Two Queenstown men's dreams of operating their own adventure kayaking business on Lake Wakatipu is one step closer to reality following a recent meeting of the Queenstown Lakes District Council community services committee.
John Knight and Glenn Hardinge want to establish Kayak Adventures Queenstown on the lake, running a kayak hire and guided kayak tour operation from St Omer Park.
Tours, which would depart at 9am and 1pm and take three hours, would operate year round, with demand expected to diminish in winter.
Meanwhile, an independent kayak hire business would also operate from St Omer Park.
It would comprise a licensing area, a gazebo, a table and a chair, two double kayaks and two single kayaks for display.
While the pair initially proposed a launch site on Queenstown beach, it was decided the area would be too congested during the peak summer months and might also cause problems with TSS Earnslaw, which turned into the Queenstown Bay area.
Mr Hardinge said he had been involved in adventure kayaking for 20 years and since addressing the committee last month, had been in discussions with both Real Journeys, which operates Earnslaw, and QLDC harbour master Marty Black.
Real Journeys had approved of the operation, as long as kayakers gave way to Earnslaw and gave it a "wide berth".
As there was no standard practice for sea kayaking in New Zealand, Mr Hardinge said he had "just made up" his own safe operating practices, with input and auditing and approval from Maritime New Zealand and Mr Black.
"There is a difference between operating on a lake and a sea.
''Marty Black is very happy with [the safe operating practices]."
Mr Hardinge said all kayaks which were used for individual hire would be fitted with marine radios and laminated and taped to the radio would be instructions on how to call for help.
The pair had also secured the support and help of several lake-based operators, including TSS Earnslaw, Blue Lagoon, Paraflights and Kawarau Jet , which would be on hand should any kayaker need assistance.
It would also be stipulated anyone hiring a kayak must go into Frankton Arm.
While there were some concerns about the operation setting a precedent and opening up the opportunity for others to set up similar operations in the same location, it was a case of "first in, best dressed", QLDC parks manager Paul Wilson said.
The application, although approved by the community services committee, still had to go through a public notification process and receive a licence document from the council's solicitors.
Adventure Kayaks would also have to cover all advertising and legal expenses; pay an annual licence fee - the greater of $1500 + GST or 7.5% turnover; enter into a licence for one year plus nine one-year renewals subject to agreement; gain the approval of the full council and the Minister of Conservation.
