Overseas: New Zealand's Marine Reserves

October-November 2006

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Laani Uunila

If you’re looking for a south sea adventure this winter, New Zealand is a great place to consider. The isolated country is often cited as a leader in marine conservation in the South Pacific, having a system of no-take marine reserves where fishing and resource extraction are prohibited, stretching from its remote offshore islands to urban harbors. Many of the reserves offer incredible sea kayaking opportunities for winter getaway seekers, from day trips to week-long explorations, from popular guided routes to places where you may not see another person for days on end.

Several of these marine reserves are in waters surrounding protected offshore islands which are sanctuaries against introduced species. Because fire and the introduction of weeds are a concern here, check with the Department of Conservation (DOC) about any restrictions. In marine reserve waters, fishing, disturbing wildlife and removing natural objects are prohibited.

On my latest visit to New Zealand, a series of storms bringing gale and hurricane force winds made us quickly develop hiking and cycling plans. If you decide to go, make sure you have back-up plans in case the weather doesn’t cooperate. After all, New Zealand is situated in the ‘roaring forties’!

NORTH ISLAND
POOR KNIGHTS ISLANDS
Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve is touted as one of Jacques Cousteau’s top ten dive sites in the world. Since it is 12 nautical miles from the mainland, and once out at the reserve you are not allowed to land on the islands and islets, your best bet for paddling here is to combine your explorations with a dive trip or snorkeling experience. Some of the dive outfitters have sit-on-top kayaks on board. If you prefer to bring your own kayak, Dive Tutukaka will transport kayaks (with advance notice) with their dive boat serving as your mothership for the day.

Much of Poor Knights is towering cliffs formed from an old volcano, creating arches and caves that beg to be explored. Marine life here is the primary attraction, with sub-tropical and temperate species. I snorkeled at two locations, including Cave Bay where I swam with a school of blue maomao and watched seven rays flying through the water underneath me.

Depart from: Tutukaka, Northland
Our outfitter: Dive! Tutukaka, www.diving.co.nz
DOC Area Office: whangareiao@doc.govt.nz

KAPITI MARINE RESERVE
Kapiti Marine Reserve, established in 1992, protects waters in two different sections. The eastern portion stretches from Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve on the mainland to Kapiti Island Nature Reserve (a key sanctuary for native birds). The western portion protects waters along Kapiti Island in Cook Strait. Two major currents meet in this area, requiring paddlers to be on their toes when they leave the mainland and cross Rauoterangi Channel.

A circumnavigation of Kapiti Island is a 30 km day trip well suited for experienced paddlers. Private vessels, including kayaks, are not permitted to land on Kapiti Island, but paddlers can experience some of the bird life from the water. Stacy Moore, with DOC, suggests kayakers listen for “the melodic calls of tuis and bellbirds flying above the forest canopy”. If you want to visit the island and hike the trails, you can go with a licensed commercial launch operator and a landing permit from DOC.

My trip to Kapiti was a treat since it was part of a club trip with the Ruahine Whitewater Club. Kayaking with these well seasoned paddlers was the first time in a long time that I wasn’t leading beginners, freeing me to enjoy the challenges of the marine environment. The more experienced kayakers got their adrenaline pumping by paddling through arches and tunnels on the northwestern side of the island. One tunnel is an ‘L’ shape starting wide and narrowing to a low roofed passage. We had to time the ocean swell so that we entered the narrow passage on an upsurge and raced out on a down surge, before the next upsurge came.

We stopped for lunch on one of the southern islets where we watched an eagle ray forage along the sandy bottom. Every so often its wings would ripple above the surface with smooth undulations. After lunch we started a giant ferry-glide back to the mainland and ended the trip playing in the surf at Paraparaumu.

The president of the local Coast Guard, a former kayak outfitter, strongly suggests that kayakers notify Coast Guard of their trip plans. The channel can get rough suddenly and kayakers should request assistance sooner rather than later; “we would prefer to come out to help you back rather than be looking for cold, wet paddlers”. Checking-in will also ensure the Coast Guard is not called out unnecessarily by observant coastwatchers who may wrongly feel the paddlers are in distress.

Depart from: Paraparaumu, Kapiti Coast
My outfitter: Ruahine Whitewater Club hires boats to non-club members if they are participating in a club trip: www.q-kayaks.co.nz/pages/club.asp
DOC Visitor Centre: wellingtonvc@doc.govt.nz
Kapiti Coast Guard: timkerry@gmail.com
Things to note: Private boats are not permitted to land on Kapiti Island. Kayakers are encouraged check weather (ch 23 VHF) and tides prior to departure and to file a trip report with the Kapiti Coast Guard.

SOUTH ISLAND
LONG ISLAND-KOKOMOHUA MARINE RESERVE
My friend and I rented boats in Picton and headed out to explore the outer sound, opting to return by water taxi so we could explore as much as possible. From our campsite on Blumine Island we hiked along a trail, giving us our first sight of Long Island-Kokomohua Marine Reserve. Long Island is snake-like from a distance, appearing as a vegetation-covered python with a full belly. When we approached from the water, the surface was unusually calm, creating reflections. As we rounded the eastern side of the Island, the mirrored surface was broken by several approaching orca. They eventually faded from sight, heading into the sound, leaving us with a frenzied school of jumping fish as our companions. Paddlers should also be on the lookout for smaller dolphins, including common, bottlenose, dusky and Hector’s.

If you slip overboard for a snorkel, you may find yourself getting up close and personal with blue cod. Trish Grant, from DOC, reports that divers often find blue cod are less fearful in the marine reserve, actually approaching divers and in some cases nibbling on their fingers.

Depart from: Picton, Marlborough
Our outfitter: Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company: www.marlboroughsounds.co.nz
DOC Area Office: soundsao@doc.govt.nz
Picton Visitor Centre: picton@i-site.org
Things to note: Keep your camp tight: although flightless, weka can be camp robbers. We ran into a hiker who had lost an insole from her boot to a curious weka.

TONGA ISLAND MARINE RESERVE
If you are looking for a tropical paradise, Able Tasman National Park and Tonga Island Marine Reserve come pretty close—with aqua waters, long sandy beaches and lush vegetation. The marine reserve was established in 1993, alongside a portion of the national park that was created decades earlier in 1942. There is a popular coastal hiking trail in the national park, as well as hospitable waters for kayakers, so this area can be busy. There are several operators in the region that offer guided trips and rentals. On our first night at Mosquito Bay, a kayak-only accessible campsite, I felt like renaming it Hordes of Kayakers Bay. Quiet places can be found to explore during the day, but expect to share your campsite or hut with others if you are there during peak season. Book your campsites in advance at visitor centers, DOC offices or tour operators.

Because Tonga Island is home to a breeding colony of fur seals, you are not allowed to land, and you should stay at least 20 meters away from the seals. When we paddled out to the island the first inhabitants we saw were two seals swimming in a tight circle, going round and round, until one got bored and broke away, emphasizing its departure with several leaps clear of the water. The rest of the seals were hauled way up, almost at the treeline. As we sat in our kayaks watching them, one big, fat seal slid casually into the water and proceeded to roll and handstand around us.

Depart from: Motueka, Kaiteriteri (or shuttle over from Nelson), Nelson Region
Our outfitter: The Sea Kayak Company www.seakayaknz.co.nz
DOC Visitor Centre: nelsonvc@doc.govt.nz
Things to note: Watch for strong midday winds. Plan to stop at Torrent Bay and hike up to Cleopatra’s Pool, a natural waterslide in the Torrent River.

TE AWAATU CHANNEL AND TAIPARI ROA MARINE RESERVES
In 2003, the Guardians of Fiordland, a multi-stakeholder group representing fishers, tour operators, Iwi (Maori tribes), science, community and environmental interests presented the draft Fiordland Marine Conservation Strategy, which resulted in the Fiordland Marine Management Act (2005), creating eight new marine reserves in Fiordland.

Doubtful Sound, located in Fiordland, is now home to two marine reserves, Te Awaatu Channel, established in 1993 and the newly established Taipari Roa Marine Reserve. Doubtful is one of the deepest and longest fjords in the country, home to towering peaks and waterfalls. Inside the fjord, the mountains stand like sentinels, watching over the valleys and often funneling winds to the waters below.

To access Doubtful Sound you need to take a boat across Lake Manapouri, followed by a bus across Wilmot Pass where you are dropped off at the power station in Deep Cove. My first trip to Doubtful was wonderful, we had five days of sun, almost unheard of for Fiordland—a region known for its rains. My second trip, planned for last January, had to be cancelled due to high winds.

Bottlenose dolphins were our frequent companions during my inaugural exploration of Doubtful. They suddenly appeared around us early on our first day, with two swimming under our boats—their ghostly white forms welcoming us to explore the mysteries of Doubtful Sound—and we paddled with them for three of our five days there.

Depart from: Te Anau, Fiordland
Our outfitter: Fiordland Wilderness Experiences www.fiordlandseakayak.co.nz
DOC Visitor Centre: fiordlandvc@doc.govt.nz
WaveLength Article: Jan/Feb 1994 “Doubtful Explorations”  www.coastandkayak.com/1994/jf94destination3.php
Things to note: Rentals are available for experienced kayakers. Make sure you get friendly with your outfitter to get insider knowledge; some campsites are notorious for sandflies. Pack for rain and paddle defensively—expect winds.

STEWART ISLAND
ULVA ISLAND (TE WHARAWHARA) MARINE RESERVE
“Be prepared for everything—wind, rain, sun and sleet. Stewart Island weather is unpredictable and strong winds can develop at short notice. Be prepared to change your plans and seek shelter.” (DOC fact sheet on kayaking in Patterson Inlet). Everything about the weather in the fact sheet held true, and we even got hail.

We had planned on spending five days exploring Patterson Inlet, including Ulva Island Marine Reserve, but the weather had other ideas. Paddling was not an option when we arrived, so we hiked the Rakiura Circuit instead, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.

During our time on Stewart Island we did manage to paddle when the weather cleared briefly. Fearing a return of the winds, we hired a double to paddle to Ulva Island. We circumnavigated the island and enjoyed some great bird life. At a brief stop at Boulder Beach we encountered some overly tame weka, providing some good photo opportunities. Elsewhere in New Zealand, I’d only come across solitary blue penguins, but around Ulva we saw several blue and yellow-eyed penguins. Ulva Island itself is an open sanctuary, accessible to the public, offering impressive opportunities to see birdlife.

Depart from: Stewart Island
Our outfitter: Rakiura Kayaks www.rakiura.co.nz
DOC Visitor Centre: stewartislandfc@doc.govt.nz
Things to note: If you ferry over from the South Island, sit near the front of the boat if you tend to get seasick as the crossing can be rough.

MORE INFORMATION:
Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers (KASK). The KASK website provides links to local clubs and paddling networks. There is also an on-line newsletter that may provide you with inspiration for unique destinations: www.kask.co.nz

Sea Kayak Operators Association of New Zealand (SKOANZ). Not all outfitters in New Zealand are a member of SKOANZ. The website contains information about popular paddling destinations and commercial operators who are members of SKOANZ: www.seakayak.org.nz

Department of Conservation (DOC). DOC is the federal government agency responsible for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage in New Zealand, including marine reserves and national parks. Their website contains information about DOC visitor centre locations, area offices and detailed descriptions of marine reserves: www.doc.govt.nz

© Laani has studied water trails and marine protected areas, including a stint in New Zealand, studying marine reserve advisory committees.