LONG CANOE TRIP.

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25390, 13 January 1948, Page 3

LONG CANOE TRIP.

FROM KARAPIRO TO ONEHUNGA YACHTSMEN’S HOLIDAY “The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, January 12. A 12-day trip in a home-built, Indian-style 15ft canvas canoe was made by two Auckland yachtsmen, Messrs J. Carr and S. B. Hanham, of Point Chevalier, as an unusual holiday. They built the canoe themselves, launched it on December 27, and travelled down the Waikato river and then, across the Manukau harbour to Onehunga. The first night was spent at Horahora bridge, where they slept in sleepingbags on the river bank with the boat cover over them. Next day they were fortunate in having a tail wind, and by noon they were camped two or three miles below Arapuni. Late the following day they reached the Karapiro dam. That night they camped on a flat island near the shore. The canoe had to be carried around the dam on bicycles, and it was launched again about half a mile below. Cambridge was reached in about an hour. “We hit a whirlpool between Karapirq and Cambridge,’’ said Mr Carr, “we had been travelling fast, and it almost stopped us completely. It was a frightening experience.” They spent two days in Cambridge. The 15 miles from there to Hamilton was covered in about four hours, and the next night they reached Huntly, about 20 miles from Hamilton, in seven hours. The next day, using sails made from coats and towels fastened to paddles, they covered 30 miles to Mercer in just over eight hours. Another day’s travel brought them to Otaua, 20 miles further on, near the Waikato heads. Next morning they were given a bumpy ride to Waiuku on the Manakau on a cream truck. That night the men camped near Clark’s beach, ana were forced to spend a day there because of choppy, weather.

Travelling toward the Papakura channel, they struck a sandbank in the harbour, and for an hour had to wade in ankle-deep water to get clear. They spent the night on an islandTwo hours paddling the next day brought them to the main beach at Onehunga. The canoe was taken by carrier to Westhaven, and, using a towel for a sail, they soon reached Point Chevalier. “We had no accidents during the whole trip,” said Mr Hanham, “but on the afternoon we arrived home we were taking a passenger out to a boat and we both fell overboard. Our friend remained safely in the canoe.” The trip cost them £5 each.