{"id":22830,"date":"2020-04-29T17:00:46","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T00:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=22830"},"modified":"2021-02-02T16:46:52","modified_gmt":"2021-02-03T00:46:52","slug":"a-new-zealand-adventure-sea-kayaking-the-white-cloud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/04\/29\/a-new-zealand-adventure-sea-kayaking-the-white-cloud\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Zealand Adventure: Sea Kayaking The White Cloud"},"content":{"rendered":"

The skyline of downtown Auckland slowly disappeared into the mist, as the ferry headed farther into the Hauraki Gulf towards the edge of the Pacific and Aotea\u2014the White Cloud or as Captain James Cook decided, Great Barrier Island. Aotea is New Zealand\u2019s fourth-largest landmass and Cook named it during his 1768-1771 expedition to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun. The 245 square-kilometer island acted as a formidable barrier protecting the Hauraki Gulf from the Pacific Ocean, hence Cook\u2019s choice of name.<\/p>\n

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Four hours of relentless swell and some 90 kilometers later, from the clouds clinging to the wilderness in front of us, a speck began to emerge on the horizon. Adventure waited. Our plan was simple: a group of buddies with six sea kayaks, a ton of food and beer setting out to explore the coastline of the Great Barrier Island. Our mission was to try to snag a fish or two but mostly chase good times for seven days in the wild.<\/p>\n

Great Barrier Island is home to less than 1,000 residents. Most of the locals sought solitude from the hustle and bustle of the mainland, a serenity that is so elusive in modern times. The year-around residents are as dedicated to staying off-grid as the tourists seeking a remote holiday, making it an easy choice for an adventure.<\/p>\n