the airport at 4.15p and was set to meet a group of 18 students at Starbucks in terminal two at 5.30p. I first checked in and found the experience [...]
2008-01-13. Los Angeles, California – Day Two.
A short drive on the freeway landed us at a Pharmacy parking lot that was filled with exotic cars that their owners were very proud of. Ferrari, Porsche and Lotus were all represented in today’s show alongside a few Corvettes.After taking some photos at the car show and picking up a new set of batteries [...]