Boating adventure: riding a personal watercraft at Takapuna Beach
My mission: to ride like the wind
My goal: to end up looking like a total pro
Jeremy Burfoot and I have a lot in common. He’s a middle-aged guy, an airline pilot and his idea of the “ultimate ride” is to travel on a personal watercraft from London to Sydney. I’m in my early 20s, work at a desk in an open-plan office and my idea of the “ultimate ride” is to chug around a sheltered North Shore beach.
Right – so perhaps we don’t have much in common after all. The point is if this was Stars Wars, Jeremy would be the Yoda of personal watercraft and I would be Luke Skywalker. However, those who know me probably think I am about as skilled at handling machinery on the water as an Ewok.
Jeremy, who’s already used a personal watercraft to circumnavigate New Zealand, is set to embark on his London-to-Sydney ride in August 2010. That’s a 28,000km trip and he expects it to take around four months. Phew!
Personal watercrafts (commonly known as jet-skis) have had a bit of a bad rap. They have appeared in the media for all the wrong reasons, so many people feel a tad uneasy about them. But when you use them correctly they’re safe, great fun and a terrific way to discover New Zealand’s coastline!
And so, for my first attempt: with my helmet fastened and lifejacket buckled, I climbed aboard and headed out to sea. Once I was far enough offshore, I cranked the accelerator and took off. As the driver of a pocket-size Holden Barina, I don’t get the opportunity to put the pedal to the metal very often, so this was a complete thrill.
Jeremy has one golden rule for using personal watercraft safely: respect your neighbours. Whether they’re swimmers, sailors, windsurfers or fishermen, avoid getting up in their grills and give them space to enjoy themselves.
I also have a key piece of advice for personal watercraft users: wear sunglasses – not just to look hot (although they will help), but also to protect your eyes. I left mine in my car and, boy oh boy, did I pay for it on the discomfort front.
Pulling back into shore, I felt like I’d earned my self-granted title of the Luke Skywalker of personal watercraft. Thanks to Jeremy, the Force was with me. I’m already looking forward to my next ride!
Head to www.discoverboating.co.nz to see what else the boating lifestyle has to offer, and for more information about Jeremy Burfoot’s ultimate ride go to http://www.london-sydney.com/
