Wellsford Bi-lingual Class learn to paddle the Waka Ama

Wellsford Bi-lingual Class learn to paddle the Waka Ama

We arrived at Omaha Beach on a warm and sunny Thursday morning. We were so excited this morning when we left school because we were all going to have a ride in a waka-ama. Matua told us some of the rules and safety things we needed to know when we were in and around the waka. He gave us a demonstration of how to paddle the waka.

We all had to stand around the outside of the waka and listen hard to what Matua Skin said, again about the safety while in and out of the waka.

We helped adults take the waka down to the water.

Once that waka was in the water, we had to put on our life-jackets and wait to be told what to do next .We were very nervous about getting in the waka.

Now we are off

Matua Skin gives instructions from behind and we all listen carefully. We hope we’re going to be OK and nobody falls out of the waka.

We look back to see how far we‘ve paddled. It’s not very far but we’re very tired already. It’s not as easy as it looks you know.

There we are in the waka. Gliding along the water. It’s hard work! Our arms are sore and so are our backs from the paddling motion that we are doing.

Here we are, still paddling. Our hearts are racing from all this work. Matua Skin keeps calling out the instruction” Hoe hoe hoe!”

It’s really hard because we have to keep in time with the paddler in front of us.

As some of the children are out on the water in the waka, the rest of the class wait patiently fore their turn, by the waters edge.

Here come the paddlers! They look O.K. and nobody has fallen out or was left behind in the open water, that’s a good sign.

All the paddlers bring the waka close to the waters edge they can hop out and the next group can get in. They’re all smiling so things must have gone well. Here is the next group, ready to take to the water.

They’ve been told that you really use your arms to paddle hard, otherwise the waka won’t get anywhere and you won’t move.

It’s tiring work, but the last group has just got back in. They said their arms and backs and legs are so sore from that paddling, they fell like they’re going to fall off..

It seems like a long, long day but we were only out on the water for two hours.

All this Active Travelling in a waka has been really tiring. We’re off to eat some lunch, ready to fuel up for another work out in the waka.

Further information: janzenka@wellsford.school.nz, .