Feeling at home in Dunedin

Down here participating in the last event of The Otago Canoe and Kayak Club Winter Series.

This series began 25 years ago with Morris Hall who is still involved with the series, Allan Sutherland has kept it ticking for the last 5 years and this year Brendan O’Neil has taken the reigns to

spread the load.

After a few weeks of smooth warm weather down here in Dunedin the weather man decided to dish up a cup of shit soup on Saturday (as can happen in Wellington sometimes) with an icey cold South Westerly that continued through to Sunday. A good decision was

made to change a course that was going to deliver 21km of headwind, to a great little circuit course of 9km.

We started at Portobello and headed back towards Dunedin City inside Pudding Island and passing some spectacular Otago Harbour coastline to Broad Bay here we did one and a half loops before a great run downwind to the finish.

For Alan and Morris it was about playing it smart, looking at all the competitors who turned out and

listening to what they had to say about the course the water, and the wind chill.

In today’s field, and due to the big chill, only the most hardened paddlers turned out, we had a good mix of people on surf skis, sea kayaks and outrigger canoes.

The event and series concluded at the local Portobello Pub where a nice log burner fire awaited us all 

along with hot chocolate coffee, food and beer were all well  received. Spot prizes from and trophies were dished out and all paddlers left the venue well hydrated, warm and well feed and some great prizes in their hands courtesy of Series Sponsors, Watercooled and R & R Sport.

If you’re looking for a good road trip to combine with some winter paddling head to Dunedin where you’ll arrive as a stranger and leave as a friend of this great Harbour City. “Thank you

Dunners”……..we’ll be back.

Finally thanks to our hosts Steve, Judy Lee and Mac.

click on any photo to enlarge