Paddling the Puhoi

GUY MULLER navigates the watery passage of Puhoi's Bohemian past.

Four months after leaving Europe, and on the final leg of their journey, 83 Bohemian settlers sat in the canoes of local Maori and made their way along the densely bush-lined waters of the Puhoi River.

On a wet June afternoon in 1863, they stepped ashore near where the Puhoi Hall now stands, and found their new homes, two nikau whare surrounded by bush. The harsh reality of this new land quickly set in and had some wishing they could return to their homeland.

But, buoyed by their faith and with a pioneering determination, they set about clearing the land and building a community.

One hundred and forty years later, where heavy bush once met the river, we sit comfortably in two hired double-canoes on the back lawn of Kathy and Cody Mankelow's Puhoi property. With a gentle push from shore-based helpers, we ease our canoes into the water to retrace the final 8km of the settlers' journey. We have been instructed to paddle a few minutes up river so that we can acquaint ourselves with our craft before turning around and heading to Wenderholm with the outgoing tide.

The first minutes heading down river are spent in a flurry of adult-soaking paddling by the younger occupants of both canoes. Following stern parental words we wind our way at a more leisurely pace towards the main highway bridge, passing a mix of native trees, autumn-coloured exotics, farmland, a handful of curious cattle and the occasional backyard.

The initial paddling is easy on the ebbing tide and on a part of the river cradled by wind-protecting riverside banks. We float under an overhanging tree, where a plump shag perches on a moss-covered branch, seemingly oblivious to the flotilla beneath.

We glide under the main highway bridge where steel rattles against concrete in time with the traffic overhead. The road noise soon fades and we paddle along a gradually widening river.

One of our craft gets a little too close to the river's banks and we lose our momentum as the foot-controlled rudder digs into the mud. Using our paddles, we lever the canoe from its muddy trap only to find ourselves in a web of branches and foliage. Following an exchange of blame between the two crew, we extricate ourselves and decide a mid-river course is one worth following.

There is something very satisfying and relaxing about canoeing, having just a few millimetres of plastic between you and the water, and being able to survey the world from just a couple of feet above the water's surface. An added bonus is having the tide pull you along, providing the opportunity to lean back, stretch the legs and enjoy the slowly changing vista.

Stands of mangroves, with their snorkel-like roots emerging from mud, line the banks. They shelter juvenile fish and provide areas for feeding and roosting birds. These resilient trees become more prevalent as we make our way towards Wenderholm.

It was from near our destination of Wenderholm Regional Park, at the Puhoi River mouth, that canoes carried the Bohemians to their new home.

The settlers had left an area approximately 100km south of Prague for a better life and the chance to settle land being offered free to fare-paying emigrants.

The early years were difficult. Food was scarce and they relied, in part, on what could be foraged from the bush.

Later, with the appropriate equipment, they caught fish, eels, wild pigs and birds that inhabited the river and surrounding bush. Today, the river and its surrounds host an array of birds including ducks, pukeko, banded rails, kingfishers and white-faced herons. We are told that paddlers can sometimes hear kookaburras, particularly during the first 10 minutes of the down-river trip.

Long before roads, this river was crucial to the settlers' livelihoods. The bush was gradually cleared and logs and timber products such as wharf piles and roof shingles were shipped along the river and on to Auckland to meet a growing city demand.

Close to Wenderholm, we see sprats rippling the water's surface. According to Kathy, mullet, kahawai, flounder and eels are often spotted from the canoes. In keeping with Cody's instructions, we avoid the left side of the ever-widening river, which spills into the sea and instead head towards Wenderholm Regional Park boat ramp.

Almost two hours after setting out, we slip between moored boats and on to the shore where Cody meets us. He loads the canoes on to his trailer and bundles us into the warmth of his van for the trip back to Puhoi.

From high above the river on the main highway, we spot another group of paddlers in their brightly coloured craft and we can see most of the stretch of river that we have just paddled.

Paddlers can choose to follow the early settlers' course by starting at Wenderholm and catching the incoming tide or they can follow the outgoing tide from Puhoi. The really keen have the option of paddling both directions. Kathy and Cody can drop you off or pick you up at Wenderholm.

Pohutukawa-studded Wenderholm Regional Park is a great place to swim or picnic and is well-equipped with barbecue facilities. If, at the end of your paddle, you wish to enjoy the park, you can arrange to have one of your party transported back to Puhoi to retrieve your vehicle.

During the summer months it is possible to do a guided moonlight tour, which ends with tea and chocolates back at Puhoi.

A change of clothes back at the car and it is off to Puhoi Cottage for Devonshire teas including scones that, true to their reputation, must be some of the biggest in New Zealand.

Other canoeists choose to eat at the Art of Cheese cafe.

While sampling locally produced cheeses and a bottle of wine, large glass partitions allow them to see cheese makers at work.

Well fed, we amble over to the Puhoi Museum, which is devoted largely to the early Bohemian settlers, and their relationship with the the surrounding land.

As the afternoon sun fades, we have one last stop, the Puhoi Hotel, where we settle beside the fire. We survey the walls, crammed with antiques, many with an agricultural history, an eclectic mix of photos, newspaper items and paper money from all parts of the globe. Outside, a serious number of motorcycles are lined up and are testament to the Puhoi Hotel's long-held popularity among Auckland motorcyclists as a day's destination.

A visit to Puhoi and time spent on the river makes a great day out within easy reach of Auckland. According to Kathy, the daytime canoe trip is "something that the whole family can enjoy and you don't have to take a guide". And despite having two fiercely competitive boys aged 8 and 9 aboard, this family was still able to appreciate the pace and history of Puhoi and its river.

Where to find it:
Puhoi is 45 minutes north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Follow SH1 passed Waiwera and turn left at the Puhoi sign. Puhoi River Canoe Hire is at 84 Puhoi Rd and is clearly sign-posted.

Contact: Puhoi River Canoes

Kathy and Cody Mankelow

phone (09) 422 0891 or (025) 2841672, fax (09) 4220881.

Canoe Hire Costs and Times:

$30 per person. Single and double canoes available. Canoes and kayaks can be hired every day but trips are weather-dependent and timed around the tides. Guided moonlight trips run during summer. Pre-bookings are essential.

Places to eat:

Art of Cheese cafe, Puhoi Hotel, Puhoi Cottage.

Worth a visit:

Cockadoodle Cottage studio and gallery with a mix of glass, mosaic and hypertufa craft.

Places to stay:

There are several accommodation options including
Kauri Glen Tourist Lodge and Apartments with a wood-fired hot tub and bush track to a glow-worm grotto.
Phone (09) 4220598 Fax: (09) 4220700.