Sunday 12th March 2023
From Kokatahi bridge we enjoyed a slow drift down the Hokitika River to exit at Kaniere bridge. Brent turned up keen as mustard, as Presidents should, but with the Kondor 1000 inflatable boat. Needless to say this boat wasn’t meant to fly and so Brent reluctantly but wisely didn’t go much farther than the entry point. Meanwhile Leisl and I started paddling down to the first chute which she mastered very well avoiding the hanging willows on the riverbank.
There is nothing overly hard about this travel, i’d picked a day following a good rainfall so the height of the river would allow us to pass all the way down without having to exit our boats and walk over gravel. The gauge reading was 2.4m at Kaniere Bridge which is probably about the minimum you would want to ride the river.
The journey takes about 1hr 45mins and some stretches to require some paddling to keep momentum while others you can just sit back and enjoy the flow of the river taking you downstream. There were a good number of Paradise Ducks on the islands in the middle of the river and the odd inquisitive cow looking on from their paddocks on the banks.
I had memorised which direction to take at which bend but the river can change direction and flow so be prepared to make some quick decisions to paddle into the correct flow of water. It is also important to watch out for tree trunks hidden beneath the surface, though most are identifiable with branches sticking out of the water.
This was a great trip and encouraged both Brent and Leisl to invest in their own inflatable kayaks and everyone is keen to get in the water again.
Kayakers – Euan Mackenzie, Leisl Van Wyk & Brent Robinson (Honorary Appearance)
