Living Like a Small Green Hairy Fruit

Ahoy Mateys, Which Way to the Poop Deck ?

January 2008

Having got slightly worried about the shade of green Mark and the kids were turning every time we were out and about and everyone else on the road seemed to be trailing a boat, I finally gave in an agreed to go boat hunting.  We spent most of the new year trawling (no pun intended) around all the boat sales we could and working out what we could actually afford.

That turned out to be an oar at best.

So we eventually sorted the finances and settled on a TradeMe bargain.  An 18 foot Barracuda cabin boat with a 140hp outboard in classic Tango orange!  It even has onboard restroom facilities (a 99c green bucket!).  And here are some pics of our latest venture when we took her out to Brooklands and Quail Island off Lyttelton.

Anchored up on the beach at Brooklands

The first time we took the boat out we were going to launch at Brooklands.  Only when we got there the tide was so low we weren't sure if we could.  I went over to ask a group of guys who were stood by their trailered rib.  Turns out they were hoping I could tell them as they'd not launched there before either!  Anyway that was all a bit academic as on returning to the car Mark showed me the trailer light and its metal pole which had literally just snapped off! Great start to our boating exploits!! We couldn't go on to Lyttelton with trailer lights so had to head back home for quick repairs, which fortunately Mark is a dab hand at. So with metal hoover extension tube and pillar drill and a few bits I have no idea the names of Mark crafted a new light pole and we set off again, not for Lyttelton but in search of the boat ramp at the Kaiapoi River.

We found that ok and with a bit of guidance from others around the bank our first launch was successful and we headed out.  The Kaiapoi River joins the Waimakariri and we passed the MacIntosh holes and its keen fishermen. We just pootled up and down for a bit, then with more confidence, zoomed up and down getting a feel for the boat and how it and the engine handled.  It was great fun.

The first time we launched at Lyttelton was just as much fun. Not.  I can't remember now what had gone wrong that morning but the world seemed to be conspiring against us actually getting out.  Mark commented that perhaps it was a sign we shouldn't be going out at all.  Anyway, we eventually got to the Lyttelton boat ramp, only to find we had to pay $3 into the barrier machine.  Great. Only a couple of days before I had emptied by purse and handbag of all coinage and put in the Non-Scanky Bathroom Fund Jar.  So we had to unhitch the boat and I sat with it whilst Mark headed off into 'town' to acquire coins.  We got the boat launched ok and headed out to sea but it was so rough we were being tossed about all over the place.  Not wishing to end up dead on our first sea outing we headed back inshore towards Quail Island, which was, thankfully, calm waters and warm sun and just idyllic.

The first thing we caught at Quail Island was a spotted dogfish, quickly followed by an eagle ray, both of which went back into the sea even quicker!  The ray took ages to reel in, probably because it was flat and the size of a dustbin lid.  Apparently both are abundant around these waters.

Shortly after that we noticed the water was getting a bit murky and in the excitement of the catch I'd hadn't checked the depth gauge. Low tide was nearly upon us and as we had been warned, it gets truly shallow around the island.  So shallow in fact that the depth gauge was reading 0.0! We quickly packed the gear away, lifted the anchor and headed back. But as soon as we rounded the island we were in 2 metre swell and the boat was being lifted up and banged back down with each wave. Not a pleasant experience and we like rollercoasters!  It does make you very aware of how quickly things can change and the unpredictability of the sea.  We were prepared, you know, lifejackets (neatly stowed in the cabin), first aid kit (in the car onshore), but we did have a VHF radio tuned to channel 16.  It got calmer as we neared the boat ramp and we made it back safe and sound even if our legs were like jelly.

Our second trip out on from the Kaiapoi river saw us rescuing 2 guys who'd fallen off their jet bike.  As they tried to climb back on they pulled the seat off which broke the seal and the whole thing started to flood and sink. We threw them a rope, got them on board and towed the sinking bike into shore with the bike's owner (their friend who had lent it to them) hanging onto the back of his prize possession in the water.  They'd come off in the middle of the channel in the Waimakariri and the current was really strong; they'd never have made it trying to swim the thing back to shore. What we couldn't believe was knowing how dangerous it can be out there and how quickly even strong swimmers get into trouble, some flash jet boat just sped straight past them and ignored them!

Since then we've been out several times from Kaiapoi and when the tide was right turned into Brooklands and beached the boat to have a picnic on the sandy shore in the sun and watch the other boats bombing up and down pulling biskets and water-skiers.  And we went out from Lyttelton to Taylor's Mistake and caught 3 more shark looking things, an unidentified marine creature which despite major efforts just refused to be reeled in and 2 blue cod and watched as numerous black jelly fish gently floated by.

We are presently saving up for a bisket so we can throw the kids out on it and amuse them (and if Mark had his way himself by cutting the line!!!) so will post more pics and details of outings shortly.