December 01, 2021
Tide right for Portage Crossing
Organisers of the Portage Crossing are determined it will go ahead next March, come what may.
Other waka ama events such as next months Sprint Nationals have been chopped because of Covid risks, but James Papali’i says he’s all set for the 30th crossing, which traces the journey of the Tainui waka from the Waitematā to the Manukau harbour.
He says the off-water festival may have to go, but even if it’s done by single paddlers it will go ahead.
“We can make adjustments. For me it’s to do it, try and do the crossing in whatever form it might look like. Like this year we didn’t do the road side, and the Manukau was polluted so we adjusted and carried on,” Mr Papali’i says.
The race is scheduled for the king tide on March 5.