Road trips are always a lot of fun. This past week I packed the car with skis and surfboards and loaded up my son Keo and Remi the wonderdog and headed to Kaikoura for the launch of my latest book Life on Muzzle. We set up Box of Light HQ at Meatworks as a 2-3 foot swell rolled in. This freedom campsite has to be one of my favourites – a last bastion of the quintessential Kiwi lifestyle that is slowly, but surely evaporating. And in Kaikoura, essentially cut-off from the rest of the world since its State Highway 1 accesses got ripped apart in the 7.8 earthquake almost a year ago, there is plenty of space for everyone. If you're a tourist and you do make the effort to visit Kaikoura via the Inland Road (or the Southern coast road which is open Friday to Monday each week), then you're in for a treat – Kaikoura has an extra special charm about it right now.
We feasted on a few waves and then shot across to Twizel and managed to do the ultimate back-to-back surf and ski with a day skiing up at Ohau on the way home. We struck it lucky there also – consistent rain in Twizel turned to dry snow at the base of the skifield – enough to deter most, but perfect for me and Keo. The friendly staff joked that we had our own private skifield for the day! It certainly felt like that and gave Keo, at just 8, his first surf and snow experience. Ohau closed the following day for the season, but we will definitely be back to see what all those views are about next year.
Heaps of swell due for Thursday and some great conditions for the last week of the school holidays. Check out the latest forecast here.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS The National Scholastic Surfing Championships are being held in Gisborne this week. This event is the pinnacle of Junior surfing in New Zealand and teases out our most promising surf athletes. More info here.
Proudly supported by:
