Kayaking in the Dark toward the Glow Worms

We met Blair Anderson from Waimarino Adventure Park and Kayak tours and proceeded in a van pulling four kayaks to Lake McLaren. It was getting dark, and that was good--we were there for a moonlight kayak and a chance to see the glow worms light up the inside of a cavern.

Blair, 31, is unflappably cheerful, and a delight to join on these graceful two-person crafts, which he joked are sometimes called "divorce boats' for what they do to a couple trying to coordinate paddling together. There were seven of us, and after fitting our spray skirts and lifejackets and positioning foot peddles, we paddled off sending geese flapping out of our way.

You could not see much, but that was what made it special. Over our heads, the southern sky was a vast planetarium, with the Milky way gracefully presenting itself to us. We watched as a satellite made its way toward a bright star, these are the ones that move slowly across.

We paddled in the dark, geese and ducks and in the far distance more bird calls; there was no moonlight but the stars and Geoff's gentle directions taking us toward the cavern. Cindy manned the front, and I steered with my foot pedals in the back. We finally reached the end of the lake and it got even darker in the cavern. Along the walls, the glow worms looked like a million fireflies with their lights left on. It was magical to slowly paddle and have these insects light our way in the narrow cavern. Geoff told us about how he bought this business from his father four years ago. His great love is kayaking down class five rivers, "the harder the better," and how he tries to do at least one of these monsters every few years. NOw with his four and two-year olds and busy life running the park, it's getting harder.

"My four-year-old knows how to paddle," he said proudly. "I never even taught him but he just knows, and he's great in the kayak." As we emerged from the cavern, we paddled all lined up in a row, and again we let the silence put its spell over us. We gazed heavenward and saw more stars than I've ever seen, and quietly tried in vain to find a shooter. The satellite was the closest we came.