Friday 12 March 2010

Toroa takes us on a real journey.

Last Sunday the tide and wind were perfect for a trip up harbour to Kohukohu. We had intended on making the trip on Saturday however the wind and rain came in with too much force so we postponed.
I had wanted to attend the opening of the Ukulele Exhibition at the Village Arts Gallery.
The Exhibition was organised by the Kohukohu arts group who regularly put on art exhibitions of a particularly high standard.   http://www.villagearts.co.nz/
The Ukulele Exhibition comprised of a collection of ukuleles which had been given a makeover by well known, established NZ artists. We were blown away ( by the exhibition).

We had a very calm start so we started the outboard and set off with the incoming tide from the Rawene township and were soon navigating the treacherous "Narrows." After 40 minutes at full throttle we made the Kohukohu Wharf where we tied up to the floating pontoon where four young Maori children were diving from the roof of the wharf shelter.

The village of Kohukohu is the second oldest in NZ and is particularly pretty when viewed from the Water. The majority of the houses date back to the 19th Century with most having been carefully restored. The trees, the bird life, the fish all make for a beautiful outing on the harbour on a sunny Autumn day.
We left Toroa tethered to the pontoon after which Julie and I went to the nearby Waterline Cafe and ordered coffee and a chocolate brownie.
After an enjoyable relax on the veranda we walked over to the Gallery where we met Kohukohu residents, John, Marg and Jim,  colleague, curator/gallery owner, and boat enthusiast respectively.

After enjoying and discussing the brilliant show (Julie wanted to buy all the ukuleles on show) we made ready to leave. John, Marg and Jim came out to see us depart as they were particularly interested to see Toroa. With our friends in attendance on the wharf we cast off, raised our sail and set off on starboard tack across the harbour in 10-12 knots of breeze.

All went very smoothly and we sailed, on the wind, up to the Narrows where the decision was taken to drop sail and start the motor.

Under power we finished the trip to Rawene where we picked up our dinghy and paddled Toroa into the stream and anchored him ready for our next outing.

Toroa provided us with everything I have been wanting from him and I am very happy.
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1 comment:

  1. Wade Tarzia17 March 2010 at 05:10

    It is great to hear about the canoe being used for a pragmatic purpose, or at least a combined pleasure/pragmatic purpose. I also like seeing the canoe used with the motor when the motor makes good sense, without any agonizing over the "purity" of the watercraft being compromised. Your canoe is a boat for this world, in every sense. --Wade

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Toroa by Harmen Hielkema & Mike Toy.

Header Photo: Toroa at Rawene by Julie Holton.

This blog is dedicated to the memory of my father Roelof Hielkema who instilled in me the willingness to learn.
These pages are intended to inform and add to the growing body of knowledge concerning the Canoe Culture of the Pacific, past, present & future, from the Tupuna, the Ancestors of the Pacific cultures to the people of the world.

These pages contain Images and text relating to our two proas, Toroa & Takapu, some history relating to our experiments & experiences.

The dissertation that I posted on this blog in April 2008 "Takapu The Proa" was written by me in 1997 in response to an assignment that I was set whilst studying for my design degree. The dissertation covers many issues that a proa enthusiast may benefit from reading about.

Waka define culture as culture defines waka

Waka reflect the individuality and uniqueness of a society which in turn is governed by the geography, geology, topography, climate, location, resources, isolation, origin, flora, fauna, flotsam, jetsam, etc.

Waka are our link to the past, they have shaped our present and define our future.

Waka are the vessels of knowledge, physical and mental development, freedom of bondage to the land, key to our inquisitiveness, expressions of our ingenuity and courage, our love of shape and form, the seat of our power.

Waka are the source of our material culture, from which all processes are derived.

Waka are who and what we are.