West Coast Adventuring

As a culmination to their year’s course, last week Year 13 Outdoor Ed went on an adventure road trip to the West Coast, dressed as you would expect of Outdoor Ed students in dinner suits.



First stop, Ultimate Descents Rafting Company in Murchison. A serious dose of white water was the request and our guides Rusty and Regan certainly delivered on a high flowing Buller River. Highlights included running the Granity rapids and dropping through Ariki Falls.


The Crew above Granity rapid on the Upper Buller


Rusty and Regan briefing Ariki Falls


Running Ariki Falls (nice face Mark)

From Murchison it was on to the West Coast, passing through the Paparoa Ranges to reach the old gold mining town of Charlston, just south of Westport. In true West Coast tradition it began to rain, hard, soon after we arrived and didn’t stop until morning. Some woke to flooded tents and soaked bags.

For the next two days we caved in Te Tahi cave and rock climbed on the sea cliffs overlooking the wild Tasman Sea. A highlight for most included the climb Racing in the Streets, a full 50m climb that starts as close to the crashing ocean swell as you would want to be before ascending a classic corner climb that tops out with 360 degree views.


Mark Parfitt enjoying the Tasman Ocean licking at his heals


"On Belay"


Jay Nelson checking out the views toward the Paparoa Range


Tess Golding on Racing in the Streets


A beachside bbq dinner and bonfire topped it all off. A great trip to end the year.

All Action in the Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman National Park put on 4 seasons in 4 days for year 12OED during their sea kayak trip recently. Students experienced sun, rain, large seas and strong winds that added up to a big adventure. The last day paddle from Onetahuti back to Marahau into a strong South East wind proved to be a big day out for many.



The crew keeping the fuel supply up

Year 12 Sea Kayak Trip

Year 12 students will be spending four days sea kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park next week. Students will get to experience the world class golden sand beaches and estuaries of the park and with luck get up close with seals and dolphins. Details below.

Depart- 0830 Tuesday 22nd Sept
Return - 1500 Friday 25th Sept

Weather permitting the trip will take us from Marahau to Totaranui and return with camps at Mosquito Bay, Totaranui and Anchorage

Local company Marahau Sea Kayaks supply us with boats and equipment and we would like to acknowledge their ongoing support of Outdoor Education at Motueka High School. If you require top quality boats and guides give Jack and his team a call. Check out their site here.

Last of the Winter Snow

The rare and endangered Native Snow Goblin.

Year 13OED managed to sneak in to the mountains during a gap in an extended period of poor weather recently. With the avalanche risk high in Nelson Lakes National Park we stayed closer to home around the Mt Arthur region. The plan was to snow camp for two nights close to the base of the mountain and summit the North Twin. The weather played its hand though, and for the first time in over seven years, we cut the trip short by a day. The crew did get the chance to experience snow caving though as the pics show.


Tess showing the boys that you can make gourmet food in the mountains. Pasta pesto and fresh rocket anyone?


Jay and Zac go for the dehydrated approach


Digging in


Home sweet home. A cosy 1 degree above zero



Josh and Willy doing their bit for New Zealand reading week

Upcoming Trips for Senior Classes

Year 13 OED Alpine Expedition, Nelson Lakes National Park


Details

Depart MHS 0630, Wednesday 12th August
Return MHS 1700 Friday 14th August

Year 12 OED Cave Trips, Golden Bay

Details

Depart MHS 0845, Return MHS 1700
18, 19, 20th August (Whole Day trip for each class on the same day as their weekly practical).

Year 13 OEM Overnight Camp

Details

Depart MHS 0900 Monday 24th August
Return MHS 1520 Tuesday 25th August

Snow, Sun and Whopping Great Frosts

As significant winter snow fell on Kahurangi National Park, Year 12 students began the first of three days tramping through the bush of the Flora Valley and the sub alpine areas of the Tablelands peneplain. By the end of the day the snow had stopped, the sun peaked out for the last minutes of the day before sliding behind the peaks of the Cobb Range and the big chill began. The next two days were clear, calm and cold. Students practiced their off track navigation skills and by day three were ready to be assessed. Here are a few photos of the action.

Upcoming Tramping trips

Year 12,'s will be off track tramping in the Flora Valley area and Year 13's are bivvy tramping in the Lake Sylverster area of the Cobb Valley.

Details below

Year 12
Depart June 16 MHS 0830
Return June 18 MHS 1520

Year 13
Depart June 1 MHS 0830
Return July 3 MHS 1520

The Difference between Boys and Girls?

Upcoming Trips

Year 13 Students will be caving all day on Friday 29 June. Depart 8.30, return 5.00pm.

Year 12 Students will be tramping in Kahurangi National Park on the following days.

16-18 June
Depart 8.30 MHS
Return 3.20 MHS

Greenlink Cave

Term two has seen Year 13 OED served up a steady diet of ropes, hardware, gumboots and dark places. The caving unit always rates as a favorite for most students and 2009 is no exception. Weeks of training in the use of SRT (single rope technique) has given students the skills to begin exploring the amazingl caving opportunities the local area provides. Greenlink cave offers a great introduction to vertical caving and on a beautiful sunny Friday we descended into the dark and wet of the spelunkers world to put new skills to test. Here's a quick tour of the first 200m of Greenlink, albeit without the aid of camera lighting rigs.

4 Rivers Plain Kayaking Trip

Year 13 students travelled to Murchison, a small rural township two hours south of Motueka for three days of paddling recently. Murchison is a mecca for whitewater kayaking with a range of rivers that keep all paddlers from novice to expert entertained and is home to the famous New Zealand Kayak School.
Rapid running, eddy turning, wave surfing, capsizing, rolling and the occasional swim were the standard operating procedures for the trip.

Check out the video for a taster of the action. Thanks Zac and Ryan for musical inspiration.



Several of the rivers in the Murchison area are under threat damming for hydro power, if you are concerned by this click here for an interesting article by the New Zealand Recreational Canoeing Association.






http://rivers.org.nz/system/files/NZCanoeing_2008_2.pdf

Upcoming Trips

Our whitewater kayaking trips are approaching. Dates are listed below.

Year 12 - one day trip on the Motueka River
17, 18, 19 March (one class per day).
Depart 8.30, return 3.20.

Year 13OED - Three day trip to the Murchison area
23 - 25 March
Depart 8.30, return approximately 5.00pm.

Year 13OED - Two day trip to Murchison area
26 - 27 March
Depart 8.30, return approximately 5.00pm.

2009

Welcome new students and their families to Outdoor Education at Motueka High School. Feel free to check in here to get news and photos of our adventures around the top of the South Island.
The year has started well and our whitewater kayaking unit is in full swing. With recent rains the Motueka River is at a perfect level for leaning eddy turns, ferry glides and wave surfing nd the temperature makes the occasional capsize tolerable.



Ian Barnes teaching rolling to a Year 12 class