Rangitata Rafting

Alright so I goofed........... don't worry there is photographic proof of my adventure down the Rangitata Gorge but I am afraid it is in CD mode which I viewed in my computer & apparently did not save to my hard drive.  Therefore, it is on route back to Canada with some other key items from my travels haha  so I guess at this point I strongly encourage you to imagine the next blog as if it were windy, full of spraying water, has a big red raft with 8 people in it screaming & smiling  :)

December 3rd – Lake Tekapo – Rangitata Rafting – Christchurch




Leaving Lake Tekapo for the last time (haha I promise), the lake was a fantastic mirror, giving a great reflection of the hills & mountains & bright blue sky. Back on the bus, passing through places like Burk’s Pass, Mt Dobson, Fairlie & the Timaru District before being dropped off in Geraldine for white water rafting with the Rangitata Rafting company along the Rangitata Gorge. I knew I had wanted to do this for awhile , as friends back in Auckland said it was amazing & some of the best rapids in all of New Zealand. So after a hearty sandwich & salad meal for all 28 of us journeying down the river it was time to get geared up. This included our bathing suits, layered with a polyprolene layer, a fleece, a full body wetsuit & booties, a lightweight wet jacket, life jacket & helmets. The best part was the helmets are all different colours, giving the group a real gumball machine feel. Once geared up we headed down to the gorge in vans & split up into groups of 7 +1 guide for a total of 8 in each bright red raft. I, as the single, ended up in the back left of the raft beside Dan, our guide. Dan has over 10 years experience rafting around the world in Chile, Japan, Canada & the States. I trust Dan & he is Kiwi . So we hop in & ‘learn’ how to paddle forwards & backwards as a team, review safety measures – ‘hard left, hard right, hold on, get down’ & what to do if we fall out of the boat haha….. & most importantly to hang on to your paddle as to not knock out your fellow comrades teeth! Good things to know. We take in the scenery of the glacial water, green hills & Southern Alps way off in the distance. Things start to pick up as the water becomes more powerful with more & more rapids & jagged rocks as we head into the gorge. Dan mentions that the river has 95 cubic tonnes of water rushing down it so it is important if one were to fall in to keep your feet up, otherwise the risk of getting your feet stuck inbetween rocks with then just have you pummeled face first constantly with the flow of the water……… thanks Dan, we are now all a little effectively scared & aware at the same time. It was amazing how quickly we felt like a team. Onwards at the Grade of the rapids picks up from 3 to 4 & then we are allowed to get out & look at the Grade 5 rapids. Honestly it didn’t look that bad compared to what we had already passed through but as the guides pointed out, there is a section called Arlene’s hole that when the boats approach can just sometimes get sucked back in & then the ‘surgey wergey wave’ hits. Interesting…… well were the second boat to go down to hit Arlene’s hole &……. As the pictures prove, we did just that…. & got knocked out of the boat……everyone but Dan thank goodness. Then it was a mad dash to get us up in the boat, paddles flying, Dan counting to three & heaving us in, us scrambling to help the next ones up & over the side……. Head count…1…2…3…4…5…6…7……………. & Matt had drifted downstream to another boat. WHeewwwwww that was scary for a bit there & then we laughed, reflected & recanted how it happened. The other boats passed through & we all rested for a bit before tackling the next Grade 5 rapid. It was really quite amusing at this point to look at the other boats & how completely terrified they appeared to be as we were laughing, thinking okay let’s try to stay in the boat this next time but hey if we don’t let’s just try to get back in quicker this round!. But onwards & upwards we battled through the next round . Then it was on for a jump in off the ledge & float/swim with the current. For the other boats it was a chilly first meet with the water, us ‘pros’ who head already gone in, no worries. It was crazy to see how the currents can pull & twist you down & around & just how hard it is to swim. Then for us still adrenaline seeking junkies we were allowed to jump off this 3m high rock face into the water below……..sure……. why not 10m high? Haha okay! Crazy insane & so thrilling at the same time Back in to the boats for a ‘small front paddle’ to the drop off point. But totally fun day with the clouds clearing for our time on the water, definitely enjoyed the fun & laughs of it all & headed back for a BarbQ meal. Would so recommend this to everyone to do! & of course pictures to prove it!

From there a shuttle bus drop off…. Heading sleepily through the Mayflower & Ashburton district, Chertsey & Canterbury country with farming & farming equipment everywhere. Parts of it really reminded me of Huron County & Grey Bruce.

Final destination Rollleston House in Christchurch. Maybe I will feel an earthquake or 2 while I am here!