The Perth

The Perth was a religious experience. I paddled it on Easter none the less. It was one of the best days of paddling i have had in the my whole life. The chopper swooped us up at 9:00 and took us up to Scone Hut. The mountains at the put in were jaw-dropping. The run was endless classy grade IV+/V moves that fell together like a beautiful chess game.

On the ride up checking out the goods.


The chopper dropping off the boats


The infamous Scone Hut, the top of the one day Perth trip.


Monkeys and mountains. Photo by Johno.


Amazing country. Photo by Ben


After a 3K warm up the river tilts on edge and drops at 200 fpm for long time. Here is me at the top of the steep stuff.

Taking a look around


Johno lining up a sweet boof


Different angle same drop as above. Photo by Jonho


Take three, Ben had a sweet line! Photo by Johno


Rocks + water + gradient = Fun!!


All day long it was like this or better


Boof. Photo by Jonho


We had great weather too!


Keeps going and going and going....


Three very happy kayakers. Photo by Jonho

The Perth has all the components of a great day out, the run ends with a amazing gorge filled with pushing grade IV stuff that feels harder because you are quite punted after all the challenging whitewater up stream.

Enjoying a peaceful moment in the gorge. Photo by Ben

Ben took some sweet video that I'm currently working on....Stay Tuned!!

-Over and Out

Nevis Bluff

I'm Back a Lincoln now. Easter break was amazing. Heaps of boating, hiking, and general good times was had. No time to waste though, i took 600+ pictures over the break so lets get started!


break started off with a bang...more like a huge explosion. Nevis Bluff on the Karwaraw River outside of Queenstown is flipping crazy. words and even pictures do not do this rapid justice. For those fluent in N.F. Payette gnar-gnar this rapid was bigger then anything on that run. Nevis Bluff is the biggest rapid i have ever seen...end of story.

looking at the drop from WAY up on the road. Remember the first time to scouted Fright Train on the Cal Salmon from the road and it "looks not too bad from here, just left there and right there..." and then you get to the top of the drop and you can't see the bottom and you think well crap it is really big in here.... that is what this was like just times ten.


Looking at the lead in

The crux. Dropping into the biggest hole i have ever seen with my own eyes


Big hole

Very big hole

Glen dropping into said hole.

Glen very much amongst it.

It should be noted that I played the chicken card on this baby, just on the bigger side of my liking and well.... yea...next picture.

Here is a rapid i did run and it is called Citron and was fun roller coaster once you got past the move around the rock a the top.

Brummer

Of note, Amy flew back to the states a week ago so I'm flying solo now..... Hi Amy :) , I miss you.


The Lake Brummer trip with UCCC ( University of Canterbury Canoe Club) was epic. The trip consisted of driving a big bus full of boaters over to the west coast with heaps of kayaks in tow. We stopped at a few pubs along the way and had a jolly good time. Once on the other side of the Alps we stayed in a sweet lodge that slept all 40-some of us.

The bus full of dressed up kayakers is a beautiful thing


Nick and I ready for some fun

Toga, Toga

The trip is catered to beginners with the experienced paddlers acting as instructors. Saturday morning was spent on a lake teaching basic stuff.

getting geared up

a foggy morning on the west coast

After the morning on the lake we headed to the coast to goof around in the ocean and play frisbee in the sand. In the afternoon myself and some other club boaters went and did a sweet run down the Styx (see previous post for more beta). We made it back in time for dinner and an evening full of fun activities!

An integral part of some peoples evening

Sunday morning arrived too early for most but off we all went to do a easy run on the Hokiteka river.

The river was quite high and made for a fun carnage filled day


the boats on their way to the put in


the paddlers on their way to the put in

homeboy partied a little too hard Saturday night


heaps of boats, with our very hungover shuttle bunny in the middle


This picture makes me happy. There were 30+ people on the river and about 20 of them swam in the last rapid...sweet.

The UCCC did an amazing job putting together the weekend and a great time was had by all. Monday started a week the ends with Good Friday and the start of my Easter break. Hopefully lost of kayaking will be had and look for all my adventure to make the blog in a few weeks time.

-Over and out

Big Time Update

Wowzers time flies when you are having fun. Buller Fest happened about four weeks ago for the record, I just did not finally finish the post till today... but after this post/photo dump i should be all caught up!


Amy and I went to a Rugby game in Christchurch one Friday night with a bunch of Americans from Lincoln.

Smile


with both our knowledge put together i think we understand about half of what is going on.

Amy spent some time over the past month doing the WWOOF program (willing workers on organic farms) while a stayed busy in school.

This is a sheep


on of the farm stays was right by the beach

cool white rock meets ocean


at one of the stays Amy got to help build a straw bail house


the finished product looks amazing

Another weekend saw Amy off to the Wildfoods festival in Hikiteka. I had a field trip for one of my classes and had to miss out on the fun.

Amy hopefully not eating any thing to wild...

Tree bark anyone...

Tastey Titties were cow utters...

While i slaved away at school Amy kept having fun. She went for a tramp up at Mt. Summers during one week.

the area is on the eastern side of the Alps so it is quite dry and un-green but still very pretty.


waterfall

one weekend Amy and I decided to mix it up and do a sunrise hike up Avalanche peak ( see previous post for more beta). it was an amazing sunrise looking down on the Alps, we eat breakfast, and enjoyed out time on the summit.

The sun thinking about coming up


Amy and I on top of a mountain at 6:00 am


New Zealand continues to produce some amazing pictures


first light on the Southern Alps


we went with a crew of people and some stopped to nap on the way down

another day another adventure. this time we went on the much talked up "cave stream" hike. which involved walking up a little creek in the depths of a very cool white limestone cave.

prepare to enter the giant hole in the wall


it was pitch black in side and headlamps were a must

crazy place