Landscapes of New Zealand's North Island

Random locations in NZ from the North Island. To list a few but not all...

Whangamata- considered one of the more safe surfing spots due to sandy bottom. Got lots of strange looks on my 10' Uli Camo Steamroller stand up paddle board. Make sure to hike out to the islands at low tide and paddle around the estuaries that flow around town.

Blue Lake- near Rotorua and is one of the 16 lakes there to explore. Great destination for SUP. Make sure to eat at the Fat Dog Cafe.

Lake Taupo- largest lake in the Southern Hemisphere with amazingly clear water. Another great destination for SUP with amazing views above and below the water. You should eat at BurgerFuel if you ever go there.

Taihape- home to Bliss-Stick Designs, River Valley Lodge and world class whitewater! What else needs to be said.

Raglan- world class surf found at Manu Bay and Indicators. Plenty of stand up paddling to be done here on the waves and in the harbor. Great cafe's like Tongue and Groove and Blacksand.

Enjoy! and make sure to wear sunscreen.

New Zealand Surf Breaks could become National Parks

(Words from Cumec Magazine)

Six of New Zealand's best surf breaks will be awarded national park status if a new coastal policy proposed by the Department of Conservation goes ahead.

THe surf breaks are of national significance and include: Shipwrecks in Ahipara, Northland; Raglan on the west coast of the North Island; Stent Road in Taranaki and White Rock in the Wairarapa, both in the North Island, Mangamaunu near Kaikoura on the east coast, and Papatowai in the Catlins, Otago, South Island.

The move by the Department of Conservation is a positive step towards protecting some crucial areas to surfers, kayakers, holiday makers and he general public. This is a pre-emptive move by the DOC as several well known international surf breaks have been drastically altered due to industrial interference.

Creating surf reserves is seen as the only way of ensuring that these breaks are protected , with both access by surfers and the swell guaranteed.

Here is some footage that I took last week of Manu Bay, Raglan, New Zealand.

Aratiatia Rapids Drawdown

Just got back from another trip to New Zealand. While on my way to the Bliss-Stick Factory in Taihape, I stopped off in Taupo to film the Aratiatia Rapids. I got there right as they were turning off the water. This is the drawdown speeded up. In case you are not familiar with them, here is a breif description.

The Aratiatia Rapids lie 3 miles downstream of Wairakei where the Waikato River, in a distance of about half a mile, descends 300 ft across a series of hard ribs of rhyolite. Vertical bands of rhyolite line the walls of the gorge and are the skeletal parts of an ancient rhyolite volcano which has been uncovered by the river as it progressively cut down through the overlying blanket of soft pumice.

The New YOLO Explorer Stand Up Paddleboard

This is the catdaddy of the YOLO Board fleet. The 14 foot Explorer is hand-shaped with high density foam, hand-laid epoxy exterior with real bamboo inlay in deck top. A true masterpiece. This board also features built-in bungee system in front and rear. Heavy duty handles are fastened on sides and rear. A 10" carbon fiber fin is included, as well as an air valve release system. Not just designed for beauty, this board was built ot get you and yours out in it! Great for fishing, diving, or just cruising. Perfect for tandem paddling.

Bliss-Stick Plastic Test

Ever wonder about your whitewater kayaks plastic? Strength, durability, welding capabilities, recyclable? We have.

This was a plastic test done on the shell of a SCUD that was damaged in shipping and was never paddled. The SCUD shell has been sitting outside for one year, fully exposed to all elements, starting December 2007. There were several days this past summer it hit well over 100ºF sitting on black asphalt. No bubbles, thin spots or fading whatsoever.

To conclude the test we decided to pick 4 days in the last month (NOV 2008) to put it to the test and those four days turned out to be some cold days.

1st day: 11/16/08, 33.3ºF
2nd day: 11/18/08, 26.1ºF
3rd day: 11/19/08, 28.4ºF
4th day: 11/22/08, 11.8ºF

We will let the video speak for itself.

Just FYI.... The shipping company tried to move it with a forklift and poked it pretty good. But even that didn't go all the way through!



For higher resolution, click here.

Another Fine Video from Bliss-Stick Team Paddler Stefun Pion: Aubenas Vogue

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