It All Runs Down: New Zealand 06 into 07

Arriving in Christchurch the skys were grey which was the best possible start to the trip as Jau Camo and I had planned to stay around the area to celebrate New Year at a friends. This allowed us to warm up on the local rivers such as the Ashley and the Boyle Drop. Jau also had access to canyoneering equipment so we spent a day descending a steep creek in a different fashion. On New Years day we picked up Boydie from the airport (good timing buddy!) and Jau went his separate way, back to work. Murchison was our next destination as we heard that levels on the coast were not too good.

Camo on lap 3 of Mauria Falls.

I take the plunge on the Boyle screaming "Didymo!!!"

After two days of paddling almost all sections of the Buller, Matakitaki and Mauria Falls, we headed over to Hokitika where we found the skys to be grey again. Our first flight was the Upper Wanganui with some challenging rapids to keep us on our toes and dust off the cobwebs. However we found that the levels on the Upper Kakapothai drop very fast and we put our canyoneering skills to good use.

Boydie and Camo negotiate Letter Box.

The rain yet again returned and we met up with more friends and went to check out the Otiri (the river that you can see on the drive over in Hamner pass). We found out that this river is as manky as it looks. We also thought we were all going to die in a landslide at one stage when we heard a massive roar above our heads. It was only a truck dropping off giant boulders on the side of the road for repairs, he did not know we were directly below, we were lucky!

Camo and John Boone unload in the downpoor.

Nine of us met to run the Whitcombe, it was drizzling in town but was an interesting drive to meet the chopper through the pooring rain. Dando had already cancelled the flight but Dan came to our rescue. One group of 4 started higher with myself and the others starting at the regular put on. We put on to beautiful blue water, but the level rose in front of our eyes and soon the water was grey and pumping. At the entrance to the gorge I went back to my boat after scouting, it was now floating. We managed to run all rapids by sneaking the main lines, if we had strayed off line we would have been in trouble. Looking back up river the local boys finally caught us up, they were walking most of the rapids. "Have you run all those rapids?" they asked. We said yes, "we have never seen it this high!". Because no one in our group had done the run before, we just thought that this was the run, be it a bit intense. Eventually the gorge was over and we were all treated to huge wave trains back to the cars. The drive out was more scary than the river when Gareth had to tow the other vehicle out because its electrics had got too wet.

After running lots more classics such as the Styx and the Crooked, the level for the Arahura was still too high. Boydie was desperate to do this run but he had run out of time and flew home. Luckily for us the Arahura came in and Camo and I ran it twice with various friends before leaving.