For some reason I find it thoroughly difficult to just putter around on a kayak. I need a destination, a purpose, a mission for a fishin’. So as we launch from the rocky shores of Lake Wanaka, we set off for Ruby Island, a small dot in the distance, 2.4k away.

We glide through the glassy, clear, and crisp water to this small uninhabited spot of land. Besides the heaps of trees and rock, there are a few picnic benches, a bbq, and a smooth deck to dock a boat or two.

We hop off our kayaks, stretch ourselves through a quick yoga session on the dock, and venture back into the kayaks. Happy hour back along the waterfront was a well-deserved reward for our “mission for a fishin’”.

Rent your kayaks at the information center along Lake Wanaka, $15 per hour per person. Wanaka is about an hour and 15 minutes from Queenstown.