Te Araroa: The Whanganui River Journey
03.12.2019 Day 44 (5km)
Due to a very rainy and miserable weather forecast, I spent today changing all my plans. I didn’t see the point in hiking through thick mud and climbing a mountain I’ve been dying to see, only to not be able to see it.
So, I elected to do the canoeing portion of the TA first, then backtrack to do the Tongariro crossing. I did make a point of walking to the canoe hire, which is part of the trail, so it wasn’t a complete rest day.
Day’s Highlights: Awesome hitch back to the Holiday Park
04.12.2019 Day 45 (33km kayak)
Today was an absolute blast!
In the safety briefing for the river trip they mentioned that kayaks are easier to flip than the canoes, and since there were an odd number of people I was in a kayak, solo. So, when we came to the first set of rapids, I decided to ease into it and take the less rugged of the two options. Everything went well and my confidence began to bloom, so on the next set I was all in. I paddled hard towards the V indicating the start of the rapids, digging in with even strokes. The kayak bounced through the waves as water splashed over the edges and into my face. I came out the other side upright and cheering.
In time I was able to pick out when a wave was safe to plow through and when it indicated a slightly submerged object. I could tell where the eddies were and avoid them with ease. During this learning curve I did bump into a few rocks, but none of them tipped me over.
Day’s Highlights: Kayaking through rapids…so much fun!
05.12.2019 Day 46 (36km kayak)
I don’t think I could have picked a better time to do the canoe section. Although I still used my legs a bit at camp, most of the time there wasn’t any weight on my knee. That means seven days of rest, which will hopefully provide some relief and healing.
Rain played music to us throughout the day. It’s light ripples on the surface obscuring the flow of the river. For the most part I enjoyed the laid back vibe of the day, except when we stopped for lunch and a chill crept into my body as we were fussing with the canoes. By the time I walked up to the lunch area I could barely speak through the violent shivers. Fortunately, the hut had a heater, which I claimed until my body defrosted.
We had been planning a pirate attack for the next day, when a few friends were to join us downriver. They didn’t know I was part of the company, so we bought masks, water guns, and even a wig. Our plans were dashed when we walked into a coffee shop at the lunch spot, only to discover they had arrived a day early. It was still a pleasant surprise, regardless.
Lately, I’ve really felt like the hike is breaking through. All of the introspective thinking and healing that I was hoping for has begun to blossom. Big surprise that this started on a big stretch without road walks. I’m thoroughly looking forward to what the next three months have in store.
Day’s Highlights: Eating lunch! I was sooooooo hungry.
06.12.2019 Day 47 (34.5km kayak)
I should have gone right with the current, but the left side looked deeper. Before I could reconsider, it was too late; the side of my kayak had collided with the rock. For a second I thought I could salvage the situation, but the current continued to push my vessel higher up the boulder, knocking me out into the water. I resurfaced coughing, to see my kayak poised and motionless upstream. I groped at the rocks below, trying to slow my flow down the river; there was no way I was getting back to my kayak.
I don’t know what I would have done if Pete and Robin hadn’t been behind me. As I stood precariously on a stone, holding my own against the force of the river, I shouted at them to push the kayak. Pete gave it a hard shove as they drifted by, freeing it from the rock. Relief flashed through me as I pulled myself back on board. Other than being a bit shaken, I was absolutely fine. The water was quite refreshing, and it was a warm sunny day so I knew I would be dry in no time. The thing is, it wasn’t even a big, challenging, dangerous rapid. It was a solitary rock following a long stretch of calm.
The campsite for the night, which we reached after a few hours of lazy drifting, was up a long series of stairs. It was a grassy area at the top of a cliff overlooking the Whanganui. As I lay in bed writing, birds call to each other across the canyon; their voices echoing in the misty night air.
Day’s Highlights: Reunited with Alex, Will, Audrey, and James.
07.12.2019 Day 48 (20km kayak, 5.4km hiking)
It was lovely and overcast, the perfect temperature for kayaking. Thick forests clung to the canyon walls, hugging either side of the river. Cascades of varying stature wound their way down the rocks to join the meandering waters. Some of them roared like lions as they forced heaps of water down narrow crevices; while others were nothing more than a shallow whisper, entering the Whanganui inconspicuously. Ducks nibbled at the mosses growing on the lip where the water kissed the stone. Branches and assorted debris collected on the outskirts, monuments to previous floods.
After a short paddle we stopped to hike through the foliage to the Bridge to Nowhere. It was essentially a normal concrete bridge, though the story behind it was quite sad.
At the end of WWI, land in the Whanganui area was cleared for soldiers returning from the war, as a sort of reward for their service. Although the land was fertile it was prone to slips and degradation, not ideal for farming. Roads were constantly in disrepair, making it difficult to get supplies in or out. Eventually, the government stopped allocating funds for the maintenance of the region, and one by one the farmers abandoned their lands and moved away. The bridge remains as a tourist attraction and monument to the soldiers who fought in the war. The land however, has been allowed to return to its pure and natural state.
Day’s Highlights: Peaceful moments on the river.
08.12.2019 Day 49 (48km kayak)
Rain and wind pounded the roof of the cabin throughout the night. Lightning sparked in the sky, followed by the growl of thunder. I laid in bed listening to the ferocious storm, happy that I had chosen to sleep inside instead of in my tent. An especially loud clap of thunder shook the hinges of the cabin, stirring my excitement. I’ve always been fascinated by storms and although I needed sleep I couldn’t tear myself away from the torrent.
The next morning we had to climb through a small stream and over multiple canoes to access our boats. I was eager to start, since the journey could take up to nine hours. Fortunately, it was a gross overestimation. The river had a steady flow due to the rain, with only a few eddies that brought my kayak to a complete stop.
The upside of so much water entering the river was a new set of rapids, which were the best ones to date. My kayak skipped over the waves as a paddled furiously to keep it on course. After one particularly wild rapid I shouted out with joy, a smile sticking to my face for the remainder of the day. It was such a thrill and I couldn’t help feeling like a badass steering my kayak into the thickest of the waves.
When we arrived at the Flying Fox for the night, we tied up to a pole near the water’s edge. The couple that owned the place was incredibly friendly and allowed us to book out their winter home for the night. There were eight of us, all soaked to the bone, and we were willing to splurge for a fireplace, hot showers, and cozy beds.
Not long after we arrived, we were informed that they had towed our canoes higher up the slope to prepare for flooding. It was a good thing too, because in the morning, the post we had used was completely submerged.
Day’s Highlights: The huge rapid!
09.12.2019 Day 50 (55km kayak)
In the safety briefing at the beginning of the trip, they warned us to be wary of what was floating with us down river. Branches were ok, huge logs were not so good, whole trees meant it was time to run for land. I thought they were joking about the whole trees…but oh no, there were definitely several dead trees swept up in the current.
The rain had caused the water levels to rise several meters, yes meters not feet. This was great for us because it increased the flow and shortened our travel time. Initially, we were to spend another night camping, but with the excellent conditions we were able to consolidate two days into one and make it all the way to the city of Whanganui.
The only challenge was the wind, which seemed to blow from every direction at once. After a few hours I was far behind the others and utterly exhausted. Thankfully, Robin and Pete started to worry that something might happen and stopped to see if I wanted to try canoeing for a bit. It was a nice break, especially having someone to chat with and help carry some of the weight.
Day’s Highlights: Steak dinner at the end of the day.
