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Curious to understand how you guys figure out if a river is navigable for a particular craft ?
I tried looking at the satellite view in topomap.co.nz, but often the detail is not sufficient.
Are there better resources ?
More with a view of floating downstream in a packraft, and avoiding stuff like weirs, gorges, waterfalls etc haha
Graham Charles has written a couple of guidebooks covering the main nz whitewater runs.
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If you are talking about less known rivers the
best way is to scout the river on foot first.
If looking on google earth, then the most important thing to look for is a place ahead of the white water where the side can be easily reached.
This enables the rapid to be scouted 'looked at' on foot before it is paddled. Thus determining the safest 'line' or course to take.
If it cannot be safely paddled the craft can be portaged or lined through it [emoji106]
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I have three Packrafts
Google people's reports
Read the whitewater book above. But I loaned it to someone and can't remember who !
Never enter a rapid you can't see through and plan the route
Agree with all the above, get the nz topo50 app (or paper ones to use) and take a close look at the contours and spacing, can give an indication to where there are rapids. Also helps for planning potages or 'shit I snapped my paddle now have to walk out' routes
I can’t help you ebf but I am intrigued to learn what you are planning. Many years (decades) ago I did a few grade five white water rafting trips (guided) and I have often thought it would be a hoot to raft a significant distance on a river through bush country (like Te Uruwera) with a rifle handy just in case of a close encounter of the Cervidae kind.
Like the originals down the MOTU on tractor tubes lashed together with wood and no wet suits.Quote:
Originally Posted by akaroa1
Also heard of a few people transporting deer caucuses down rivers on tractor tubes [emoji106]Quote:
Originally Posted by TeRei
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I'm planing to raft the Grey river from top to bottom this summer just for fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rushy
The last half is really just a long slow drift
But I'm sure it will be interesting
Then the big one ... Buller from Lake to Sea would be pretty cool.
Even down the bottom the Buller is interesting because there is so much turbulent water
Keen to do pretty much what you mention. Nothing wild as far as white water is concerned. Just tramp in, and float out, with riflle, tent and pack strapped to the packraft. And getting across lakes and the like to explore some more country.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rushy
The Wanganui Journey is something I would like to do, be pretty cool to do that in a packraft. Get the Mrs to drop me off in Taumaranui and pick me up in Whanganui couple days later :thumbsup:
Keep us briefed on this as it developes.Quote:
Originally Posted by ebf
I sooooo want to buy a Koaro packraft and raft either the Mohaka or the Ngruroro here in HB.
I even re-named one of the Mrs bank accounts to Daddy wants a packraft fund. She wasn't as impressed as I was.
I'm interested on doing it on the Rangateiki River.
If this thread ends in an expedition I would be happy to be the cook.
Well then boys, looks like we need to make a plan ! Meet up somewhere in Hawke's Bay and float down a river to the next campsite, where uncle Rushy will have a hearty meal and some beverages ready !
Mind you, the rafts might sink on day 2 :thumbsup:
@ebf , hey yea google earth is a non starter!! or any other form of satellite imagery, it will never show enough detail , even looking at a seemingly innocent bend on google could change immensely with flow fluctuations summer is a Clasic as all the water drops your hugging willows, I’m rafting fan just spent the day drift shooting but you really need to know what your doing especially in a pack raft I know there a bit of a thing at the mo but they flip pretty easily & your all buy you self , I got my guide ticket around a year ago also did a swift water rescue course on the Buller last year & honestly I wouldn’t recommend rafting without a guide , obviously lots of people do it but it’s so easy for things to go wrong , the wanganui is a big wide river full of logs iv been as far up stream as ranana , river looked pretty cool maybe it’s safe I don’t know & without personally knowing someone’s skill set I would never recommend rafting or kayaking without a guide
I do most of my rafting on a relatively easy grade 2 river but you get talking to people that have given it a go & a good few shotguns have ended up in the river , I’d recommend making some inquiries with a local kayaking club speak to people that have first hand experience on that water way , keep in mind things change with floods such as trees in the river. Good luck.
Like boraxa said
I'm much more careful about trees and log jams
Council website should have the river flow (often for further downstream than what you want) if you can check the level online before you scouting trip and see how it changes with different flows.
i can see you singing the lumberjack song :PQuote:
Originally Posted by akaroa1
The whirinaki river from say Te Whaiti down could be fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rushy
You gonna get us one of those rubber jet boats from the other thread for us so we can go up and down?
Put in at the Mangamate falls campQuote:
Originally Posted by Barefoot