Days 10-12 | km 246-322 | Kayaking, Russell Forest, & Olympic MBE Trail Angels

I set sail in the early morning sunshine from Paihia, Bay of Islands to cross the Waikere Inlet and begin a mission deep into the Russell Forest. Kayaking was a nice respite for the feet and surprisingly I felt really strong in my upper body, although the tail wind may of helped my paddle power!

As I followed the old dirt road toward Russell forest I felt a slight sense of unease; passing numerous cars dumped in the bushes, wheelless, burnt out, cars reclaimed by nature with trees and wildflowers growing through their chassies. Obviously a car crematorium for those escaping a police chase. It reminded me of when our family car had been stolen when I was maybe 10 years old, it had been reported as found so we piled into the hire car on a mission to retrieve my dads toolbox. We fought snow storms in the dark, picked up strangers waving for help from the roadside and eventually made it to the woods - I remember the chill that ran down my spine when I saw our car looking sorry for itself with smashed windows, stripped bare and my ‘Nerds’ sweets still laying on the back seat looking for love. I felt that same chill looking at these cars - not the greatest way to start a solo forest mission but at least there was no snow around! Then I was greeted by this...a second omen perhaps…?

After 4km of river walking and a close encounter with an eel - YUK! I made it out of Russell forest alive and well! Did you know Freshwater eels can grow up to 2 meters in length and the biggest reported weighed 40kg?? It’s also not unheard of for an eel to climb a waterfall up to 20 meters! Seeing as they feed on ‘live’ food such as fish and even birds and ducklings I really am thankful to have made it out alive!!

Emerging out the forest I ran into Lucy’s husband Tommy - Lucy is attempting the Fastest Know Time (FKT) and documentary making Tommy is filming their journey - watch this space as I’m caught on camera introducing myself then squawking ‘Look there’s Lucy’ giving Lucy a big sweaty hug and attempting to run off with her 3Kg pack leaving her with my 10Kg one…alas I didn’t get very far! We did a cheeky energy bar swap - a Crafty Weka Bar for a Cliff - and waved her on her way. Super happy I got to catch up with these guys, they gave me a much needed boost of motivation xxx

With my kankle feeling better every day I set out from Punaruka running stronger than I had felt back on 90-mile beach. I met no one the entire 34km that day, pushing on through Helena Bay it was Onekainga track before Whananaki that really chewed me up and spat me out! That was M.E.A.N namely because my ankle would no longer allow me to wear my shoe - I’d pushed too hard and my extensor tendons were grumpy again. I resorted to my magic TA sock shoe (tubigrip over my sock) which felt super comfortable on mud and pine trails but highly inappropriate for any gravel surfaces - my feet are hardening but not by Maori standards yet!

Following the beasty day prior I opted for a super short day and just needed to wear my magic sock shoe over the hill to the next bay where I apparently had a ‘spa pool with my name on it’ ….The owner of the spa pool happened to be Ian Ferguson MBE - 4 x Olympic gold medalist, 1 x Silver medalist and 5 x World Champion Kayaker! What an inspiring, humble, heartwarming and caring guy - I feel privileged to listen to him over beers sharing stories of early Olympic days (he would ride a skate board to the competition venue -such a cool dude!!) and his tales of kayak coaching and building the Vector Wero Whitewater Park in Auckland - yep you can thank this guys passion and skill for building NZ kayaking to what it is today. A Total Kiwi Legend.