Monthly Trip with TrackMe

David Tait from one of our partnering companies TrackMe shares his adventures for the Month in his Great Lake Kayak on Lake Taupō.

TrackMe NZ specialises in Remote Connections and Safety ... Connecting people in remote areas through Lone Worker Management Software such as GetHomeSafe.

Located in the North Island of New Zealand is the beautiful Lake Taupō. Being the largest lake in surface area (616 km²) in the caldera of the Taupō Volcano the lake is a beautiful place to adventure and relax. 

David decided to set a personal challenge for himself over four days to paddle around the lake by himself. As a solo kayaker, he used GetHomeSafe with his Garmin Mini Satellite Device to ensure that he had a safety system in place at all times and a Call Centre there to see where he is in case things did go wrong. 

Day One

On day one of his Great Lake Paddle the conditions were so great he made a lot of distance. Paddling around the Western Bay area, found a nice place at Kōtukutuku Bay to use as a Campsite for the first night. Check out his activity below.

Day Two

Day two of Davids Great Lake Paddle was faced with a mix of wind conditions throughout the day with calm spells at times. 

“Finding places to camp is a challenge so I am in a camping ground tonight. The owners were surprised to see me paddle in with everything all on a kayak…”

Day Three

“I was treated to perfect conditions. I also had some great old memories float in as I paddled past what was Loafers Paradise….Plus I had my Tom Hanks moment and I found my Wilson, I called him Bob.”

Day Four 

On day four of the Great Lake Kayak, David completed his personal challenge of kayaking around Lake Taupō.

“The funny thing is I take photos on these trips, but they can not capture the real joy of this stuff. The feel of the cooling water in your hand as it splashes from a carving paddle. The trillion stars and the fingernail of the moon that hangs in the night sky. The taste of the coffee you drink in the morning, sitting on the bow of your kayak studying the day's maps. The feel of one's muscles as they become accustomed to hours of activity. The hidden places where glowworms shine and kiwi noisily rip at the ground for Kai. The swims at the conclusion of a day, the quiet times with nothing to do but think... I am left being reminded that for me journeys are important as they are also a journey inward and not just from one place to another.

As always my rab gear #rab was outstanding and my rasdex decks #rasdex were amazing I appreciated having the cockpit cover at night to keep all things covered. I ran a GetHomeSafe so I always had someone watching over my solo endeavors.

Last thought, did I just paddle around the site of Earth’s last supereruption? Yes Taupō, blew approximately 25,000 years ago. Taupō has also erupted less violently at least 28 times since then, with the largest and most recent of these events occurring in 232 CE. Scientists believe it is currently active and potentially hazardous. After paddling around it, that is one massive crater. If you were wondering…

• Max. length: 46 km (29 mi)
• Max. width: 33 km (21 mi)
• Surface area: 616 km2 (238 sq mi)
• Average depth: 110 m (360 ft)
• Max. depth: 186 m (610 ft)
• Water volume: 59 km3 (14 cu mi)
• Residence time: 10.5 years
• Shore length: 193 km (120 mi)
• Surface elevation: 356 m (1,168 ft)[1]

Enjoy the things that matter most by using an app like GetHomeSafe to ensure you are kept safe at all times. 

If you or someone you know has a story you’d like to share, please get in touch! 

support@gethomesafe.com