Yesterdays kayak paddle down the Waihopai River is still fresh in my mind. My body remembers it too. I'm a little sore and have many aching muscles to remind me of the fun. And it was fun, after a bit of a false start...
When we arrived at the spectacular put-in, just below the dam, we parked across the road then looked for what the guide book said was a "faint track" through the bush down to the river. We found a track right away and began dragging, pushing, and carrying the kayaks down a diminshing track through manuka, black-berries, and gorse (ouch!). We got about halfway down the bank only to be meet by an impenetrable wall of thorny scrub and rocks! We had to drag the boats all the way back up the goat-track we had just stumbled down, then back down the right track a little way further up the road. This one was just as narrow and steep but it got us eventually to the waters edge at the base of the dam. So after a few skin knuckles and alot of grunting and groaning we were ready to start the run! The Waihopai had drawn first blood, but all was to be forgiven soon.
The noise and spray from the dam at the put-in set the scene nicely.
Looking back up-river towards the power-house, which is set into the rock a few hundred meters down-river from the dam.
A tricky little drop at the top of the run.
Most of the run was in a canyon that seemed to get narrower all the time.
Kaycee came along as offical mascot and car alarm. If only she could drive too...
The late afternoon sun reflecting off part the river as seen from the road.
(Click for larger version)
The Waihopai Valley is in the heart of winemaking country and a large part of it is planted in vineyards like these. Oh and there's also a secret government spy station type thingy up there too, with ominous looking signage like "Defense Area", "No Admittance: Goverment Propety". Big brother is watching...
We are already talking about when we'll be going back to the Waihopai river. Hopefully in a couple of weeks. It is, without doubt, the most enjoyable river run I've done yet.
6:59:54 PM 
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