[Paddlewise] New Zealand

	Chris:  Seakayaking is well established in NZ, and as far as I know this is
the only home-grown Kiwi folding kayak company:

	http://www.firstlightkayaks.com/

 Last time I looked Feathercraft boats were available for rental from a
company in Auckland. I have taken my own folder to NZ on a paddling trip to
this park:  [ I am an ex-pat Kiwi living in Australia]

	http://www.oceanriver.co.nz

and I can confirm that they are a professional outfit with excellent
customer service in a lovely part of the world.


But I would carefully investigate the freight cost of taking a double to NZ
and I think you can assume that you will be charged for excess freight
somewhere.  It is very hard to keep your weight down with all the ancilliary
gear you will want to take along.

Equally, the cost of buying a Feathercraft folder in NZ , as opposed to
hiring a boat  in NZ, would probably be prohibitive, even with the dollar
exchange.

There are a couple of other Kiwi PaddleWisers  [ where are you Alex?] who
may help you too.

If you search under NZ and kayaking you will find a host of ideas.  Tourism
is very big in NZ.

The main kayaking areas would be, roughly from north to south:  the Bay of
Islands, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, Golden Bay ,  and for remote,
expedition grade stuff, Fiordland in the deep south.

Enjoy...
Peter Rattenbury, Wollongong, Australia.
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