Yesterday was spent kayaking the Motueka River again. I can't get enough of this river, and it sure beats paddling 'uphill'. The water is clear and bottle green from a distance, like the masses of willows, wattles and countless other trees bursting forth from its banks. The rapids on the strech between the Baton Bridge and the Graham Valley are fun, but always wide enough to give you plenty of options. I've been down this 7km piece of the river three times now and I'm still finding new waves and routes on each rapid.
We ran the 7km twice yesterday. Here are a few highlights...
This little place is near the start of the run. I actually rented this 'shack' for about two years in the late 90's while I was off work waiting on a shoulder operation. Being paid by the Government to do nothing while living here was great, even if I did have a bung shoulder the whole time. This place remains my all time favourite place I have lived!
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The bottom of a typical rapid. We have dubbed this one 'the dolphin rapid' because the large rock to the left looks just like a huge dolphin's head coming out of the water.
Variety of Riverstones.
A sceneic drift about halfway down.
Kaycee gets the job of car alarm for the day. (she takes her job very seriously).
The signpost at the Baton Bridge put-in.
The final kilometre is a gentle drift and wind-down before the take-out. A chance for all the rants about "this rapid" and "that wave", "did ya see me when..."!
6:50:29 PM 
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