Whanganui River Trip

It was during out backpacking trip in Stewart Island that someone mentioned we should do a multiday kayaking trip on the Whanganui River (the “wh” is pronounced like an “f”). It was only a week before we left for our Christmas holiday that we actually decided to go and booked the trip. The Whanganui river is in the central North Island and it is the longest navigable river in the country. We chose to do a 3 day, 2 night river trip over Christmas in order to avoid crowds on the river and to find a place that wouldn’t be closed for the holiday. We hired a couple kayaks and gear from an outfitter who would also shuttle us to and from the river. We got all packed on the 23rd in the evening and stayed in the hostel next to the outfitter, then it started to rain. It rained hard all night and as we woke up Christmas Eve it was still raining. The shuttle picked us up to take us down to the river put in around 7:30 in the morning. We drove for about an hour until the paved road was no more and then on to the dirt roads. As we drove along we were all chatting and he was mentioning how the river would be high and fast moving. While driving, he stopped along the road and got to look at a creek and waterfall that he “never knew was there before.” The river we could see was a tributary to the Whanganui and we were to paddle on it for a couple hundred metres until we entered the main river. The driver mentioned several times how he had never seen the river so high or fast as we watched large logs and small trees float on past. Katie’s eyes and voice were saying she didn’t like the looks of the high flow or continued rain. The driver gave us a “safety talk”, wished us luck, and sent us onto the muddy class II wave train that was supposed to be a relaxing gentle flow.


A Little Treat before the Rains Came


Brown Water and Green Surrounds

The rain kept falling all morning and it, the air, and the water were warm but the continued exposure was chilling. The plan was to paddle a few hours each day and sleep in huts along the way. As we set out the rain went from steady to hard and we got colder all along. We chose to not stop for lunch, as it would be warmer to continue paddling to keep warm and get to the hut quicker where we hoped there would be a woodburner, as we had seen in other huts we had used. The river flows through several distinct canyons as it moves from the central North Island into the Tasman Sea. This is a temperate rain forest and we were seeing more of the rain than the forest. The canyon walls rose steeply from river level. The forest floor is mostly volcanic remnants and thus it does not absorb much of the rainfall. This created literally hundreds of waterfalls dropping of the canyon walls down to the river. There was times in the deeper sections of the canyon that you couldn’t float 25 metres without seeing another fall drop in on one side or the other. Some were small trickles cascading down, others you could hear from quite a distance away as they emptied larger streams down on either side of us. We kept ourselves motivated and warm by continually commenting, “look at that one it’s taller than the last 20…” We also passed wild goats hanging out on the cliff walls a few times. Who knows how they got down there. After a couple hours on the water we saw some canoes tied along the river’s edge. This was one of the designated campsites along the way. These, along with the huts, are maintained by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and consisted of a covered picnic tables, outhouses, and leveled and cleared camping terraces. I ran up to check it out and use the facilities. While chatting with a family playing cards in the shelter I learned the river had risen 1 to 1.5 metres overnight night and it was still rising. They were content to stay put until the waters started receding. I wished them well and we continued downstream to our intended hut.

After 3+ hours on the water, we finally arrived at the hut. Dave and Jeannette, the hut wardens, greeted us. They were a couple in their late 70’s who volunteered to spend their holiday at the hut on a 2-week volunteer assignment. They had separate living quarters next to the hut and work with the DOC to ensure all hut users have paid their fees for using the facilities. They were very hospitable and had a toasty fire lit and waiting in the hut. A young couple from Belgium was already taking advantage of the stove and we quickly unloaded the boats and headed in to join them. Within 45 minutes we were dry, warm, and snacking around the large group table watching others perform the same routine. By dinner time there were several groups including 4 Irish girls, 4 Israeli guys, a couple from London, and the Belgium couple, along with us. Everyone was very friendly and it felt homey sitting around the big table chatting and eating our Christmas Eve dinners. We enjoyed some vegetable soup with rice. After dinner we went outside to get some fresh air as the fire, people, and dinner made the hut a little stuffy. We ended up chatting with Dave and Jeanette for a couple hours and had some tea and Tim Tams (think chocolate covered cookie sandwiches with caramel in the middle). It was really interesting to hear many stories of the 45 plus years they had been enjoying the river and now acting to aid the DOC and hut users to do the same.


Our Christmas Eve Accommodations

Christmas Day came and we had continued drizzle overnight. The river level dropped about a foot overnight but was still moving quick and muddy. We said our farewells to the hut wardens and the others, and set off around 10 hoping for clearing skies. The day was much warmer and drier, but we were still treated to several dozen waterfalls dumping down the cliff walls, although not as many or fierce as on Christmas Eve. The river was mostly fast moving current with a couple waves here and there. We stopped a couple hours down for a hike to the “Bridge to Nowhere”. This was a 45 minute hike along a creek to a bridge which connects rainforest on one side to rainforest on the other. It was built in right after WWI for soldiers who had been given land by the government for farming as reward for their service. The cleared land apparently was overrun with ferns and other trees which is why the bridge now connects two forests. Anyway, we had some lunch, saw the bridge and pressed on to the hut. By mid afternoon the sun made it’s first appearance on our trip and the canyons had mostly passed. Our destination hut this evening was next to a Maori meeting hall. There were two cabins, one for the kitchen one for sleeping. We had the same crowd as the night before with a few more people who ventured down from the campsite we visited the day prior. We spent the evening playing cards on the porch of the meeting house. That night was also the first time we heard a kiwi. We have been informed that kiwi sound like “a baby crying” or “loud screeching” and that description is quite true. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any, but we are getting closer. That night we were tired and went to bed pretty early.


Katie on the River


Craig Whanganui Style


Meeting House

Boxing Day we woke up and headed on down for our last day on the river. We were supposed to meet our driver at 2pm. We were again greeted with sun and thus smaller and fewer waterfalls but still many were seen. The sun was pretty hot but it felt good on our wet pruned bodies. We spend much of the morning playing river bocce. This consisted of throwing pumice stones (which float) toward a target stick some distance away. We arrived at our intended take out around 12:30 and the bus met and took us out at 2 as anticipated.


Typical Waterfall

It is always bittersweet getting off the river after an overnight trip. I always wish I could stay and see the scenery and enjoy the river longer, but it does feel good to wash up and get some food that isn’t boil and eat. Once back at the outfitter, we were quick to unload the boats and get showers in attempt to get a move on to our next destination, Napier. After nearly 2 hours of driving, I remembered that I did not bring my shoes and they were sitting next the van that picked us up from the river. A quick phone call and 2 more hours in the car and I had my shoes back. We made little progress that evening as we decided to stay there instead of driving late that night. Boxing Day is a public holiday in New Zealand and most of the restaurants and stores were closed. We treated ourselves to some Chinese food that night, as it was the best of a couple not great options. It should be noted we would have had many more and better options had we not been in Ohakune, where I left my sneakers. The holiday park (campground) was really busy that night and we were treated to a strangely New Zealand phenomenon. The Rotel is a rolling hotel. There was a group of older folks who travelled on a big tour bus and slept on a trailer of a semi truck. From the outside there appeared to be over 50 bunks for sleeping. It reminded me of the “hotels” you see in Japan which is only a bed/sleeping compartment.


"Das Rollende"

Overall, it was a great river trip, not that I complain about many of them. Katie was able to go on her first multiday trip and it was the second best option for Christmas. If we were in Buffalo, we could have gone to visit our new nephew, Holden Jeffrey, in the hospital. He is a few weeks early but healthy and home now. Congrats to Jay and Erica!

River Pictures Album