Of Wild and Wonder

Party: Max Olsen, Rowan Cox, Michael Norman, Torea Scott Fyfe, Maddy Whittaker, Aidan Braid, Jackie Hazelhurst The beginning. Quietly now Paddle over the calm water of the sound Surrounded by this incredibility Of mountains shooting straight up to the sky With mist scarves and waterfalls Hundreds of metres above us. Sun, of the early morning kind. Podocarp forest illuminated Such colours of green. Rimu trees, Red rata flowers. So much birdsong of tui and kaka and seabirds. I love my life - I love this place - Here we start our adventure. Beginning: two people share a kmart aquanaut (Maddy Whittaker)  On arrival on a small island: A kayak guide paddles up beside me “Where are you headed?” “Mt Ada” “Can you see it from here” “Dunno” “You know this is an island...” “Oh cool!” “...There are no mountains on it...” “No. Nice forest though.” It’s ok, helpful kayak guide. We are just walking along the river up its shores. We’re not as hopeless as all tha