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A Double Take at the Waitaha River

The Waitaha was the river of choice for my first heli-kayaking experience here in New Zealand. That high-water day will forever be ingrained into my head as an un-forgettable day and one helluva eye-opening experience. Later in the season we returned to the river, at much lower flow and had quite a different style day...


Bruce Dando and Kevin England, two legends in their own respects sharing a moment of passion, joy and excitement.


Kev showed up at my house one day with this photo from the day printed out poster size. (Chur bro!) It now hangs on my wall and allows me to awake each morning in a helicopter, flying up one of the sikest days of whitewater in the world!


I guess for Bruce, the excitement of riding in a helicopter has died down over the years. When you fly with him, he's as cool as a mobster (in his own west-coast Kiwi mobster style.) But every time I am in, or even just watching the helicopter I get all giddy inside...anticipating the day's action, like a bird soaring up a river valley (everybody dreams of flying!)...or maybe it's just the fumes?


I quite like this picture of Kev, running one of the most infamous drops on the Coast...Nikki's Drop. Named after the world-renowned Kiwi phenom, Nikki Kelly, it is located not only on one of the sikest rivers in the world, but in quite a picturesque spwot!


Here I am on the same drop, wishing I had a paddle blade in the water, not on rock! (Photo by Kev)


The lower flow enabled us to enjoy our surroundings a bit more than the first time I was on the river. Here we have Kev following Eden and Barney into one of the most majestic gorges I've ever imagined. The combined effect of being walled-in, the sun shining through and off the many waterfalls pouring in from the gorge walls, and the breathtaking color of the water kind of makes you feel rather lucky to be alive, let alone witness such amazing places.


Here we have Hokitika homegrown, Eden Sinclair, cruising out of the first of the three "crux" back-to-back-to-back rapids. While, un-like my first run, there was time and more eddies between the rapids, the consequences and threats of missing your line or eddy were still as great as ever.


Kev England charges the second of the mighty three, with the entrance of the third rapid in-sight, just downstream. This drop, (run on the right this time, as opposed to the left line taken at higher water) involved quite a cool s-turn, edge-transition entrance move (seen directly in front of Kev's bow here) which set you up perfectly at the lip of quite a cool boof.


Barn-Dogg, in da' house, settin' her up for success...something he does best!


I stitched together these images Kev shot of me to give a different perspective on the drop. A lot of folks think that stitched shots where you can see the stitches (or edges of the original pics) are unprofessional, or look bad. I on the other hand quite like the original, un-tainted feel they bring...or maybe that's just me making up excuses for not being some Photoshop pro!


Barnabus Young, driving hard above the entrance hole in rapid #3 of the set, the Cave. Needless to say, this has to be one of the most intimidating rapids on the run. When yer where Barney is in this picture, you feel like you're about to be eaten by some mythical monster...but you know if you partake in one helluva strong charge-fest, you'll be spat out the other end. If not, I don't even want to think about what the beast's belly looks like!


Mr. Sinclair again, this time performing a spot-on seal launch in the last gorge above Morgan's Gorge. The moment freezed in time here is quite a nerve racking one for many paddlers, as not only do you need to clear the rocks at the base of the wall, but you must also avoid getting shot into that little pocket up against the wall just downstream of where you land!


Barney pulling up..."Mommy, Daddy, come and look at me now...I'm a big man in a great big town...Years ago who would believe it's true...Goes to show what a little faith can do...up up up up up up up UP!" (Photo by Kev)


Barney Young, the entertainer. There's nothing quite like going on a river trip with this man, if there's one thing that's guaranteed...you're sure to laugh and smile! Eden knows knows what I'm talking about, and neither of these boys should be smiling as much as they are before the portage they're about to do!


The portage around Morgan's gorge has a track, but it is un-doubtably a NZ track...which means it's not really much of track, and is easily lost when attempting to follow. However, the rewards of your efforts are well worth the pain. This is facing upstream from the point where you first see the river again. Sieve Salad anyone?


If you look closely at the previous Sieve Salad photo you can see Kev, who scrambled down to river level to see what he could see. This shot by him, looks back up at Barney, Eden and I scouting the run-out rapid of the gorge. We were all experiencing one of those amazingly unique, mixed feelings, only felt in kayaking...a combination of exhaustion, apprehension, excitement and mystery.


The same moment in time, brought to you from my perspective. The decision was made to run the last rapid, a first for Eden, Barney and I. It was a most satisfying end to yet another incredible day of paddling on the Coast.

As I write that last sentence though, I wonder...Does paddling such quality whitewater, in such gorgeous settings, on such a regular basis take away from its meaning, significance or importance? Paddling has always been an obsession for me, but I wonder if paddling less adds more meaning to each time you get out and paddle...or if paddling regularly satisfies the soul on a more regular basis, therefore creating greater happiness?

I think we can all marinate on that for a bitty.

Kawarau, Nevis and Hollyford Rivers

"Ya paddled much big water?" These were the words of Kevin England as we pulled the cars over to peer into the guts of the Nevis Bluff rapids on the Kawarau River. Kev, Barney and JJ discuss the game plan.


This is Paul Current. He likes to smile...and style difficult whitewater...sometimes he combines these two hobbies. It's quite the spectacle to watch.


PC punches through the entrance hole guarding the start of the Bluff. Your success on this move determines if the rest of your run will be full of panic or relaxation...sort of.


About to drop into the crux hole of the rapid, P-to-the-C reaps the rewards of a styley entrance. "Hey-diddle-diddle, right down the middle!"


Speaking of Hey-diddle-diddle, Mr. I've-got-a-riddle...Barney Young sets up to punch the first hole. A punch he will get.


I always enjoy paddling a wide variety of styles of whitewater, just to keep ya on yer toes. Too much of one style will draw blinders over a paddlers eyes, making kayakers more like horses rather than donkeys. Donkeys don't wear blinders. Here's a picture of the post-bluff carnage footy review...the real carnage came later that night. (Photo by Kev)


The Dogleg put-in scene, post-carnage and after a couple mid-day Bluff runs. This session on the Do-Little-Do-Nothing Wave was made possible by Matt McCloud. Thanks Matt, for the van full of playboats, the hospitality, the crashes and everything else during our stay(s) in Queenstown!!!


Following that perfect blend of blue weather, we once again found ourselves in Fiordland gearing up on the banks of the Hollyford...This time upstream, on the mighty Monkey Creek section.


And if the people of the party are feeling hardy tonight... This is one of the first long, complex rapids you come to on Monkey Creek, it really sets the tone for a run that ranks up there with any of the classic Coast runs. (Photo by Kev)


The Hollyford River valley after a good rain is one of the most magical places I've ever paddled. Every glimpse out of the tree-lined river bank you get, has one of the tallest waterfalls I've ever seen perfectly framed in it.


Dave Kwant, charging the burl to avoid burling the charge. (Photo by Kev)


This unsuspecting double drop is placed precariously at the top of a rather perplexing mumble jumble of a rapid. Not the most uncommon sight on Monkey Creek. (Photo by Kev)


More gorgeous waterfalls provide a surreal backdrop to more fantabulous rapids. The exit of this rapid which Dave is entering was one of the sikest boofs on the river...S-turn into a white-out charging left auto-air. Tasty, but I was too slow on the trigger to provide any visuals.


Some rocks are good rocks, and some rocks are bad rocks...it is amazing how fast a good rock can become a bad rock. PC finds no bad rocks...and is thankful.


After Monkey Creek, we headed back north in a chase of the last of the water to the put-in of the Nevis River. On the way, this van depicted a typical conversation with one of our beloved crew members...Mr. Baranabus Young.


Following a highly amusing drive the night before, we woke to a river level dropping off towards the low side of ideal. But thanks to some inspiration from this feller, Mr. Matt McCloud, we opted to still give 'er the ol' college try...level be damned! To roughly quote Tommy Hilleke, "I've never been disappointed by making the decision to go kayaking."


The Barn-Dogg eying up another chunker of a rapid, somewhere in the midst of the never-ending Nevis action. Big ups to Mr. Kevin England, who took this and the remaining pictures of our trip down the Nevis.


"Welsh Matt" opting for a slightly different angle on the same drop.


An absolutely classic representation of Barney's unique heart of gold, personality and style. The only thing unrepresented here is the volume at which smack is spewed out of that gaping mouth!


Cranking one out, at the end of the same, long mamajama.


Appearing only after heavy rainfall, these desert flowers are often found sprouting up in some of the most harsh environments on earth.


Due to its guidebook fame, climaxing location on the run, and its mere size, Big Brother could easily be considered the Nevis River's most infamous rapid. Giving his chops a rest, Barnabus' boat loudly persuaded anyone else from attempting the left "slot."


Sometimes a suspected boof becomes a toosh, and sometimes a suspected toosh can transform into a boof. Here, I experience the later.


The Nevis flows into the Kawarau River just above Citroen Rapid. Below Citroen lies Retrospect, arguably the Kawarau's largest rapid. After a false end to our day, we were rallied to continue downstream by a large floatila of Central Otago's finest rapid riders partaking in a stag-due for Mr. Kent Huxford. Here we have the likes of Dylan Thompson making the crux move on the frothing monster.


The Longman Antz, of Cumec Magazine fame, improvising a rather styley line through the maw. In an attempt at making a new "down the meat" line, the remainder of Team Nevis (Kev and I) failed to represent in the style department.


The Stag himself, after paddling all the whitewater on the Kawarau River had only just begun his evening!


To conclude this evening's concerto I will leave you with few points of interest...


It's known world-wide that Kiwis are some of the most hard-out mo-fo's out there. This was recently confirmed by my good friend and flatmate, Dr. Simon Hensen, who despite having a broken leg still rallied and came kayaking with us down the Huranui. Good on ya mate!

Kiwis are also rather legendary for their unique sense of humor...which is demonstrated below. This actually has everything to do with kayaking, at the same time as having nothing...




And lastly, having nothing to do with Kiwis, or New Zealand...

Another good mate of mine, Joey Hall, has recently produced a new website for his company Deadman Productions. Deadman is a sort of bastard child of all of Joey's combined talents, which include graphic design, illustration, web design, video production, and more. The new site sports samples of his past work, (like the rad-as design pictured above...everyone should write Joey and get him to make a Deadman t-shirt with this design on it!) and also includes ramblings, a Top 5, a "Mix of the Week" and more. Mixed tapes are BACK!!!! Check the freshness HERE!

Until next time, Catch yuns on down the trail.

A Southward Bound Roadie...

This past summer I joined the likes of Paul Current, Jason Jason Sheperd, Kevin England, Barnabus Young, and David Kwant for a trip down to Central Otago and Fiordland...the Marion Creek section of the Hollyford River was the first river we got on. Enjoy...


The shades of blue foreshadow blue emotions…not for, or even about the kayaking (or the sandlflies for that matter!) but rather towards the damage of thousands of dollars worth of multi-sport gear. It would all be worth it in the end.


Different shades of blue over Lake Wanaka foreshadow the sweet-as weather and days to come. (Good weather for kayaking balances a perfect blend of blue...blue rain drops, followed by clear blue skies!)


After being stunned by the beauty of Lake Wanaka, we crested a ridge to find the eqaully gorgeous Lake Hawea resting underneath the evening shadows and cotton candy.


The next morning we entered Fiordland...


A unique place to say the least. As well as containing some of the most magestic mountins in NZ, Fiordland also boasts roadside whitewater! Roadside Class V...in New Zealand? The group unloads at the get-in to the Marion Creek section of the Hollyford River.


Like a grandfather's fragile wrinkly fingers, the limbs of the native bush and trees hang over the river as if to radiate wisdom and positive spirits out through their fingertips.


Like many classic NZ rivers the Hollyford doesn't showcase any large single huckster drops, but instead provides the continuous, technical more "rapid-running" style of whitewater that pushes a paddler more in a holistic sense. Dave Kwant shimmer-shines a boof off the first ledge of the river.


A man who is guaranteed to take fewer strokes than you and still keep it more styley, Mr. JJ Sheperd, working through the top of a hover-o-matic S-turn kinda sort of rapid...ish...thing.


"I keep my cup raised up..." Kev England, keepin' it up when he needs it up most!


The addictiveness of kayaking is sometimes compared to a drug addict's addiction to drugs. While that might not present the healthiest image, it portrays the seriousness of the matter. Unlike drugs however, kayaking provides that "fix" to the addict in a much healthier manner. Here we have Kev England, who can't see past his next fix...his "own worst enemy." Check out Spencer Cooke's well-written words on this topic, of what he describes as his "problem."


Here we have PC dropping into the last rapid on the run before the portage. Take notes ya'll, because this outfit is likely to be Hee Haw Jones approved!


PC on the second half of the same rapid, in a real "Go Left and Die" scenerio. Unlike in the Northern Hemisphere, you do actually go right!!!


Post-river, before driving through Homer Tunnel, this "spwot" confirmed that Fiordland's scenery was unlike anything I've ever seen before! 20,000 years ago glaciers carved these steep valley walls, leaving behind some of the tallest waterfalls in world, as well as this snow-bridge, and a heard of big woolly mammoths...who still wore their coats, even though it was the middle of summertime!


Milford Sound in all her beauty. The clouds were alive on this day, so I'd recommend checking out my NZ "South Island" Video Journal for better visuals of the magic, as well as footage from the Hollyford River.


While in many aspects very different from the Sierras, Fiordland presents a similarly enchanting feel. John Muir would've loved it here..."I know that our bodies were made to thrive only in pure air, and the scenes in which pure air is found." This is a scene where pure air is found.

Stay tuned for more pure air thoughts and images from this southward bound roadie!

In the NEWS side of things...


Kev England runs Maruia Falls at really high water! No, actually that's not news, but I like the shot and it gives me a chance to announce the creation of my latest video on Rapid Transit Video...

Check out www.rapidtransitvideo.com to watch Volume III of my New Zealand Video Journal..."Stayin' South." In this video you will be able to watch footage from that high-water day at Maruia, as well as much much more...its sure not to be a bore! But thanks to Reading Rainbow..."You don't have to take my word for it!"

Until next time...Kia Kaha!

Mokihinui River - Threatened!!!

I was fortunate enough to paddle the Mokihinui River this past summer with a great group of friends. What I didn't know at the time was that plans of damming this river were already under way. Now that the proposal has been publicized, the day I spent on that river has become much more meaningful to me. The following are some lighthearted thoughts and images from that day with my new found perspective...


Where land meets sea is often a most beautiful thing, but un-zipping my tent to such beauty after driving all night and then settling for "just camping here off the road" was quite divine.


"...Here he comes and he's gone again, Pretty lady ain't got no friend till the, Candy Man comes around again..." To bad they don't have candy here in NZ...they call 'em lollies instead! Sometimes I like to imagine a helicopter carrying a net full of kayaks is actually the Candy Man dropping off the sweets for all the wee kiddly winks! I guess in some ways, it is!


In that case may I present to you...The Candy Man! (Photo by Rach)


If rivers are the souls of this earth, why would we want to drown them?


Kids in a candy shop? Children's expressions, when they get to a candy shop and are seconds from indulging, are amazingly similar to those they have when they leave the same shop buzzing on their sugar high. Now just imagine if you took away their candy shop! Our group of Rach, Wheels, Cheese and I...ready to enjoy some candy.


Or was it just the helicopter fumes?


Question: What's sweeter...Candy or Cheese? I guess that depends if you're lactose intolerant or if you're diabetic...or maybe it doesn't.


I'd like to Thank this man, Mr. Gareth Wheeler, for making this trip on the Mokihinui happen for me! Legend!!!


The motivation for paddling a river can vary from one person to another, even within a group. While some might seek the adventure and challenge of the rapids, others enjoy a river valley's beauty and the animals within it. Rach here, I reckon is more concerned with the aims first mentioned.


One great component to whitewater is that newer boaters can get the same stoke on class III that a more experienced boater gets on class V. Having been a heli-virgin a week or so before this trip I could easily relate to the emotions running through Rach's world, even though the consequences of the river were different than my first heli-trip. Here we have Wheels doing what he does best, helping out a friend in need.


Wheels again, perhaps demonstrating his second best skill...finding effortlessly smooth lines down a river!


It's hard to describe the beauty of the Mokihinui River valley...the geology, the water, the animals, the history...it's gorgeous to many people in many ways. Maybe just the fact that it has been ranked 7th in a New Zealand database of water bodies of national importance for its natural values says something. So is it not selfish for one person to find such a valuable river beautiful for its potential energy value, therefore eliminating its beauty to others?


You are about to paddle into the rapid...who would you fly in, and what song would be played over the roar?


Wheels being hit with mind bullets...Dam this? You've got to be kidding!!!

As an overseas visitor to New Zealand who values waterways, I am strongly opposed to this "renewable energy" proposal. (A rant about how damming rivers is NOT renewable could be written at this time, but I'll let my pictures and what I've already said speak on that issue.) While I completely understand that there is always two sides to any argument, (in this case lower energy costs being the most appealing to locals in favor of the dam) I do not see how such an environmentally devastating proposal is the answer in this particular case. Would solar or wind power not provide the same lower energy costs with more sustainability? More information on the proposal and how you can SAVE THE MOKIHINUI can be found at http://www.mokihinui.org/ as well as http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/conservation/freshwater/mokihinui.asp. NEW LINK (added Aug. 20th)...NZ Wild Rivers Action Project

VIVA LA MOKIHINUI RIVER!!!

The Ultra-Classic Arahura River

The Arahura River is one of THE classic runs on the West Coast of NZ's South Island...


If everything is nothing. And nothing is everything. And if what you think, I think is nothing. And if what I think, you think is nothing. Then what is a helicopter, and how does it get us up a river?


Helicopters dwarf reality, and while doing so they enable momentary comfort in settings and situations we probably shouldn't be comfortable in.


In almost preparation, practice or a warm up for the riding of whitewater, helicopter riding requires moments of organized chaos. Organized chaos is a beautiful thing.


This is Chance. He is also a beautiful thing, maybe not as beautiful as organized chaos, but beautiful nonetheless.


Lacking enough emotion and character, the word 'beautiful' hardly does the Arahura get-in justice. A larger appreciation for standing in this spot with a kayak was felt a month or two after this picture was taken, after Ben Robson and myself hiked the 17km (according to the guidebook) into this very spot.


This is a drop named Curtain Call, you'd think that a drop named "Curtain Call" would be located at the end of a run. If you say the word curtain more like two words, as in cur-TAIN, (TAIN being said more like train, without the "r") it almost sounds like a verb. This is Chance curTAINing a call to boof.


Sam Tregenza makes the approach to Dent Falls. This approach involves an amazingly fun move above the lip of the drop...a carving-s-turn through some seriously aeratedly funky fresh water. And since we're in New Zealand, there's always a nicely placed sieve thrown in for fun!


Falls Dent drops Sam.


This is Jim Janney, he is a gang-star. The reason I know this is because Daniel Windham gave him "props" in this super-rad-a-licious VIDEO of Vancouver Local Spots. Props are either something used on stage by actors, or something gang-stars give to each other. Since Jim nor Daniel are actors, they must be gang-stars. So in that case..."See we just pull up the pants and do the roc-a-way, Now lean back, lean back.."


If kayakers actually were actors, would kayaks be considered props?


Maybe we should start an ongoing game of Find That Sieve! But maybe we shouldn't, since kayaking in NZ is more like the opposite. Chance does just that in Billiards.


This is his reward, and also happens to be one of the best boofs on the river.


The pool below Cesspit, above Cesspit Gorge. Sorry, no photos of Cesspit, but video of it and more can be found HERE! One of the coolest parts of paddling on the Coast is that you can drink the water straight from the river!!! Can you tell why?


A boof is worth 1000 strokes.


Truely yours, elevated. Big ups to Chance for the pics from this drop!


"Just a perfect day, problems all left alone, weekenders on our own. It's such fun."


The troops go marching on. It amazes me that when we go kayaking, we seek to quench this thirst we have to get on a river. Yet every time we take off a river our thirst is not quenched, but instead exacerbated making our thirst, thirstier.

Again, video from this and other West Coast adventures can be found at Rapid Transit Video.

In other news...


I'd like to holla a big BOO-YA-KA-SHA! out to one of my best friends, Daniel Stewart, who was recently crowned the 2008 USA Freestyle Men's Expert National Champion!!! Good on ya Bro! Coverage from the comp reported by another good mate of mine, Chris Wing, can be viewed HERE.


Also, Spencer Cooke of Effort Inc. and Rapid Transit Video recently just revamped his website, EFFORT.TV. So go check out the fresh goodness, Mr. Cooke's always got some good shenanigans going on there! (Pic-o-Spence by Mark McKelvy)

And finally, I posted up some older pics Bryan Kirk took of me last year throwing my molecules off a waterfall on the Potomac. These can be found on the Team Riot Blog.


And that's a wrap...for the being time.

Photo Extravaganza: Waitaha River, West Coast, NZ

For video footage of this day and others on NZ's South Island, check out my video library at Rapid Transit Video.


"The world was moving, she was right there moving and she was..." "She," could be a number of things in this photo. A specific she, though, that you might be interested in is the river. I will quote the mighty Tommy Tsunami..."Sometimes you have to acknowledge the fact that she, the river, is mightier than we." She the river, in this case, is the Waitaha River.


This is how the beautiful people get to the river. By dragonfly, by death egg, by lawn-mower engine powered plexi-glass bubble. Call it what you will, I would call it amazing. This photo was taken by Kev England. Many of the photos of the day were taken by Kev. Thanks Kev, the world thanks you.


There are moments in time when reality hits you across the head with a baseball bat. In New Zealand, and maybe England as well, actually India too, this baseball bat might be traded for a cricket bat. Anyways, the bat hits you and you are suddenly aware of the situation you are in. This hit comes while heli-boating when you realize that you are offically in the middle of nowhere. The helicopter flies away and the sound of its whizzing blades disappear, silence sets in, the bat swings and it never misses your head. Dave Kwant ignores the ringing under his helmet. (Photo by Kev)


If it looks like the water which Dave is boofing into is angry, that is because it is. Dave's not angry though, he's probably happy...very happy. (Photo by Kev)


One of the funniest parts about kayaking, to me, is that it takes us to so many gorgeous places. (That has been said so many times now, it is past cliché.) But what I find funny, is that while we are in these places, we barely take the time to look around and appreciate the beauty. For example, I think this is one of the only pictures that even has a landscape-like backdrop. And it doesn't even begin to show how amazing this river valley is! (Photo by Kev)


This is a photo of yours truly, in a section on the Waitaha that is amazingly awesome. Three drops stacked one, by two, by three on top of each other make one helluva rapid running experience. This is drop number two. (Photo by Kev)


Sometimes when running scary whitewater it is hard to look at what you are doing, people often close their eyes after they take their boof stroke and just hold on. Dave Kwant doesn't mind looking, he just doesn't like people looking at him, so he hides. Dave Kwant hiding on the same #2 drop. (Photo by Kev)


Dave's after-glow upon running the #2 drop. By the expression on his face it is hard to tell whether he is just excited about running the #2 drop, or if he has just dropped a #2. (Photo by Kev) This drop has parts that are border-lining on becoming an unflushable #2...we avoided these said spots. AVOID THE UNFLUSHABLE #2!!!


Actually, this could quite possibly be another spot where Dave has just dropped a #2. It is hard to tell though, because we cannot see his face. (Photo by Kev...again, and again, and again, and again...) This is the #3 drop in the amazing series of whitewater rapids, it is sometimes referred to as "the Cave Rapid"...for obvious reasons. Yes, the next step is to paddle through. And yes, it gets dark...and scary.


"I have SEEN the light!!!" JJ Sheperd emerges from the cave and boofs one horrendous hole. This hole has claimed many unsuspecting paddlers, and makes me sweat just looking at this picture. The preferred line is a bit further to river right, but is ridiculously hard to get to, because of a number of factors...the fact that you have just come out of a friggin' cave, and yer mostly just happy to see daylight again, as well as the current, which is pushing hard left, and your mind, which is really just trying to concentrate on timing that oh-so-important boof stroke, which will hopefully carry you over that horrible looking backwash! I am now sweating.


This is a mountain's fingernail, which has fallen off. Or maybe was ripped off. If your fingernail were this big, think about how bad it would hurt if someone ripped it off. I'd probably pour water over it too. (Photo by Kev)


This is another picture of me, avoiding another big hole, with another mean backwash. (Photo by Kev) Like most photos, these do not do diddly-sqwat for justice of the power of these life sucking hydraulics.


After the rapid with another mean hole in it, we went through this slot on the right. It wasn't a very tight slot, and it had a lot of water going through it. I'm pretty sure all the lines that we took on this day had a lot of water going through them. Kayaking was originally intended for rivers with more water than rocks. Only within the past 50 years have human beans started to kayak rivers with more rocks than water. At normal, lower flows, I reckon the Waitaha has more rocks than water. In fact, even on this day when we ran it, I bet there still more rocks than water. But while we were riding the river, our minds were focused more on the water, than the rocks. (Photo by Kev)


Back to that earlier cliché statement about kayaking in pretty places. I remember before flying up the river talking to Kev about the spiritual places we get to experience in our kayaks. The places where only a kayak grants entry, deep down in the butt cracks of the earth. Further down in this gorge, waterfalls pour into the river one after another. I eddied out, and smiling a grin probably a mile wide said to Kev, "This is one of those places!!!" he knew exactly what I was talking about. (Photo by Kev)


There are times as a kayaker, when you see a hole, rock, or obstruction in front of you and you wish you had wings. This is me, trying to grow wings. No Red Bull required. (Photo by Kev)


The plot thickens... This is JJ Sheperd dropping into a rather long, large rapid. At the end of the rapid there is a hole which is pretty much walled-in. Just upstream of where JJ is, there is a seam that sucks you down to China. JJ has just returned to NZ from China.


"Everybody was Kung-Fu fighting, those cats were fast as lightning.
In fact it was a little bit frightening, but they fought with expert timing." JJ emerges from another seam, this time just above the exit hole of the rapid. (Photo by Kev)


An expertly timed boof, with perfect placement. (Photo by Kev)


Dave Kwant was next to drop in. His boof was neither expertly timed, nor perfectly placed. If you compare this photo to the photo above of JJ boofing the same hole, Dave's boof was not that far off. In fact, I reckon his stroke timing was only a few inches premature, his bow is not that much lower than JJ's. But, the resulting freestyle maneuvers that followed Dave's boof stroke however, were far superior to JJ's simple skim over this unique playspot. (Photo by Kev)


Lucky for me, I was still eddied out upstream of the hole in perfect view of a ride that surely would've captured a World Freestyle Championship crown. This ride was followed by the appropriate victory swim, then by this world champion swan dive. (Photo by Kev)

The events that followed this jump got stressful for a bit...and that's an understatement. I learned how to understate from the Kiwis down here; they are the masters of the understatement.


This is at the end of the last gorge before Morgan's Gorge. I saw many things happen from this spot. First, I looked downstream, and saw JJ signaling he had caught Dave's boat. Moments later I heard cursing, turned around, and saw Dave fall down a rock from about 15-20 ft. up. After making sure he was OK, I looked down, and appreciated where we were and that everyone was OK. I laughed and took this picture. I thought about these rocks and how they had a lot less to worry about than us, they'd already been through enough. Actually they'd probably been through a helluva lot more than we just had!


I then watched Kev seal-launch back into the river after all the excitement. I was in awe of life and kayaking at this moment in time.


A tired group, post boat/Dave recovery. "It's all good on the Coast until shit goes down." -JJ Sheperd.


Dave's boat wasn't too happy about the whole episode. It told me.

One gorge still remained on the river...Morgan's Gorge. It was again a stressful gorge for all members of the crew. After over an hour of a grueling portage through thick NZ bush, the "track" (NZ "tracks" are the equivalent to game tracks) dropped down to a cliff overlooking the last rapid of Morgan's Gorge. After close inspection of the rapid, or what we could see of it, and then an evaluation of my physical condition (fatigue, dehydration, mental overloadness) I decided to give it a miss and continue in my own world of portaging hell. Just before I continued on my way I heard the follow conversation take place...

JJ- You gonna run it?
Kev- I'll run it if you run it.
JJ- Ok, but I get to go first, so I don't have to see you get your ass beat in that hole.

Karma ruled over all. While lost, in my portaging hell, I heard a whistle from down inside the gorge. With no way to help, I continued my portage as fast as possible. The following pictures are from Kev, of JJ, paddling the last rapid in Morgan's Gorge...just after JJ swam in the gorge, and self rescued himself and his boat up a crack in the side of the river-left cliff wall. If JJ had not had a break-down paddle in HIS boat, he would've had to paddle this by hand. Also of note, is Kev's perspective inside the gorge. After seeing JJ getting beat-down in front of him, Kev paddled the remainder of the rapid and quickly ran/climbed his way back into the gorge to see if JJ was OK. He is probably the only person who has ever stood where he was while taking these photos.


JJ, post swim/ self rescue, dropping into the remainder of Morgan's Gorge.


"White-out, from there on out!"


Paddling out safe and sound, like an ant squirming out from underneath the deep tread of a recently stomped gum-boot.

We made our way down the rest of the remaining whitewater and to the car for a seriously needed sigh of relief. Spirits were high as we reflected on one epic day. It was one of the best days of my life. There were swimmers, there were heroes and there were heli-virgins. But in the end there were just people. Now that's some seriously deep shit!


Speaking of deep shit, this trip report has been made possible by NZ rush hour traffic. Thank you for reading.

Again, video footage of this day and others can be seen at Rapid Transit Video.

This has been Cooper Lambla tellin' you to Big up yo-self, from En Zed. And I'm out.