Tag Archives: #kayaking

13th April 2025: Waiau Uwha River

Date: 13/04/2025
River: Waiau Uwha River, North Canterbury, New Zealand.
River Conditions: 41 cumecs at Marble Point. Water clear. Grade 2.
Weather Conditions: Sunny & warm, with light NE winds..
Number on Trip: 6 people.
Time on River: 4.5 Hours.
Comments: After someone asked if the club still ran the Waiau, I was considering running a trip. Fortunately John H beat me to it and organised this trip. He also managed to organise a reasonable flow and some great weather.

Going kayaking in a Mini? The modern Minis are certainly more roomy than the original ones.

Six of us met at the Peg and we loaded the boats on to two vehicles, including John’s modern mini. The idea of going on a trip in a Mini conjured up memories of childhood holidays when my parent’s loaded up our orange Mini Clubman Estate with our large 3 bedroom, kitchen & dining room frame tent, table, chairs, kitchen setup, air mattresses etc and crammed their three boys in the back seat, and headed up to Opoutama Beach near Mahia Peninsula. The modern Mini’s are definitely larger and significantly more comfortable, so there wasn’t much cramming and it was quite an enjoyable drive up to the put in beside the Hanmer River.

Pam leading the group down the mighty Hanmer River.

John and Heather ran the shuttle, while the rest of us enjoyed the sunshine and scenery. When John and Heather returned, we ran a quick safety briefing, though we completely forgot to mention all the jetboats. Instead of carrying our boats we floated down the Hanmer River. Some of the stretch was a little shallow or overgrown with willow trees and so some of the group decided to walk around the tighter spots.

Heading down the Hanmer River to the mighty Waiau.

We regrouped once we reached the river, a group of private jetboats were heading upstream, so they wouldn’t bother us, but the larger commercial jetboat looked to be pretty busy.

Paddling towards the Hanmer Bridge and the start of the gorge.

Going under the Hanmer bridge and into the gorge is always impressive and this time the sunshine and light made for a nice photo.

It was a beautiful day, warm with clear blue skies, the water cool and greeny-blue. The early part of this section consists of steep walled gorges, carved through the fractured grey stone. The rapids aren’t particularly common, but there are plenty of features and eddies to catch along the side, and some of these can be deceptively boily and can lead to the odd surprise to the unwary.

Watching a jetboat with a raft attached going by.

Jetboats are common in the gorge section and it is definitely worth keeping your ears open and be ready to get to the side of the river as soon as the cry of “JETBOAT!” goes up. While we did get briefly confused by a plane passing overhead, generally if we thought we heard an engine, a jetboat would appear.

There are some good surf waves that are relatively easy to get on, with good eddies beside them so you can recover after being flushed out.

The jetboat operators were very good and let each other know, via radio, that we were on the river (it’s probably worth calling in to the Thrillseekers office to let them know you’ll be on there before putting on), and they were very respectful of us, but they definitely make a good wake and it’s better not to be in their way.

More interesting rock formations lining the river.

There are some great rock formations and the scenery makes for an almost magical experience as you float along with the current through the gorges of the early section.

As the river opens out, the rapids tend to form around chutes and boulders, with occasional outcrops of bedrock creating river carved features. There are some nice spots for a surf and we all enjoy a bit of fun making the most of them,

John H enjoying a good surf in his Spade Joker.

One of the bigger rapids, pictured below, has changed a lot over the years as floods move the gravel and rocks around, create new channels or expose different features.

The group prepares to tackle one of the larger rapids on the Waiau.

There were no dramas, but with much of the water flowing through the rapid, there was no real “park & play” spot, so when we flushed out, we just had to carry on and try to catch the next feature.

Normally we stop for lunch just around the corner at Marble Point, but today we got to enjoy a little more sunshine and a slightly different perspective while we enjoyed a bite to eat (a muesli bar and some beef jerky in my case).

There were some interesting rocks at the point, the reddish-pink marble that gives the location it’s name, sculptured over time by the rivers currents, and also what appeared to be volcanic boulders of some sort, possibly basalt, that I’d never noticed before. The rocks and their sculpted forms made for some cool photos. The odd jet boat went by while we were having lunch and it is always impressive to see them race passed with the oddly shaped marble background.

Just down stream from Marble Point there was a nice surf wave and we spent some time there, catching rides between passing jetboats.

Above Shark’s Tooth, the main river flow bypasses the channel with this named rapid, so if the name scares you, you can easily skip the excitement. However if you choose to pick your way through the boulders at the top of the rapid and run down the channel that branches off to the left, you can run the “dreaded” Shark’s Tooth rapid. It’s not too much more than a fairly easy chute, but the flow does run into the rather imposing protuberance of rock that gives the rapid it’s name and forms such a distinctive feature that is visible from the road, so it is kind of cool.

Once the river opens out completely, most of the rapids are behind you and when the bridge appears, your trips is almost at an end. However it is important to take care at the take out, because the inlet to one of the major irrigation schemes is just below the bridge and getting sucked into that would be a mistake you probably wouldn’t live to regret. There is no swimming allowed around the bridge and that includes kayakers, so if you do have people in the party that aren’t 100% confidant, it is probably better to take out at one of the small beaches on the left side above the bridge.

Hauling the boats up the rocks at the take out.

It was a beautiful day on the river and one of my favourite parts of Waiau River trips is sitting under the pine trees at the get out, on a warm, summer’s day, waiting for the shuttle to be run. This trip didn’t disappoint and I really enjoyed myself. After the cars arrived back, we loaded up and then headed back to town, pausing only to make an important stop in Culverden for enormous ice cream cones, before heading home.

6th April 2025: Hurunui River

Date: 6/04/2025
River: Hurunui River, North Canterbury, NZ
River Conditions: 40 Cumecs at Mandamus. Grade 2 – 3, water swift & clear.
Weather Conditions: Sunny & warm, with light nor-easterly winds. Slightly overcast later in the day.
Number on Trip: 15 kayakers (11 kayakers doing Maori Gully).
Time on River: 3.5 hours
Comments: With rain during the week, the Hurunui River came up from a very low 11 cumecs to almost 50 cumecs and a trip from Jollie Brook was floated for Sunday. With good weather forecast, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and loaded up the car. With daylight savings ending, it was easy to make it to The Peg before 8:30am as the cats didn’t change their clocks and were expecting breakfast at the normal time or 6am as it was now known. There was a little fluffing around waiting for Marco, who had some issues with vehicles, keys and front doors, and broke his own record of never being late.

After Marco arrived, we were soon on the road, and it was nice to see the familiar sights that I hadn’t see for quite some time. It had been over 4 years since I had paddled the Hurunui and I was quite excited to see what had changed. The tar seal turned to gravel as we crossed the Waitohi River and began winding through the hills. With the start of the Roar, there was quite a bit of traffic on the road and it was definitely worth driving carefully and being prepared to meet oncoming vehicles on blind corners.

Your recreation, your responsibility. Only idiots shoot signs.

We got changed at Seawards and then headed up to the put in at Jollie Brook after a quick safety briefing. It was a little disappointing to see that someone had decided to use the new Check, Clean & Dry sign for target practice, along with nearly every other road sign on the way. That kind of behaviour creates a negative image of firearms user in the eyes of the general public, so if you’re considering doing this kind of thing, have a little think and do the right thing.

We had a good warm up at Jollie Brook and it was nice to have a play about on the familiar water. Having had our first whitewater experiences on the beginners course back in 2000 here, it is alway good to return here, breaking out of the unchanged eddies to ferry glide across the Hurunui’s flow.

Playing at Jollie Brook, the water comes alive.

It has also been good to see newer paddlers pulling tricks and paddling boats not dissimilar to those we paddled in the 2000’s, rather than just bombing everything in a large creek boat.

From Jollie Brook, we headed downstream through the boulder garden, catching eddies and surfing the small waves, while realising that my fitness could do with some work.

Looking back up the river towards the mountains.

Most of the rapids were recognisable, but it was interesting to see how different groups interact with each feature over the year. We only had a short play at the big rock play wave at the end of the boulder garden section.

With an extended play at one of the rocky drops, where there is a nice eddy on the river left that allows you to catch some good surfing waves, while the large eddy on the river right provides a good spot for spectators to watch or catch their breath between surfs.

John R showed us that he still has the skill to make some impressive moves, and I managed not to fall out of my boat while taking photos and catching the odd wave.

Young Ben made some good moves and I felt fortunate to be able to catch some of them with my camera.

There is a nice rapid in one of the early gorges, with opportunities for paddlers to showcase their skills, catching eddies on the left and then ferry gliding across to the large rock to the right of the main flow, breaking out with a flourish of spray.

On down though more rapids, while remembering why this is probably my favourite section of the Hurunui, with its’ gorges and an assortment of rapids.

There is plenty for everyone and most of the rapids have changed little over the years since I had last paddled them.

Not far upstream from the confluence with the south branch is another familiar play spot, this one featuring a small eddy, the mezzanine, on the face of a bluff which the flow pushes directly against.

A gathering just before the South Branch confluence.

The trick here is to catch the eddy and then exit without anything untoward happening, which depending on the flow can be a bit tricky. I gave it a miss this time, as being upside down whilst being pushed up against a bluff don’t rank highly on my list of fun things to do. However a number of people gave it a go, with young Ben making his first time look easy. Pam was feeling apprehensive about giving it a try, but with a bit of encouragement and coaching, she achieved it on her first try and was very pleased with that.

After a swim, one kayaker ended up downstream with his boat circling an eddy above a bluff. It was a little tricky to rescue it from the eddy, but Ben soon had it in tow and the kayaker back in their boat.

Ben rescuing an empty kayak from the bluff.

Having heard that Devil’s Fang Falls had disappeared after a flood in 2021, I was interested to see what the rapid was like now and was quite excited as I lined up at the top of the rapid. As the photo below shows, I wasn’t too worried as I had the camera out, taking photos, and not paddling. It didn’t look exactly like nothing, so the camera soon went away and I got both hands back on the paddle. The rapid itself was still pretty bouncy, with a number of waves and features, but the teeth were gone (covered up to re-emerge at a later date).

There was a nice surf spot with a good eddy where we used to pull in below the rapids and definitely no sign of the teeth that had previously frightened the unwary paddler.

The rapid formerly known as “Devil’s Fang Falls”.

After a play and photo session, I carried on down, eddying out on the river left at the spot where the two channels converge, while the rest of the group carried on around the corner. As the last boat disappeared from view, I casually began to ferry glide across the flow above the bluff, which when I was still a beginner had caused a few swims. Normally this hadn’t been an issue for sometime, but today the current was stronger than expected and I found myself pushed towards the bluff and then stuck in a notch in the face of the bluff. Embarrassing, still there was no one to see or rescue me if things got awkward. Fortunately, I stayed upright and managed to work my way out of the notch and round the bluff, before following the rest of the group.

The picture above shows the “old play wave” just down from the Dozy Stream put in, not much to look at currently, but in the past it was pretty exciting and made for some great photos like the one on this article. Was a little disappointed, but change is the nature of rivers and features should never be taken for granted and just enjoyed in the moment.

While speaking of change, it looks like floods have moved some of the sediment that was blocking off the entrance to the Eddy of Doom. It’s not the same as when I started paddling the Hurunui, but there is once again a large eddy on the river left, with the current pushing into the bluff. To exit the eddy, you have to cross above the bluff, so there is potential for excitement to happen. Of course, there is still a chicken run down the right, if this is a level of excitement you’d prefer to avoid. So while the river may take with one hand, it gives with the other.

After the Eddy of Doom, there are a few more rapids as the river widens and we headed towards Seawards, so there is still plenty of fun. By this stage, I was feeling a little tired with my lack of paddle fitness showing.

Bill dodges the rock and carves into the eddy.

At Seawards, four of us got out to run the shuttle. I chose not to run Maori Gully, as I’d rather end the trip on a high note, with dry feet and hair, rather than cold and wet after a beat down on Cheese Grater. Also I wouldn’t mind if I never had to carry my boat up the stairs at the Maori Gully take out again, that just kills me. We didn’t have quite enough people to move all the vehicles and on the way back I spotted a 4×4 with a single kayak on the roof. I didn’t think much of it, but it was a nice surprise to see Phil Abraham, who taught me how to kayak properly and who I now work with, appear at the take out after a solo run down Maori Gully. He cycled back up to Dozy Stream to pick up his vehicle, while we headed back to town feeling satisfied to be reacquainted with the Hurunui.

22nd March 2025: Ashley River

Date: 22/03/2025
River:    Ashley River, Canterbury, NZ
River Conditions:   9 cumecs at Ashley Gorge. Water slightly discoloured and cool. Grade 2.
Weather Conditions:   Sunny and warm, light NE winds..
Number on Trip: 6.
Time on River: 3.5 hours.
Comments: As we were now into Autumn and I still hadn’t managed to get a trip in I was starting to feel desperate. Having sorted out this years peach crop, but with nothing promising on the horizon in the club’s trip list, it was time to take matters into my own hands. As the weather was looking good for the weekend, with a southerly change on Sunday, I put some feelers out on Facebook to gauge interest levels. Jurgen emailed the club and there was some interest, but no one was keen to organise an actual trip, so in the end, I bit the bullet and made the trip official, meaning I couldn’t just pike out on Saturday morning. Plus having a Saturday trip meant kayaking wouldn’t interfere with my Sunday chores, including making peach crumbles and the Sunday roast.

We met up at The Peg around 8:40am and discussed the two options, to either paddle the Hurunui River, at approximately 17 cumecs, from Jollie Brook to Seawards or run the Ashley River, at approximately 10 cumecs, from the Lees Valley to the Middle Bridge. Popular consensus was to go for the Ashley, as there were several paddlers who hadn’t paddle the Ashley before. The closer location also appealed as it meant I’d be home at a decent time and we wouldn’t have to drive so far. We loaded the boats on to two cars, with John R arriving while we were doing that. It was great to see a familiar face and nice to have another experienced kayaker along. It also turned out that it was Johns’ first trip out in over two years and he wasn’t the only one returning to whitewater after an extended break.

We hit the road shortly before 9am, almost a record for me as I’m usually running late even for my own trips. The countryside was blanketed in a thick fog, which made navigating the back road “short cut” a little trickier than usual, but with John navigating in the front vehicle, we didn’t get lost, breaking through into the sunshine as we reached the hills. The road through the hills was a little rough, with plenty of potholes, so going was slow and a little dusty but eventually we arrived at the put-in in the Lees Valley.

A spot of practice by the Lees Valley Bridge to warm up before heading down the river.

We got changed and took the boats down to the river while Jaap and Nick ran the shuttle. The shuttle took a while and it is potentially worth taking an extra vehicle to leave at the middle bridge to avoid this delay. Eventually we were all on the river and had a bit of a warm up before turning downstream around 11 o’clock.

It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm with little wind, and it was great to be back in my kayak. It was nice to catch the little eddies behind boulders and surf the little waves, but I certainly wasn’t feeling fit.

It was such a beautiful day and there was a real joy to being out on the water. I pushed myself a little too far in places and managed to find myself upside down after turning into an eddy and catching the blitz’s tail on a shallow rock. Upside down and pushed up against another rock, I bailed out and had a short swim before hauling my kayak to the shore and emptied the water out.

Everyone was having plenty of fun, doing tricks and catching waves, as we made our way down the river. It was especially good to see John R back in his boat and putting it through its paces.

John pulls a tail stand while Eaon watches on.

This section of Ashley has a lot to offer for grade 2 paddlers, even at lower flows, and provides enough opportunities to challenge one’s self if you choose to. I had another swim one the harder rapids as I challenged myself, again catching the tail on a submerged rock as I carved into an eddy. At lower flows, the Ashley can be a little bony and I didn’t really want to spend too much time upside down, bouncing along the bottom, plus not having a lot of stamina, I pulled the deck quickly and swam to shore towing my boat and paddle.

Looking down one of the boulder garden rapids.

It was a bit of a shame to miss most of the best rapid, especially as I also missed the opportunity to photograph the others as they ran it. Still, I got a nice photo (above) looking down the rest of the rapid from the spot where I emptied my boat out.

From here, I eased off a little and made sure I didn’t have any more swims as my lack of fitness was showing and I was feeling a little cool.

There was still plenty more fun to be had, though I focused more on taking pictures than doing tricks (mainly because I don’t really have any tricks in my repertoire).

It was a great day out and a very enjoyable reintroduction to the joys of kayaking, but by the time the river widened out, I was feeling a little tired and quite glad when we neared the take out. I definitely wasn’t going to suggest doing the next section.

Pam heads to down stream as the river widens out.

A sunlit waterfall by the takeout, with Eaon and Nick.

The waterfall near the take out looked beautiful in the sunshine and it was nice to capture the shot, normally it is shaded and so doesn’t look quite so good. The take out was a bit smelly as someone had dumped a couple of possum carcases near the car park, when the could have thrown them in the bush. The sandflies were also particularly vicious, so it was nice when the shuttle vehicles arrived back and we were able to head back to town.

16th February 2025: Avon River (Ōtākaro)

Date: 16/02/2025
River:    Avon River, Christchurch, NZ
River Conditions:   1.391 cumecs at Gloucester Street bridge. Water clear. Grade 1.
Weather Conditions:  Sunny and warm, strong NE winds.
Number on Trip:    1 person.
Time on River: 1.25 hours.
Comments: It was a beautiful, warm afternoon and I took the opportunity to get out for a paddle. I headed upstream as I was a little short on time and it is always easier to paddle home with the current if you are feeling tired. The Red Zone was looking lovely and I passed a group of people in Canadian canoes finishing a trip at the take out near Pomeroy’s, it’s always nice to see other people enjoying the river.

Heading into the Central City via the Avon Loop.

The current was swift in the section by the Barbadoes Street Cemetery and the temporary “dam” was still in place. The dam wasn’t too much of an impediment to navigation and on the way home, I had a play practicing slalom between the waratahs.

A weed catching dam on the Avon Loop by the Barbadoes Street cemetery.

Under the Babadoes Street bridge, a couple of guys were sieving the river gravels, looking for interesting relics. They’d found a few clay pipes & coins, but nothing like the Police radio or full magazine they had found on other excursions on Christchurch’s waterways. It is always interesting the things that end up in the Avon.

Carried swiftly downstream past the Barbadoes Street cemetery.

After paddling as far up the Fire Station “Rapid” as I could, I turned for home, enjoying the current assisted travel.

A weeping willow spans the river near the old Bangor Street pumping station.

Didn’t take too long to get home and clamber out of my kayak, feeling a little stiff and sore, having not paddled much for a while.

23rd December 2024: Avon River (Ōtākaro)

Date: 23/12/2024
River:    Avon River, Christchurch, NZ
River Conditions:   1.687 cumecs at Gloucester Street bridge. Water clear. Grade 1.
Weather Conditions:  Overcast but warm, NE winds.
Number on Trip:    1 person.
Time on River: 1.75 hours.
Comments: The lead up to Christmas is always stressful, so it was nice to take some quiet time out on the Avon. It was overcast and I put on the river later in the afternoon than I would normally, heading downstream to see if there had been any changes as there had been quite a bit of work being carried out through the Red Zone as part of the City to Sea Pathway.

The river was smooth and there wasn’t too much wind, so paddling was relatively easy and I was able to cruise along soaking in nature under a moody sky.

Swans with a signet near the Medway Bridge.

It was nice to see some ducklings and signets on the river, as the young ones on the stretch near our home don’t seem to last long. A pair of paradise shelducks we occasionally fed had 14 ducklings and in the space of 2 weeks, we’d count fewer and fewer until they were all gone. We don’t know whether it was rats, eels or loose dogs (of which we have many and often see them chasing the waterfowl while their owners stand uselessly by) responsible, but the parents seemed quite heartbroken with their loss.

The Dallington Landing against a gloomy sky.

I paddled all the way down to Kerrs Reach and then heading back upstream. I experimented with taking a few low angle, reflective shots that tried to capture the dramatic skies above. Not sure I managed to capture what I wanted, but some of the results were okay. Said “hi” to the only other person on the river as he paddled his race boat upstream and back again.

Dead tree reflected in the waters of the Avon.

It was getting late by the time I paddled up the the Swanns Road bridge, I spotted a large trout under the bridge as well as eel in the deep part downstream of the bridge. I hauled my kayak out of the river and headed home for a shower, cook dinner and to return to the pre-Christmas / cat health crisis drama.

5th October 2024: Avon River (Ōtākaro)

Date: 5/10/2024
River:    Avon River, Christchurch, NZ
River Conditions:   2.048 cumecs at Gloucester Street bridge. Water clear. Grade 1.
Weather Conditions:   Sunny but cool, NE winds.
Number on Trip:    1 person.
Time on River: 1.25 hours.
Comments: We played disc golf on our “private” course in the Red Zone in the morning, as well as spending time with Billy the friendly neighbourhood cat, and as it was such a nice spring day, I decided a paddle on the Avon would be a nice way to spend the afternoon, while Lauri rested in her garden TreePod.

Paddling through the Red Zone from Swanns Road Bridge.

I carried the Blitz down to the river and did a seal launch off the gabion baskets that form my usual get out spot. The tide was out and the drop was around 1 metre, with not quite enough water for a nice landing. So after a slight thunk, I needed wobble the boat a bit before the nose released and the boat slid fully into the water.

As always it was nice to be on the river even if lack of practice had me feeling a little unfit. I decided to paddle upstream for a change, primarily because the return leg is easier with the current assisting.

River works near the Barbadoes Street cemetery.

With the tide out, the Avon flows more swiftly and I had to put a little more effort in to get up the narrow section near the Barbadoes Street cemetery. There were a number of whitebaiters positioned along the river, though I’m not sure that they were having a lot of luck. There also seemed to be some work going on in the river, with a series of waratahs staked across the river and a digger on the bank.

I paddled up just past the Barbadoes Street bridge, into our old neighbourhood, before the “impassable” Fire Station rapids put a halt to my journey. From here I turned around and headed for home, making good time the current aiding my passage.

There were still a few blossom covered trees around, but mostly winter’s bare boughs are now clad in spring green. It is quite a beautiful paddle in the middle of the city.

Looking upstream towards the Barbadoes Street cemetery.

It was good to give my kayaking muscles a stretch, especially I hope to take on the Hurunui in the not too distant future. Back at the put in, I clambered up the gabion baskets and hauled up the kayak before wandering home across the Red Zone for a shower and a cup of tea.

24th August 2024: Avon River (Ōtākaro)

Date: 24/08/2024
River:    Avon River, Christchurch, NZ
River Conditions:   1.807 cumecs at Gloucester Street bridge. Water clear. Grade 1.
Weather Conditions:   Sunny and warm, NW winds.
Number on Trip:    1 person.
Time on River: 1.5 hours.
Comments: The weather was warm and the river looked beautiful when we went for a walk through the Red Zone in the morning. The river’s surface was almost a perfect mirror and as I crouched to capture the image with my phone, I heard the familiar slosh of paddles cutting through water, snapping a photo before the mirror was sliced by a race boat heading upstream.

Race boater cuts through the mirrored surface of the Avon.

Having worn out Lauri with a couple of walks, I took the opportunity to have a paddle. I got changed and heaped down to the river with my Blitz on my shoulder. I had to leave my camera at home as the batteries were completely flat. I decided to launch from a low spot in the bank where we feed the local duck, the water was low but I thought if I kept the angle shallow, it should be fine. I slid off the bank and the kayak’s nose buried deeply into the river’s muddy bottom.

A bit of wiggling extracted the Blitz’s bow and it surfaced with a hefty mound of dark river mud on it. Some sloshing back & forth managed to wash it away before I set off downstream. It was a lovely day to be on the river, many of the trees are still bare, their fractal branches silhouetted against the sky, but their were glimpses of spring everywhere from flowers, blossoms & daffodils on the banks to ducklings on the river.

As I paddled under the Medway footbridge, I watch someone shepherd a pack of white fluffy dogs across the bridge for a walk in the Red Zone. There was plenty of bird life on the river and it was nice to glide through the tranquillity of the Red Zone. I paddled down to the Gayhurst Road bridge, then under the Snell Place footbridge and on to Kerrs Reach, where I turned about and headed for home.

As always, heading upstream is harder and I watched the sun get lower as I powered ahead, gradually getting nearer. At the Medway footbridge, I witnesses the return of the pack of fluffy, white dogs. They obviously had a good walk, being out for over an hour.

I paddled up to the Swanns Road bridge and watched a shag trying to eat a small eel, while another shag tried to steal it. The shag with the eel flew off under the bridge, with the other shag in pursuit, while I headed for the take out. I climbed out of my kayak and walked back home, pausing the admire Rusty’s native plantings along the community gardens boundary, and to congratulate him on his hard work. It is quite exciting the see all the positive developments around the Red Zone.

28th April 2024: Avon River (Ōtākaro)

Date: 28/04/2024
River:    Avon River, Christchurch, NZ
River Conditions:   1.617 cumecs at Gloucester Street bridge. Water clear. Grade 1.
Weather Conditions:   Sunny and warm, NE winds.
Number on Trip:    1 person.
Time on River: 1.5 hours.
Comments: After a wander around the Gypsy Fair at the local green, I decided to go for a paddle on the Avon to get some exercise and make the most of a sunny afternoon. I tossed up between heading upstream or downstream, before sliding off the bank and into the water. The tide was out so the river was relatively low at my launch site, and I was a little worried I’d end up with my kayak’s nose stuck in the mud whilst I looked stupid with my boat half on the bank and half in the river. Fortunately the kayak surfaced nicely and I paddled off downstream.

The water was smooth & glassy, and it was nice to feel a paddle in my hands again. I hadn’t paddled since the end of last year, after which getting moved and settled into our house took all my time. Since moving in there has been a constant stream of tasks to get done, some that had been put off for a while as other duties took precedence. A bout of Covid-19 a few week backs, whilst being inconvenient, did give me a chance to catch up on some of those tasks while I isolated.

I paddled down to the Gayhurst Road bridge and then carried on under the Snell Place foot bridge to Kerrs Reach before tuning for home.

Going upstream is always harder, but even with the sun in my eyes, I made good time, my fitness not too depleted by my lack of physical activity.

Almost home, with the Port Hills in the distance.

By the time I reached The Eels, I was getting a little tired and was looking forward to a nice cup of tea and a snack, but home wasn’t too far away.

As the day was getting one, the light created some beautiful effects like the illuminated tree with a shag perched in it’s branches and the autumn colours in the leaves. Eventually I reached the get out and clambered up the bank to head home for a shower and a well deserved rest.

31st December 2023: Avon River (Ōtākaro)

Date: 31/12/2023
River:    Avon River, Christchurch, NZ
River Conditions:   2.212 cumecs at Gloucester Street bridge. Water clear. Grade 1.
Weather Conditions:   Sunny and warm, still to increasingly strong NW winds.
Number on Trip:    1 person.
Time on River: 1.5 hours.
Comments:  It was a beautiful warm and still morning, with the promise of a weather change in the afternoon, so going for a paddle seemed a perfect way to close the year. I grabbed my kayak and gear, slapping on some sunscreen so that I wouldn’t get burnt like last time and headed over to our empty home (currently a build site due to earthquake repairs). I got changed and then realised I hadn’t picked up my bootees. Fortunately, there was an old pair of crocs (knock offs) in the garden shed, so I didn’t need to wander down to the river barefoot.

Swanns Road jetty on a calm summer morning.

The river was glassy smooth, without a hint of wind when I put on, but the wind gradually picked up as I paddled upstream. The river was nice and cool, making a change from the scorching temperatures (around 30 degrees) we’d had the previous couple of days.

The water was relatively clear and I spotted a reasonable sized flounder near the Swanns Road bridge (slightly left of centre in the above photo). I think they head upstream when the tide is in, as the water must become a little brackish.

The Red Zone, with the Stanmore Road bridge in the distance.

It was, as always, nice to be back on the river and I let being surrounded by nature refresh me, the greenery of the Red Zone and the sparkling reflections on the water surface.

A gaggle of geese or a gang of cobra chickens.

It is always nice to see the variety of bird life on the river, though there is definitely an abundance of Canada geese.

A family of Paradise Shelducks beneath willow tree.

Seeing paradise shelducks with their young is always good, though some pairs are definitely more successful than others and it can be a little sad to see families with only one or two ducklings left, out of a half dozen or more.

Paddling upstream, beside Fitzgerald Avenue.

Up round the Avon Loop and past the Barbadoes Street cemetery is always very picturesque with it’s banks lined with trailing willows, native flaxes and cabbage trees.

Paddling around the Avon Loop, past the Barbadoes Street Cemetery.

I stopped at the outflow for St Mary’s stream, where it flows out of its historic barrel drain. The stream flows underground from its’ source spring in Merivale near Church Lane.

I paddled all the way up to our old neighbourhood, the “Fire Station rapids” halting my upstream progress, and then turned to allow the current to take me home.

More photos around the Barbadoes Street cemetery, as the swifter current flowing through the narrower channel carried me past the flowering flaxes on the river bank.

Floating past the Barbadoes Street cemetery.

This really is a beautiful get away in the heart of the city, what could be better on a lovely, sunny day.

I had a play around at taking photos underwater, to capture the interplay of the rippling light and green river weed on the pebble covered river bed. As well as taking a novel self-portrait from the possible perspective of a fish.

An underwater shot of the gravel river bed.

The Bangor Street No. 3 Pumphouse was the city’s third pumping station. It was built in 1907 to assist in the further extension of the sewage system into the more populous suburban areas of Merivale, Addington, Sydenham, Linwood and Richmond. The pumphouse was designed to fit into its suburban residential environment and thus the circular holding tanks and much of the pump mechanism, which contained almost entirely underground, were screened by an ornamental pavilion, something quite different from many of the utilitarian structures of today..

On the other side of the river from the pump house, is one of our favourite houses in Christchurch, and certainly one of the few to survive the earthquakes.

One of our favourite houses, and one of the few that survived the quakes.

Further down I spotted something odd in the water, not the usual collection of road cones, supermarket trolley or bicycle. On closer inspection, it turned out to be an open umbrella, already partially covered with bright green algae.

A submerged umbrella, not something you see everyday.

Pump House No. 4 on River Road is another architectural throwback from a bygone age when style mattered, even for sewerage pumping stations. Still working today, it provides a picturesque feature to the Red Zone and Avon River precinct.

Swanns Road bridge appears, signifying we are almost home.

The last stretch before climbing up the bank and heading back to our empty home. A quick change, crocs back in the shed, kayak back on the car and then back to our temporary accommodation for lunch.

Almost home, just downstream of the Swanns Road bridge, adjacent to the Richmond Community Gardens.

3rd December 2023: Avon River (Ōtākaro)

Date: 3/12/2023
River:    Avon River, Christchurch, NZ
River Conditions:   2.025 cumecs at Gloucester Street bridge. Water clear. Grade 1.
Weather Conditions:   Sunny and warm, strong NW winds.
Number on Trip:    1 person.
Time on River: 1.5 hours.
Comments:  I haven’t been out for a paddle for a quite sometime, being out of our house and the ongoing stress surround our earthquake repairs have been consuming a lot of my spare time. I was considering heading up to the Hurunui with the Canterbury Whitewater Club but the weather was wasn’t looking good, with heavy rain predicted about the main divide, and I didn’t want my first club trip in over 2 years, to be a miserable affair. On the plus side, the nor-westerly winds dumping rain in the mountains meant high temperatures in Christchurch, so I took the opportunity to head down to the Avon with the Blitz.

Preparing to seal launch in to the cool waters of the Avon on a hot day.

I parked up at our empty home, got changed and carried my kayak through the community garden and down to the river, seal launching off the bank into the cool green waters. It felt good to be back on the water and I was soon paddling strongly down stream through the Red Zone.

Native vegetation along the Red Zone river bank.

I always enjoy paddling through the Red Zone, the peace and quiet, surrounded by nature, it is really relaxing. So it was a bit of a surprise to come across the scene pictured below. I heard their cursing, before I saw them, with their quad bike, trailer and motor powered inflatable bogged by the river’s edge. Interesting I thought, since unauthourised motor vehicles are banned from the Red Zone and power boats are not allowed on the Avon. I took a photo of the spectacle, and without me saying a word, I was abused as “a grumpy old man” and worse. They followed up the abuse by throwing sticks & stones, which fortunately missed or it would have become a Police matter.

This bunch of young idiots managed to get their quad bike & trailer bogged whilst riding illegally around the Red Zone.

These are probably the same young dickheads that are frequently the subject of complaints on the RADS Facebook page, for racing around the Red Zone and abusing people. I imagine they’ll learn about consequences at some stage in the future when they find themselves in jail, or die in a car wreck, or at the hands of someone they abuse, the young & stupid “free pass” only lasts so long, before consequences get real. Laughing at their stupidity, I paddled on and left them in my wake.

The peace and calm soon returned as I paddled on, the Red Zone making me feel like I was out in the countryside. A group of large waka ama passed me, heading upstream at the same time as the group of idiots from earlier drove past shouting more abuse, having managed to get themselves unstuck. Charming. I gave them a cheery wave and hoped that was the last I’d see of them.

New Zealand scaups with chicks. The rest of the family is underwater.

There were a lot of ducklings on the river, especial scaups, a type of New Zealand diving duck. It was cute to watch them as often the whole family would disappear underwater for a while, even the tiny ducklings, and then they would bob to the surface one at a time.

I carried on down to Kerrs Reach, where there was a bit of rowing activity going on, and then turned for home. Paddling into the strong headwind was hard going and certainly got my pulse rate up.

A group of four large waka ama powering down the Avon near the Snell Place bridge.

Just before the Snell Place foot bridge, I spotted the four waka ama powering back downstream towards me, so I pulled over to be out of their way and to catch some photographs. Definitely a great day to be out on the river and I was able to forward the photographs to some of the paddlers via a work mate.

One of the bonuses of being on the river, is seeing all the bird life that call it home. I watched this shag diving for fish, though he didn’t appreciate it when I got too close in order to take a photograph. Hopefully he had more success than the guy fishing near the bridge.

There were also a number of Paradise Shelduck pairs spaced out along the bank (they tend to be very territorial and will drive off other pairs quite aggressively if they get too close), some even had fluffy ducklings. Seeing them always reminds us of Greta and makes us feel sad that she never got to raise her own family of funny, fluffy ducklings.

With the strong headwinds, you certainly appreciate the way the river meanders, so you aren’t always battling into the wind. The Dallington Landing looked quite magnificent in the sunlight, but there was no stopping to explore as home beckoned.

Paused to photograph some beautifully coloured flax flowers overhanging the river, only to realise after taking a number of shots that I had water spots on the camera lens. Cleaned the lens as best I could and took a couple more pictures, which seemed to work.

Looking down stream through the Red Zone towards the Port Hills.

I paddled on, battling the winds and lack of fitness, turning occasionally to admire the scenery and checking to make sure I wasn’t missing any great shots. I paddled this stretch quite a few times, and take many very similar shots, but each time the seasons, sky and light will be different, sometimes making for a better picture.

I finally reached my starting point, paddling just a little bit further to the Swanns Road bridge to complete the journey, and then back down to clamber out where I had put in. With my Blitz on my shoulder, I walked back to our house, put the kayak on the car, and had a quick cold shower (we had turned the hot water off while the renovations are in progress) before dressing and returning to our temporary accommodation for a well earned rest. It was a good outing and so nice to be back on the river. I’m looking forward to getting back home and being just a short walk from the Red Zone again.

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