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Dunc Wilson's Waka and Waewae Fundraiser

  • Cape Palliser and before!

      8 January 2023
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    Kia ora, e te whānau! I have made it to the southernmost point of the North Island! But, there's a but.

    After battling the Tararuas, mucking up the Tararuas, paddling the Ruamahanga River to Lake Ferry with a deflating raft, falling ill, missing a bit and then rushing through Aorangi Range in two days flat, it's fair to say my ending of the little island did not go smoothly. But, fear not: nothing about this journey has gone smoothly - except perhaps the paddling!

    Turning to the pivot and patch-up skills I learnt throughout 2022, I hatched a plan. In that weird gap between Christmas and New Year, I returned to Wairarapa. From there, I de-mucked up my Tararua ending, filled in a missing walk from a Lake Ferry to Aorangi and then trotted the final 4km to the Cape Palliser lighthouse! My first time there since 2015 and The Big Loop.

    My repair job worked, as did my raft repair job, which sadly, due to water flows this time of year, only got about 400 metres of use in this revisit. The southern end of the North Island is complete. However, the entire motu is not. Can you spot what remains to be travelled? Take a look at my map and see: https://goo.gl/maps/8QCCt6E6y1pWiD657

    Thanks as always for all the tremendous support and all the donations that have rolled in too. You're all so so special! Dx

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  • Martinborough to Lake Ferry: the final paddle of the North Island!

      2 December 2022
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    Another crazy day yesterday from yours truly, getting us near to the bottom of the North Island!

    The ridiculously strong southerly gusts that refused to die down meant there were times when I started to doubt. I began thinking I wouldn't make it and would have to camp on the riverbank. Then the riverbank turned to sea mud and I realised I HAD NO CHOICE! Hahaha!

    The raft has a leak around the valve, so faffed on the riverbank for ages before launch, trying to slow that down. Then it was on to the day's mega paddle!

    Without the meanders, this would've been about 38km. Bloody meanders; I hate meanders.

    Had to stop after 3.84km to add more air. Then again at 6.02km. Plus a heap more times. I should've remembered to collect the Aquaseal kit I bought on click 'n' collect from Rebel Sport Palmy. D'oh! I did somehow manage to stem the leak with a few slices of Patch 'n' Go, however.

    Loads more stuff happened, mainly involving the water flowing, paddling the boat and water birds protecting their young from me: the vegan careering towards them in a plastic boat. Oh how they quacked and flapped!

    The final 5km was exciting. In a nothing-happens-fast-in-a-raft kinda way. It was good to land by the river/lake outlet to the sea. The waves sending spray high into the cool and calm, evening sky. I won't miss this section, but seeing the Remutaka Range again from this side was nice.

    That's all the North Island paddles done. Now we hike on to Cape Palliser!

    https://maps.suunto.com/move/duncwilson/63885b73b85df852f365dd82

    Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/9LpRNRHIpvb

    Donate! Please DONATE! Or share this page if you can't...

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  • The Waka & Waewae Journey set to sail again!

      11 October 2022
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    Howdy whānau... this is your Captain speaking!

    Winter work has finished. I'm once again unemployed and readying the waka for (re)launch next weekend. I'm so excited!

    I'm staying put in Pukenui for the week, while I prepare... train... and deal with the biggest fear I have about this journey. Tell you about that soon!

    With 900km already travelled and 30% of this paddled on my little boat, I'm keen to hear your thoughts for bumping that percentage up to 50! I have Pukenui to Auckland, Tieke Kāinga to Cape Palliser and Te Wai Pounamu / South Island to go. Comment or message me your ideas, please!

    This charity givealittle remains open. Please do share this with your people, networks, whomever...

    It's been a bumpy ol' year, with me quitting this, going back to it, then getting knocked out injured. I've only been moving for 34 days, though, and I think you'll agree 900km is a great score in that time!

    Thanks eternally for all the epic support. Every little action works to power me onwards! I look forward to bringing you all the trip updates and the hard-to-find perspectives on this epic land I'm so lucky to live in.

    Follow 'Dunc Wilson Adventures: The Waka & Waewae Journey' on Facebook and @duncwilsonnz on Insta!

    Mā te wā,

    Captain Dunc

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  • The Waka & Waewae Journey is paused!

      17 May 2022
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    [So sorry - I thought I had already posted this here. Be sure to follow Dunc Wilson Adventures on Facebook for the latest news and updates!]

    Kia ora e te whānau!

    It's with great sadness I have to pause and postpone The Waka & Waewae Journey. Again. It's not a decision I've taken lightly. It's not a decision at all. Due to injury, I have no choice.

    Tendonitis, which is the presumed affliction right now (thanks Helle for the advice from the other side of the planet!), takes weeks not days to heal. NZ will likely be well into winter by the time I'm remotely fit to paddle again... and it was already pretty ruddy cold in the Whanganui gorge this week!

    If I'm extremely careful with lifting my pack, I can still wear it and hike, but solely hiking ain't what The Waka and Waewae Journey is about. If I wanted to hike the length of the country, I'd be on Te Araroa, with bells and whistles and a far lighter pack. (Nah, I'm saving TA for my 50th!)

    I'm gutted. I'm massively disappointed. I wanted to tick off Te Ika-a-Māui before the cold came. I wanted to complete the Whanganui Awa in one hit. I wanted to raise more for my chosen charities before heading into recess.

    Still, patience is a virtue. When I cycled the coastline of this great land, obstacles and mishaps meant it didn't just happen overnight. It can feel like I just went out and smashed it, but when I recall the details, a lot of time, effort and blood went into that circuit. This adventure is no different. I remain committed and will be back in the spring to realise this goal!

    There are also some silver linings to this situation. First up: it could be worse, right? The wrist of an incredibly privileged person is temporarily munted. Boo. Hoo. Secondly, my parents arrive here next week. I won't have seen them in person for two years, three months and 29 days. So, yeah, I'm excited about that. Oh, and finally, had the journey continued uninterrupted, it was looking like I was going to be in Palmerston North on Monday. And Monday is my birthday. So, there's also that...

    Thanks to each of you for the tremendous support with this project! I know I say it a lot, but it really does mean the world. A comment (positive or negative) truly can spur me on to reach the next checkpoint. I look forward to sharing some awesome winter Aotearoa experiences with you from the north. I also hope you'll share your adventures and ideas with me too!

    This is NOT the end! Mā te wā!

    Dx

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  • End of Part 2

      17 April 2022
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    Thanks to everyone who's following along on the various channels, yelling supportive things, offering advice, has helped out in the flesh and, of course, those who've already made a generous donation here to my causes!

    It's recess this week and I'm super missing it!

    How's it going? Well, I just did 649km from Port Chev to (nearly) National Park. That's 185 paddling in my waka and 464 on the waewae, carrying everything all the flippin' way. I also have to pack my own bag each morning, like a grown up.

    I've had close-calls with gunfire, zero shark encounters on the Manukau Harbour, blisters, brined myself in my boardies, refused point blank to wade through "treated sewage" to launch the boat, later waded through something akin to "treated sewage" to launch the boat, spent a night in Huntly, gambled with closed tracks, spent 95% of a day walking up a highway (the roadworks were a nightmare!), slept in a closed pub garden, paddled round Taupō Moana, the country's largest lake, spent $43 on an unpowered tent site (why should I let that one go???), been trapped and forced to change plans at dusk due to overgrown gorse and had (Lake) Rotoaira try to swallow me whole. Safely back on land, writhing on the boat ramp, coughing up lake water, I managed to butt-dial 111!

    It's also been a blast. I've had the privilege of visiting some incredible places and met yet more superstars of this land. May that continue!

    On a personal level, this is all in aid of filling in my inland knowledge gaps. I'm also fundraising for Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, The Cancer Society of New Zealand and UNICEF Aotearoa's urgent Ukraine appeal. It's a three way split. If you're able to make a small donation here or simply share the page about, I'd be grateful as!

    Thank you again for all the support. It's been real fun (and silly and hard yakka and unpredictable and chilly and amazing!)

    Back very soon...

    Dx

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