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C&K mag #31ss- final - Canoe & Kayak

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WHITE WATER KAYAKING<br />

PLAYBOATING - at Taupo<br />

by Nhoj Snikwad<br />

Living in Taupo has its bonuses if<br />

you’re into white water paddling. There<br />

is a selection of rivers to run within an<br />

hour or so from town to most put ins. A<br />

quick rant to some drivers, “Quit<br />

tailgating, this isn’t Bathurst. Relax a<br />

bit and turn those spot lamps off if it<br />

isn’t foggy. To get rid of your latent<br />

aggression, try playboating around<br />

Taupo. The local paddle posse think it’s<br />

world class.”<br />

Having earned my playboating badge here<br />

( thanks Mad Dog, Grey Dog, Paul G, Crazy Colin,<br />

Mike B, England #1, Tamela for looking after me<br />

when I am swimming) let me share three spots on<br />

the Waikato River with you.<br />

The Crazy Wave<br />

Park about 250metres up the road towards town<br />

from the Huka Falls carpark. Pull well off the road<br />

on the river side so you can then see your vehicle<br />

from the river. Alternatively, there’s a big lay-by<br />

on the other side of the road. The river level needs<br />

to be 290cmecs or so before the wave forms.<br />

300cmecs is full flow from the control gates. (The<br />

other play spots around town are too high at this level.)<br />

To get in take a steep track at the down stream<br />

boundary of Huka Lodge. This brings you to the<br />

front of the house by the lodge. Launch here and<br />

paddle to the front lawn of the lodge. Don’t forget<br />

to wave to the poor souls spending their hard<br />

earned on being exclusive, only to have some play<br />

boating grots in their front garden. Ferry glide over<br />

the river to the eddy above the little island with<br />

the cabbage tree. From here you get the best view<br />

of the wave. To get on you ferry out and we think<br />

that looking back over your left shoulder before<br />

you drop in is the best way to catch it. You need<br />

to paddle hard as you drop in or you will spend a<br />

lot of time washing over the wave and re circling<br />

around the eddy below.<br />

If you miss the first eddy (river right) you can go<br />

around the blackberry and pine tree point to a big<br />

eddy (river right) and find your way into the side,<br />

then out the boat on to the tourist track and carry<br />

back up to the first eddy. This has only happened<br />

to me a couple of times in about ten or so sessions.<br />

Most times you’ll make the first eddy, and paddle<br />

back up to the cabbage tree island where Colin<br />

has put a rope on the cabbage tree for a pull back<br />

up to the get on eddy. Cheers Colin! Simply lob<br />

your paddle up, and haul away. Make sure you<br />

14 ISSUE THIRTYone • 2005<br />

leave the rope in the water for your mates or they<br />

will have to get out of their boats.<br />

From the road you can see if it’s worth getting on.<br />

Look for the small tail of water flowing around this<br />

little cabbage tree island. You need water on the<br />

track where you haul up. The wave forms where<br />

the water flows off a ledge in the river, providing<br />

about 4 metres of workable area. You can spin<br />

both sides. When front surfing, the water is only<br />

a couple of feet deep and you can get a good<br />

reference point on the river bed. (If you fall into<br />

the wave it’s hard to hit the bottom as you are in<br />

deep water).<br />

Bliss Stick RAD or similar seem to be the boat best<br />

suited for this wave as they surf at slow speed and<br />

spin fast. We have noticed Flipsticks and Wave<br />

Sport T3 tend to wash off or you can’t catch the<br />

wave as easily as in a RAD. Mind you, these were<br />

paddled by 85kg or heavier paddlers. Lighter<br />

people may get on better in boats other than a<br />

RAD. Bliss Stick are going to be marketing some<br />

different sized RAD. There’s enough room for two<br />

paddlers on the wave at the same time, which<br />

provides amusement. Bumper boats!<br />

Safety and getting out...in the back of your mind<br />

will be the Huka Falls, a few hundred metres down<br />

the river. Keep a good eye on paddle partners to<br />

make sure they roll up and get into the eddy. If<br />

you miss the first eddy there’s still a way to go<br />

before the falls. Make sure your mate knows<br />

you’re ok to get the second eddy. The second eddy<br />

is big. Should the worst happen and you swim,<br />

then swim hard right, forget your boat and paddle.<br />

Have your partner give you a tow into the river<br />

right eddy, leg kick like a demon. Ring Huka Jet<br />

jetboat operation and if you’re lucky they will find<br />

your kit.<br />

At this level the whole left side of the river is<br />

moving, the willows are in the water and there is<br />

the Huka Hole get out. It looks totally different<br />

when Huka Hole is working when the river is on<br />

the track! Bit close for comfort should you miss this<br />

get out? Sounds a bit dramatic but if you have a<br />

solid roll and switched on mates it’ll be fine.<br />

You can get out by ferry gliding back over to the<br />

lodge or go to the second eddy below the wave<br />

(river right) then walk round the tourist track over<br />

the Huka Falls bridge.<br />

You’ll stand out like some freak in dribbly clothing<br />

carrying a boat amongst the bus loads of loopies.<br />

“Are you going to do the falls mate?” “Nah, where’s<br />

the closest pub?”<br />

Huka Hole<br />

From the big lay-by car park there’s a new track<br />

through the bush down to the river. From a small<br />

pull out on the river side of the road, you can see<br />

your wagon from the hole. The best flows for Huka<br />

Hole are from 80cmecs to about 130. Below 80<br />

you’ll hit the bottom, be held in the hole and when<br />

you think you have had a good ride and want to<br />

get out, roll, but still be in there. We have seen a<br />

paddle snapped at this level. Above 130 or so it’s<br />

hard to get on, wash off easy and there’s not much<br />

of a rest eddy. There is a small wave just upstream<br />

of the put in on river left with a channel below<br />

the feature where you will hit the bottom rolling out.<br />

At about 120cmecs the rock to the right of the hole<br />

looking upstream is just out of the water and will<br />

be washed over every few seconds. It looks small<br />

from the road but once you’re in the water it’s a<br />

bit different. This is the best level. It offers easy<br />

spins, wheels and loops and the eddy is still good<br />

enough to give a rest. Just above the hole is a wave<br />

feature. Go into the hole, work over to river right<br />

then pop out of the hole and work up to it. It’s<br />

good for little circuits and dropping back into the<br />

main hole.<br />

If you miss the eddy on river left beside the hole,<br />

go for the one on river right. It’s a bigun. Ferry back<br />

up and over to the top eddy, no stress. Remember<br />

to keep a really good eye on mates to make sure<br />

they roll up and are heading to the eddy.<br />

If you bail and swim, go hard right again and<br />

donate your boat and paddle to the falls. Get a tow<br />

from your partner too. A bomber roll and switched<br />

on team are essential. One thing about this hole<br />

is that the river level can change at any time from<br />

ok to stonking. You have to be adaptable to the<br />

conditions on the day! Huka Hole has a fast<br />

recirculation back up the eddy so you get loads<br />

of rides. Knackering!<br />

Ngawaapurua, Fuljames<br />

From Aratiatia Road go down Rapids Road past<br />

the equestrian centre, hang a right towards Rapids<br />

Jet boat operation then down the metal road to<br />

the car park and camping area. The road veers off<br />

to the right and gets close to the river bank.<br />

Best play spot in the country? It can be used from<br />

180cmecs to about 240. I have been caned, big<br />

time, but wearing appropriate kit, with no real bad<br />

consequences. In high cmecs swimming can be<br />

scary and you go river right. The whirlpools can<br />

pull you down a bit so fit air bags in your boat and<br />

hang onto it. Swimming out of my RAD is fine. But<br />

without airbags should the boat be flipped back<br />

upright it fills up with water completely. You’ll do<br />

the Kursk impression, resurfacing some time later<br />

denying anything was wrong.

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