Whangamata Training with Tom

So, a couple of weeks after our last race we are visiting family in Whitianga, and they've taken the kids for a morning so we can go training together.  We're making use of the Whangamata area particularly as we had missed the trek loop which went over Rangipo in the last race. 

We focussed mainly on nav - it was great to have no time pressures and be able to talk about the features we were each using to navigate.  Tom is pretty technical with his compass, whereas I have a little more experience use a bit more intuition at times.  At one point we disagreed on where the checkpoint would be, so each went out own way - and I found the checkpoint!  However, he checked our GPS trails later at home, and that showed the HE was actually in the position shown in the map.  I did point out that you only get points for finding the checkpoint, not for being in the right place on the map..........

He's looking for the CP..   I'm standing on it.  :)  0-1

Lots of fun to be had -a few nerves skirting around farmland worried about farmers, big bulls but not keen to get neck deep in the alternative swamp.  The swamp cp was really tricky - a real lack of navigable features nearby while standing in tall scrub restricting all views.  I had the clever idea to climb a tree and look across the swamp for features, unfortunately Tom chose the tree to climb which actually looked over the cp so he claimed that as his win!  :)