Preparing for the sea change

As Aucklanders we are so fortune to live in a city connected by waterways from the Manukau Harbour to the fingers of the Waitemata Harbour.

Having moved into Saint Marys Bay recently, I was talking to my neighbour about the possibility of kayaking into work. And what started off as a pipe dream hit the right accord, and over January I have been kayaing into work.

Leaving from my neighbour’s small jetty in Home Bay at around 7am, the journey takes me under the Auckland Harbour Bridge, along past Westhaven Marina and into the Viaduct Harbour. Despite seeing the traffic flowing over the harbour bridge and knowing that over a hundred thousand people travel in and around the central city every day, the whole ordeal is eerily quiet. It’s a typical commute to see a handful of small ferries travel to and from the North Shore.

Usually I cycle to work; this takes me off the Shelly Beach off-ramp, along Westhaven Drive, across Wynyard Quarter, the bridge, Te-Whero Island and into the city. Now believe it or not this commute takes me between 10-12 minutes every morning. So it’s a quick and easy way into work. With the added bonus that once in the city I can quickly get downtown or uptown between local board meetings. So there are a few downsides to commuting to work on a kayak. That’s essentially a factor of time and weather (make sure you check the weather www.metservice.com ). Now depending on the tide, wind and waves this journey can take anywhere between 30mins to 70mins. So you need to be prepared well in advance and give yourself ample time.

Now, in all traditional views of commuter transport it’s suppose to be smelly bodies pushed up hard in a train, busses not stopping, grid lock traffic and overly hand-gesturing to change lanes on your bicycle. Kayaking is not how you’re supposed to travel to work. Kayaking is reserved for outdoor recreation to recharger the batteries on the weekend. But when you arrive at work with a dry bag containing your suit, a life jacket strapped to your chest and you store your paddle in the staff café you do wonder what alternative reality you’ve stepped into.

Having talked to Auckland Waterfront earlier in the year they offered parking at the tidal steps in the viaduct. This is the official location for storing your kayak. Now in terms of security, the viaduct has twenty four hour security guards and CCTV cameras operating, only rivalled by the security measures in place at the Britomart Transport Centre.

However, on the first day as they weren’t my kayaks I was reluctant to keep them there during the day, in case the tide changed and they got damaged.  So my neighbour and I pulled them out of the water at the floating TAXI rank outside O’Hagans and walked both kayaks two blocks through the city.

Wow, you should have seen the look on people’s faces. Firstly the kayaks are bright yellow, so they look like giant yellow road cones coming towards you. It’s not often you see a kayak being carried through the inner city, and people wearing life jackets. Firstly there is a look of surprise followed by realisation, the realisation that you commuted to work on a kayak today. And then a smile a foot long wide from ear to ear. Now, nothing was said to us but the solemn recognition of a “good on ya mate” resonated strongly.

On that first day we swiped the kayaks through and into the office carpark, locking them up against the bike rack. It wasn’t long until the rumour of kayaks in the basement rocketed through the building like wild fire, and comments like “Why is there a paddle in the staff café?” was responded with a swift “Go talk to Rob”.

On the commute home I pulled out the fishing line. Now that was pushing my luck a bit, but one day, maybe not in the near future, but certainly one day, I’m sure I’ll catch a fish, making this possibly the most sustainable transport model in the world.

Subsequently my neighbour and I are planning to kayak in once a week depending on after hour Waitemata Local Board commitments and of course the weather.

Who knows if the idea will catch on but let’s hope that commuter parking becomes a problem in the future.

Having socialised the idea with a few people I understand that a new kayak store has just opened in Northcote and of course there are plenty of others along the waterfront. So if you are looking for an alternative way to commute to work check it out, it might just change your outlook on life.

Northcote                          www.pointpaddlers.co.nz

Wynyard Quarter              www.sailors.co.nz

K’Road                                www.rrsport.co.nz/store/Auckland?i=1

Okahu Bay                          www.fergskayaks.co.nz

Avondale                            www.vikingkayak.co.nz/contact.shtml

Sandringham                     www.canoeandkayak.co.nz