Shona was determined that this 3 day Whanganui Canoe trip would be one of the trips achieved this year - it is classes as one of the NZ 'Great Walks'
However it was not until we started that it dawned on her that not only would there be lovely gentle 'drifting down the river' sections but there would also be very exciting and scary 'rapids' to contend with! Malcolm who was at first a bit sceptical of the adventure - loved it!
Day 1 - after a VERY VERY long journey out of Auckland (2 hours to get out of the city!!! - grumpy MVT!) we were up early packing our barrels and into the van for a 1.5 hour journey to the start of the 3 days on the river. The left of the map shows the river with the red dotted line being walking/cycle tracks. We started just below Shona's hand and ended near the bottom left of the map.
It was VERY crowded at the start point with several companies all setting off at the same time - all trying to unload, set up canoes and give briefings on how to paddle and where the big obstacles and snags were likely to be.
We each had a large blue barrel and a small black barrel, these were strapped in and act as buoyancy if the canoe goes over.
We nearly had a very early test of said buoyancy -30 seconds after starting, the first rapid saw us spinning 360, shipping large quantities of water, panicking (well shona was!) and nearly going over - with all those still waiting to go watching!!
We sloshed our way very unsteadily to the shingle bank, baled out and changed position so Malcolm was the power paddler at the front and Shona trying to steer a straight course at the back.
This seemed to work better and on we went for a 7 hour long day of paddle, relax, paddle furiously and panic in equal measure - but we didn't go over! Phew!!!!
Still smiling!
It looks benign doesn't it! - but this gives the scale, see the canoe to the right.
Camp that night was at the DOC John Coull Hut - all the huts and camp grounds are high above the river as it can flood VERY quickly and last June rose 16meters!
Whanganui record flood 2015
This shot shows the landslip debris which came down just beside the hut during the flood event in June last year.
For those who have not been in a DOC hut the accommodation is rows of plastic covered mattresses lined up across long platforms. There is ALWAYS a snorer!
Day 2:- Next day feeling slightly more at ease with canoe control we set off for a shorter 5 hour paddle to the next site where we were camping at a Marai (Maori meeting house)
Shona packing barrels
A view of John Coull hut from the river
Smiling again!
Rapids look deceptively small - but wait till you are in them!!
Did it - and stayed upright!
A stop on day 2 to visit the Bridge to Nowhere!
Difficult scramble up a mud bank - today we also had to avoid jetboats coming up river to visit the bridge - another element of danger!
Looking down makes you realise the engineering skill involved in this bridge in the bush.
Tired, hot but uncapsized we arrived and pitched out tent - we decided to use the small one for this trip but have now decided it is actually/realistically a 1 man tent! Still a beautiful evening after a VERY hot day.
Day 3: We had been warned that all the grade 2 rapids were on the last day - so Shona didn't manage to get a lot of sleep thinking about steering through!
Below is a video of this trip - watch to the end!
A great video
It was also the most spectacular day for scenery in the gorge, with several long tranquil paddles - truly gorgeous.
Smile getting a little strained at the thought of what was to come?
Some other canoes coming through after we had made it with huge relief albeit with lots of water sloshed on board and some VERY tense moments!
Shona watching as yet another canoe goes over and the paddlers get swept down the rapid with their upside down canoe- 50% will go over on this last rapid!
Then home to a large G&T and a long sleep in a soft comfy bed.
One more ticked off the list!
