Southern Adventures 2022

Our annual adventuring south from whitianga is something we all look forward to. My flying friends, my kayaking, tramping, and cycling friends always have an adventure on the list. With our COVID related outdoor activities being cancelled around New Zealand I had been expecting this adventure to be curtailed at the last moment but had planned to be a solo voyager if that happened.

Fortunately a full adventure schedule remained intact and the March settled weather allowed the lift off for Mata Strip where Leo John’s cancelled February Fly-in was to take place. These are the places that the members of the Northern Aviators Club gravitate to when fine weather and spare time allow a relaxed flight in fine weather to enjoy smooth air, plus fabulous views of the surrounding countryside or ocean.

I had landed on this strip earlier last month while breakfasting at Kaipara Flats while enroute to a North Cape and Cape Reinga mission and so was now familiar with its location and nearby power transmission lines to guide me to the strip.

On this Saturday morning flight, I was surprised to hear Dave on the radio not far behind me in his Tecnam and thought he must have been flying to Great Barrier Island for the day.

I got airborne thinking I would be the only flyer from the Coromandel to venture to Mata that day.

With my slower Pelican leading the way I was expecting to be overtaken before reaching Mata as I had 30nm to run when I heard Dave sneaking up the east coast of the Coromandel from Waihi Beach. With ADSB now installed in my aircraft and his, we were able to keep track of each other on our electronic displays in the cockpit could also see other aircraft heading in the direction of Mata.

My earlier reccy to Mata didn’t stop me from missing the air strip and I flew right over the top of it as I tracked along the transmission lines thinking I would be first to land. That will teach me! After an orbit in the area where my map showed me to be I spied the strip immediately below so I continued the turn onto downwind for landing to the west on runway 24.

We managed about 13 aircraft for this lunchtime sortie. Dave and Jean Jaques, who was flying their Tecnam, pulled into the parking bay behind me to watch the others arrive. All shapes and sizes with the odd Gyrocopter as well make it a fun place to be. As the lunch was being prepared we nattered to friends from far away up in the northern regions where it seems to be we only meet in the settled weather of summer and autumn each year.

While I would have enjoyed the continued chatting we were about,  my real mission was to fly south to Masterton that day so I was first to eat and then climb back into the Pelican to return south to Whitianga for refuel and load my mission gear aboard. The planned southern Round the Mountains cycle track adventure from Queenstown, with my annual tramping/cycling Southern Adventure team, had been the focus of this early March flight.

The weather was holding fine and settled with little wind so ideal for microlight aircraft flying. The fun I have had over the 13 years I have owned the Pelican Club GS is directly attributed to the way I spent over a year looking at suitable aircraft.

Most microlight aircraft at that time were smaller and powered by two stroke engines. These engines are not as reliable as the four stroke engines now being fitted but were the introduction for early microlight pilots. My years in the air as a career aviator suggested reliability and space to carry adventure gear were what was needed. When the Pelican popped up on one of my internet searches it immediately suggested I had found the desired aircraft. It just happened that Anne spied it very shortly after I had perused the advertisement and commented “that one looks ok”. Sold!

It has proven to be able to carry tent, sleeping bag, life jackets, spare fuel cans plus overnight gear while on my adventures. Short haul coffee journeys are also within its capabilities and that is what Anne prefers to fly to when in the Pelican.

However the Southern Adventure I was flying south for was this years sortie and I was to be alone with my gear so taxied out from Whitianga excited at the prospect of meeting up with friends along to route who had encouraged me with their aviation adventures over the time I have owned the Pelican.

Direct track took me south over the nearby mountains, across the Matamata plains, directly to Mangakino and onwards to Turangi. The Desert Road was fine so that enabled me to fly directly to Waiouru and onwards to Palmerston North where I was successful in obtaining an enroute airways clearance to fly across their airspace and onwards to Aokautere for the Paihia Gap where many more new wind turbines are being added to this large wind farm on the hills.

Whew. That was fantastic as I have frequently been kept out of Controlled Airspace and had to divert around and below the airspace of Palmerston North.

Weather was now beginning to look less friendly with grey skies obscuring the east coast and showers along the Wairarapa route that I was flying. Masterton weather was reporting 20 kts southerly as well for my arrival.

I was hoping there was not going to be much crosswind there in the gusty conditions as my lightweight Pelican can get lifted back into the air very easily in gusty conditions but Dannevirke was a suitable alternate, if needed. I would have preferred my old strip at Martinborough but that was now closed and I hadn’t advised Alastair that I was enroute in the Pelican.

However I had advised Phil that I was ready to stay the night with him in his new hangar house in Masterton if he could fit me in. He had messaged back that I could stay but he and Michelle were staying up in Taupo as he was flying around NZ in the Biz-jet he was now flyIng." Use this code to get in Wally."

Great the have this opportunity to not only stay in wonderful accommodation but also enough shielding to shelter the Pelican overnight in the lee of the large hangar wall.

With my enroute rations from the Pelican and a couple of Phil’s cold beers I spent a relaxed night on the top floor knowing the Pelican wasn’t going to be blown away. As I explained to Phil the next day. It was the second best choice for the night stop.

He was rather taken aback with my comments after an overnight in their pride and joy, brand new hangar house. I went on to explain it was only second best choice because first choice was to stay with them and chat into the night.

Next day dawned windy and overcast putting my southbound flight under increased stress of no take off. I had not wanted to call my other Masterton friends for this would have put my planned mission to Alexandra under risk of non completion as I would have been encouraged to chat longer in Masterton.

My first move after checking out of Phil and Michelle’s new hangar home was to taxi over and pay landing fees at the fuel pumps where I spoke with a group of glider pilots and glider tow pilots from Feilding. Asking if anyone would like to run me up to the nearest service station to top up my 20 litre Mogas containers, I was guided on to the the nearby aero club office where Mogas could be obtained.

After positioning the Pelican for refuelling, it was wait until the club member arrived with the keys so I chatted away with the surrounding pilots. This was really good value as it was necessary for me to wait for the weather to moderate and cloud to rise over Cook Strait to make this next flight segment a more enjoyable experience in the headwinds I was to encounter.

The other enjoyable event I was participating in was the Vintage Aviation squadron live day that was happening that morning on Masterton Aerodrome. I had been surrounded by taxiing vintage aviator aircraft leaving the runways or being started for their airborne activities. Along with that wonderful scene was the number of aircraft in the air as well so it couldn’t have been a more enjoyable way to arrive and depart from Masterton.

My refuel complete allowed me a final weather review and I became airborne for Rangiora via Cape Campbell and Kaikoura. Headwinds aloft and reduced visibility across Cook Strait had me listening to another aircraft flying in a southbound direction looking for a missing person. He was faster and not in my immediate flight path so I was more relaxed knowing he wouldn’t suddenly pop out in front of me, in the murk.

This is a spectacular coastline to fly along when it is not bumpy so I captured the beauty of the mountains rising straight out of the nearby sea beside me. I continued south under the overcast sky with the visibility improving to the south of Cape Campbell. Nearing Kaikoura I realised a coffee stop would be agreeable so joined long final for runway 23 grass to pull up outside the Kaikoura Aero Club hangar.

Stepping inside I was greeted by the Instructor and paid my landing fees at the counter while spying people eating pies in the room. After being told the nearby shop was closed and the nearest bakery was back into Kaikoura town, I set off for my refuel stop at Rangiora in increasingly better flight conditions. Approaching Rangiora I was messaged the door code for the clubhouse and hangar by Chris. He was driving to Akaroa so couldn’t help with my refuel requirements.

After landing and shutting down at the clubhouse I realised the door code for hangar and clubhouse was not opening the door so started the Pelican again to taxi to the BP Avgas pump since there were no CRAC members present to assist me with refuelling. Stopping outside the Canterbury Aero Club office, I found they did not sell fuel. What next?

Two light aircraft arrived in formation over the top of Rangiora while this was going on and proceeded to land and taxi up to the BP pump. I recognised the first pilot to open her canopy. Jan White from Hastings. Explaining my problem with refuelling she advised me to talk to Jerry who was then opening his canopy and had the refuel card! They were enroute from Wanaka ferrying a newly purchased aircraft back to Hastings for the new owner and Jerry happily refuelled the Pelican before starting on Jan’s Minicab and his RV4.

Meanwhile Chris, while enroute to Akaroa, had suggested the route to Queenstown via Burkes Pass would not be traversable today which confirmed my earlier decision to travel across the plains to Timaru then Oamaru to turn inland at the Shag River valley to Ranfurly and onwards to Alexandra.

I had texted Shirley earlier in the morning to see if she was at home in Clyde. It was great news that she was and was already suggesting the dinner spot for the night. This made good southern flying and as I turned the corner at the Shag River, the sun came out for the first time that day. I flew in beautiful blue sky, sunny conditions onwards to Alexandra for the night stop.

Picketing the Pelican on a bit of spare ground beside new hangars being errected I spied Shirley arriving to collect me so I was shortly ambling across the vacant hangar sites with my overnight gear to throw in the back of her car and away we went to Clyde, via a short drive in the direction of Cromwell. After thinking we were off to somewhere else for our evening dinner Shirley slowed down and took the road to the Clyde Dam to show me the new cycle track recently opened. This, she said, would encourage me back for a future mission along the Clyde river on my bike.

Heck this list gets longer each time I head off on one of the adventures that has risen to the top of the list😊 It was good to see what else could be added as I have yet to do the Lake Dunstan ride so this would fit well on a future mission.

We later set out by foot to explore the Post Office Restaurant menu for our dinner date. A lovely way to explore Clyde since Shirley lives close to the centre. This always makes a pleasant stopover as sometimes I have just sent her a "hello" text as I fly by in the Pelican, on some other mission.

Next day I found my Southern Adventurers cycle group were heading to Queenstown by jet flight for a 2:30pm arrival so Shirley and I drove to Roxborough with our spare few hours, to enjoy a coffee and cake at her favourite cafe. This allowed a round trip down the west side of the river to return on the east side giving me a road trip that I had never been on before and so expanded my appreciation of Central Otago. Quite a different world from the Coromandel and the North Island in terms of mountains and rocky dry farmlands.

Being dropped back to the Alexandra airport and farewelling Shirley goodbye, I stowed my gear back aboard the Pelican and called Queenstown air traffic control for an "Airways Clearance" to allow the Pelican to transit from Alexandra to Queenstown for a landing, before the southern adventurers arrived.

Timing was perfect and I was cleared into Queenstown airport as the only aircraft in the air at that time. Reminiscing about my last flight into Queenstown in a Bae 146 around 22 years ago I had the thrill of a calm fine day to reestablish this earlier connection and was guided to the light aircraft parking area by a very helpful tower controller.

Time check. Yes, still 30 minutes till the jet arrives from Auckland so no rush as I tied the Pelican down securely for its 5 day stay and unloaded my cycling gear for the 4 days of pedalling. A great feeling to be back in the light aircraft park here to recapture the feeling of the early Cessna172 and Victa 100 trips we flew through Queenstown in those early Private Pilot days, adventuring far and wide from our home base in Ardmore, Auckland.

Many changes with completely different aircraft now using this airport and no chance of sleeping a night in the darkened terminal interior, to avoid the cold night outdoors on our Easter excursions to the wonderful south.

Even getting out of the light aircraft park was a mission this time due to the increased security requirements all these years later but with all my gear on my back and front packs, helmet and gloves for the bike ride in one hand and the empty fuel can in the other, I was ready for the next mission of meeting my Southern Adventurer cycle group as they collected their bags from baggage claim and wandered out to their shuttle. I also threw my gear into the trailer with them after their arrival and away we went to our overnight accomodation which I booked as we drove into Queenstown.

Mike arrived with our rental bikes as we were checking into the accomodation so I was shortly underway for the test ride and seat adjustment to see that I would be able to enjoy four days on this unfamiliar and powerful bike. Ebikes are not my normal selection of rental bike but after last year's battle with the headwinds on the Rimutaka cycle track I had decided (with team encouragement) that I was now needing an ebike to be able to fit in with the group plan, keep up the pace with them and also enjoy the experience.

We all ventured out by bike for a subsequent test ride to see all was well and any last minute supplies added to our gear list.

After a good night's rest we were one of the first bunch to arrive at the ferry for our 8:30 am crossing of Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station where our ride began.

A pleasant start with a reasonable forecast - showers later in the day with a light northeasterly breeze, suggested the day would be a goodie for the 10 kms trail up Von Hill at the end of our days ride. A relatively flat farm, gravel road, took us through Walter Peak and Mt Nicholas high country stations with an occasion break for adjustments of our bikes.

Our final climb is where my new ebike gave me the power for the hill climb so my experiments through the flat lands enabled me to approach the Von Hill with a positiveness that would have been lacking without the ebike power range. Lunch break at the top was a very relaxed rest stop where we all surveyed the climb we had just achieved with our ebikes taking the strain of the ride and making the lunch stop enjoyable rather than a sweaty recovery from our exertions. That is, the three if us on ebikes, as Lesley was determined to have none of that so was pedalling the whole way.

Continuing on to the hut where we were to await collection later in the day was a straight forward gravel road with very infrequent traffic to coat us with dust. I was very happy to be left at the hut and mind the saddle bags for the rest of the team who decided the Morven Lakes had to be ticked off before being transported on to Te Anau for our night stop.

A last minute search for accomodation in Te Anau, after being dropped off with our bikes, led me to a motel immediately to the east of where the rest of my team was staying. A quick ride around Te Anau showed me first hand how the COVID crisis had impacted the town and after breakfasting with my friend Jeff, a day later, to hear that Milford Sounds was down to less than 5 % of it’s pre COVID tourism traffic demonstrated why so many shops had Closed and For Lease signs were on many shop fronts.

A quick dinner at the motel room had us turn in early for a relaxed start next day, on the lakeside trail to Manapouri via the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary where we saw first hand the Takahe chicks with their parents, fossicking behind a secure fenced enclosure. This then led onwards to the start of the Kepler track at the Kepler Control gates. The fine and stable blue sky conditions allowed great photography and distant mountain views before resuming our cycle track onwards to meet our 1pm collection and bike pickup from Te Anau.

Having explored this area a couple of times with my flying friends I was keen to show my cycle friends the Camp site at Manapouri where they have an unusual collection of Morris motor cars, lying in semi derelict situations around the outdoor areas of the camp. They were unimpressed with my offerings so continued on their way to Manapouri while I had a brief chat again with the owner of this interesting site. These are the adventures I have really come to enjoy and what makes this gadding around New Zealand so interesting.

Onwards to Manapouri township had us descend the slope to the Fiordland explorer wharf where the activity was very quiet, acutely showing the lack of tourists which is affecting this area so intensely.

Our lunch spot beside the church enabled us to reflect on the spectacular mountainous scenery we were surrounded by and the reason why this really is a scenic wonderland to cycle around. Our shuttle arrived on time as we finished our meals and soon had us and the bikes back in Te Anau.

I have managed to visit this area a number of times and have not always had the time or transport to explore, so I didn’t waste the opportunity now. My afternoon ride took me around the outlying areas of Te Anau to marvel at the scenery on a warm, blue sky day.

Dinner at the Ranch Bar and Grill that evening completed a wonderful short stopover and gave us the walk through the township that highlighted the town centre which is well laid out for the hospitality sector.

Part 1 ENDS  Part 2 to continue....