Oparara Last Day of 2011

Not a bad way to spend the last day of 2011! 260 mm of rain in the Oparara region at the top of the Westcoast saw plently of interest with several coast boaters who had not manged to tick this run of the list of must do's on the Coast. With plently of rain several days earlier some of us started talking about the Oparara but due to several land slips on the road into the Oparara Basin we could not get in as planned. Little did we know that there was more rain to follow. So with the road cleared and the frontal system passed the crew of Brendon Roberston, Andy England, Eddy Murphy, Dylan Thompson, Jared Mitchael, Chris Osauskas and myself headed up. With this awesome crew you would have thought that someone might have paddled it! As it turns out Chris had about 6 years ago but had no real memory of it. The boys in Grey started early at 6 am!! and picked us up in Westport of the way through. I had to feel for Jared a bit as he turned back to pick one of us up and on his the way back to Westport he got picked up for speeding by an out of town cop. OUCH.

The top flat section leads your through the Moria Arch (P-H.Wilson)

The trip itself is amazing. I cant believe that I have been in Westport 5 years and never been o here to do it. Well in saying that I have not done the Kareama either. I have missed a few trips up there due to whatever reason but would not likely miss one again after now knowing what's in there. The scenery is spectacular. Old enchanted forests draping over crazy limestone scultures, while tea stained tannan water churnes its way through. The run its self starts out flat and leads into about 6 or so rapids which could all be run. Each one needs to be scouted for wood, in fact I would scout any thing you could not see all the way to the bottom of for this reason as we had 3 portages from memory due to logs in the river, however these rapids would have been runnable if the timber was not there. This first lot of rapids is broken with large pools between the drops which is nice and ever one was easily scouted, and portaged if needed. After this there is a fairly flat section but you seem to get lost in the scenery and before you know it its back on again. After you go through the 1 meter slot in the river its steepish boulder gardens with several rapids of note which feature in the photos below. I had some friends that were staying with us that were visiting the Oparara Archs that day and we were able to get them to run our vechicle out from the Oparaa Basin to the get out. This would have saved us at least an hour I recon at the end of the day.

The get in at the bridge in the Oparara Basin. (P - A.England)

Me on the first rapid of the day. We had to portage the bottom part notice Jared on the log for safety. (P - C.Osauskas)

Jared Charging the first hard rapid of the day in the top section. Only Dylan and Jared padddled this one. (P - A.England)

Side view of Jared on the same rapid in the same posistion. (P - H.Wilson)

And finally the run out. Dlyan just keeping an eye on things but all good he did not get held in here. (P - H.Wilson)

The Scenery was great througout the trip. (P - A.England)

Dylan on the same rapid above. (P - A.England)

Looking downstream from where I portatged on the left. I managed to jump in about half way down here and run the end part. (P - H.Wilson)

Boulder garden sections were great. (P - A.England)

Back into some good stuff here. We portataged this first part because it looked like there was some timber in it. May have gone with a bit more water. This section was best scouted on the right as you could walk right to bottom as you will see in the next few photos. (P - C.Osauskas)

Looking down from the left side. About a 4 meter seal launch back in. If you look close you can see me right down the bottom on the right side. (P - C.Osauskas)

Jared leaping in. (P - A.England)

This is the photo I got from the bottom where I was Posistioned in the previous photo. It was a sweet drop just dont go to slow and get a decent boof in as it could hold you in it. Crap quality photo as I only had the point and shoot here. (P - H.Wilson)

As I mentioned there was some wood in it. This was the bottom of a sweet looking rapid but could not run it because of this log! (P - A.Enlgand)

Final big drop of the day. I almost pulled out of this one but Dylan and Jared showed some good form and it looked straight forward. Its just the run out that is a bit worrying. As you would not want to get stuck on the left side of the buffer at the bottom. (P - C.Osauskas)

The run out of the same drop. (P - C.Osauskas)

Chris's turn. Photo taken from the other side. (P - A.Engand)

Bezel with some battle scars at the end of the day. (P - A.England)

It was new years so time for bears after the run. Total time was just over 4 hours. I think we had flow about right. Maybe needed just a wee bit more but not too much. (P - A.England)

A different edit of Moria Arch. You could spend twice as long on this trip if you really wanted to get some good shots and take a tripod. (P - H.Wilson)

Cheers Guys for the run

Matt Coles - Hucks the Wonder of Westport

Matt Coles a Westport local has made the first descent of Big Totara falls. After a bit of extra rain Matt, Shannon and Sam went up there on Friday for a look and it looked good so off they went. After several hours of logistics Matt finally took the plunge. Thanks for the report matt and the photos.





The falls themselves are about 1.5 km up from the normal get in for the Big Totara. For those that have been on the Big Totara the amount of water flowing over the falls in the photos are not enough to actually do the run but seem to be ok for the falls themselves. But watch this space as I'm sure others will get up there to see what it looks like at normal flows to make the full descent from the waterfall to the road bridge. I was up there once when it was bank to bank (remember that run Kev) for the bottom run! I can only imagine what the falls look like at that flow!!






Shannon hitting a good line! (Photo - Matt Coles)

Sam not such a good line but he was ok!! (Photo - Matt Coles)

CROWDS ON THE WAIMANGAROA

The Waimangaroa River north of Westport had not seen this much action since the historic days of the Denniston Incline. Today our numbers were 7 far from the normal 2 that descend these waters. 2 English a few Kiwis and a token German to make a nice crew for the run. Not expecting the levels to be as high, it was a pleasant surprise to get there with a normal to high flow making for perfect conditions for boating not to mention fairly good for the photos with the sun beaming down on us.

Matt Coles taking on the crux of the run.



The crew having a look at the crux rapid from above.



Matt leading the way.



Matt



Local boater Chris Osauskas looks on as Matt completes his line.



Sara the only female on the river lines it up.



Sara taking doing it with English Class.



Artistic Kayaking!!!



Shannon having some time away from the students.



Model stroking all the way!



Shannon punching the thick stuff.



Englishman Adam waiting patiently gets his turn.



Now you see him.



Now you dont!!!



All in a days works.

Wonder of Westport 2011

Back in for another look at this great looking waterfall near Westport. We had 55 mil of rain over the course of the previous day so it seemed like a good time to go check it out. Unfortunately we did not manage to run it as we decided that we needed a bigger crew rather than just the two of us so that our safety options were better!

Isaac having a good look at the lines before deciding against it.

Lower down we found a neat little gorge that could offer up some extra stuff up higher when the water level is right for the bottom section (this is below the falls thought). Not sure if it was a first decent of this part of the river but Im fairly sure that it is.

Running the drops on the little gorge.

A stunning place to be on a Monday morning.

Footage of the falls themself

LOW FLOW ON THE STYX

Dispite being very low Isaac, Whity (Andrew White) and Benis (Ben Algie) and myself went up the Styx for a run. Whity and Benis were making somewhat of a comeback to the kayaking seen after a lengthy layoff. For Whity, Ben and myself it was a bit of a reunion of sorts after not paddling together since studying back in 2006!

Isaac Leading the charge on the walk in.

Whity starting to remember what it like to walk in with a boat on board.

At least the side creeks were not dry as Whity takes on some H2o.

After getting to the top it seemed that there would be enough water for a run down.

Isaac and myself having a look a bit further up.

And after much discussion on where to go this is what happened. And giving the camera to Benis this is what he got.

Howie

Isaac

Myself on the first major drop. After almost deciding not to run this due to the large rock half way down I managed to hit a good line and got a sweet boof at the end. Isaac took control of the camera for the series of photos that follow.

Isaac back in his boat making his way through the numerous boulder gardens.

Normally it is me following Ben's line but after some time off the water it was Benis watching my line but after having a look he fired it up. Good to see him back in his boat afer 4 year layoff and it did not even look like he's been out of if! I will be following him again very soon I suspect.

Isaac finding a boof.

Whity

good to see Ben has not lost the facials as well.