B5.3.1 New Zealand: Cycling/Sea Kayaking
Description
This article is from the New Zealand FAQ, by Phil Stuart-Jones and Lin Nah with numerous contributions by others.
B5.3.1 New Zealand: Cycling/Sea Kayaking
Excellent cycling in NZ but it pays to like hills... Bringing a bike in
from overseas is often a good idea and resale here is possible although it
may take several weeks at some times of the year. ALWAYS lock your bike
solidly to something immobile when you aren't actually on it. For cycle
tourists, there are two books available - Cycle Touring in the South Island
and Cycle Touring in the North Island. There is also one that covers both
islands, but apparently there are many mistakes in it.
Lin Nah kindly generated this contribution:
"For the Auckland area, go to the Auckland visitor's centre and ask for
advice. For further afield, look into one of the packages like Wild Cycles
offered by Kiwi experience [phone (64 9) 366 1665; fax (64 9) 357 0524]
there are probably other companies that offer similar packages.
Here's a list of places to rent bicycles from (typed late 1993).
Auckland
Name Phone Fax Address Bicycle Tour Services 276 5218 276 5218 PO Box 11296 Cycle Xpress 379 0779 11 Beach Road Kiwi Experience 366 1665 357 0524 PO Box 1553 Mountain Bike Hire 358 9893 575 5105 5/28, Armadale Rd, Remuera NZ Pedaltours 302 0968 302 0967 PO Box 37575, Parnell Pedal Packers 302 0880 25 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell Pedal Pushers 360 0512 Ring when arrive in Auckland Penny Farthings 379 2524 309 1559 PO Box 8829, Symond St Ross Adventures 357 0550 357 0502 PO Box 33686, Takapuna
If you are interested in the Kiwi Experience, they have something called
Wild Cycles. This combines their bus trips and cycling. KE runs a cheap
bus network in both the North and South Island. So the deal in Wild Cycles
(as I understand it) is that you can send you luggage ahead by the bus. So
you carry the minimal necessities with you while you are cycling. If you
are tired of cycling (tired, fed up, too hot, too cold and whatever excuses
you want to discontinue) just stop on the road side along one of their
routes and flag the next KE bus that comes along. It is also good for
those who only have time to cycle one way and have to take the bus back.
Unfortunately no one seems to have email 8-(
The ones below I have not called. They are either not within the Auckland
calling area or are within the Auckland area but no one replied whan I
called.
Name Phone Address Adventure South 03 332 1222 Box 33153 Christchurch Classic Cycle Tours 06 358 9893 Box 4499, Palmerston North Desert Coast Bikes 09 411 8612 47 Waitea Rd, Muriwai Rock Hard Mountain Bike 07 892 2938 National Park Sounds Cycling 03 578 0442 2 Selwyn St, Blenheim"
David Morris offers:
"Another option: Active Leisure Cycle Express, cnr Beach Rd/Anzac Ave,
Auckland. Ph 379-7790. The guy who runs it is a real cycle nut... his
knowledge of touring is encyclopaedic.
"If I want any work done on my machine I go to him. Can't give a better
recommendation that that!"
John McHarry sent me this e-mail:
"NZ Pedaltours operates fully supported cycle tours in both the North and
South Islands. These include a sag wagon, all meals, and overnight
accomodations in motels with one or two farmstays. I have been on two of
their tours and found them excellent and good value for money."
For ideas on where to go, try:
http://www.wcc.govt.nz/extern/kennett/homepage.htm
It's the NZ Mountain Bike Web Page. If it's run by [one of] the legendary
Kennett Brothers, it's likely to be well worth a look!
-----
Sea kayaking is a great way (the best way?) to see parts of NZ, and guided
tours are becoming more popular and available. For information on cycle
touring or sea kayaking, email A.Ferguson@chem.canterbury.ac.nz
The coastlines around Abel Tasman National Park and the Marlborough Sounds
are renowned as sea kayaking areas with trips possible all year round.
Lin wrote:
"For the Abel Tasman National Park (cruise, coach - from Nelson to the
park, and everything related to activities in the Abel Tasman National
Park) talk to:
Abel Tasman National Park Enterprises
ph (+64 3) 528 7801
fax (+64 3) 528 6087
"They are open all year except for Christmas Day. The 1994/95 prices:
"Full Day Cruise. I took this on NY day '95, it was excellent. Bring your
own lunch. 9am - 3:30/4pm, adult $42, child $14
"Coach, Cruise, Kayak and Hydrofoil. Start 9am at Kaiteriteri. Take the
launch to Torrent Bay - arriving at around 10.25am. Your guide and kayak
are there. You start on a 5 hour guided kayak from Torrent Bay to Bark
Bay. then you catch the hydrofoil back to Kaiteriteri, ETA 6pm. Start &
finish Kaiteriteri; adult $90
"There are quite a few more variations. Once you see their brochure you
will know what I mean. I was very impressed at how flexible it is. For
example with the kayak example above, you could have paid $80 to start and
finish in Torrent Bay. You could have left Kaiteriteri a few days before
by the boat, been dropped off at Totaranui (or any beach the cruise passes)
and walked your way back to Torrent Bay.
"The park has one of the most beautiful set of beaches and scenery I have
seen. I hope no one spoils it.
"Kaiteriteri to Torrent Bay; if you don't want the guided kayak trip you
can hire kayaks from them. Single kayaks $18; double kayaks $25 (this is
from the 93-94 brochure).
"No, I have no connection to the family who owns the Abel Tasman enterprise
(this is a family business). I was very impresssed with the choice and
service.
"In the Nelson/Marlborough region; don't forget the swim in the river at
the Pelorus Bridge. Also visit the vineyards in that area."
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If anyone can suggest a better place to put this, I'd like to hear it!
NZ Tides
Tidal predictions are now available for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton and
Dunedin, a week at a time from:
http://www.e-media.co.nz/wp1/
New Zealand Tidal predictions, Notices to Mariners and links to marine
weather are available on Waypoint 1. There is also information on the
Royal New Zealand Coastguard Federation, Yacht and boat clubs etc. Other
major boating areas will be added. Thanks to the Hydrographer RNZN.
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