Queenstown Wafting

ORIGINAL POST DATE: MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2011

Just back from a weeks holiday on New Zealand's South Island. I was hoping to get a paddle on a river or two while I was there and while the closest I came was passing four guys getting off a river in the pitch dark in the middle of the night, I did manage to clamber aboard a raft for a spin down the Shotover River outside of Queenstown with Queenstown Rafting. And while the gear definitely dosen't make you look cool and the water was far from warm with the first fall of snow in the mountains for the winter season the night before, the trip was deadly.
The road in to Skippers Canyon was almost as exciting as the rafting, the bends in the road the sides of which were sheer drops off into the canyon, all were named with titles to rival the names of the rapids on the river! Our Guide for the day was Tom a guide from Hokitika on the West Coast, Tom has also worked on the Zam, the nile as well as most parts of the French and Italian Alps, we had alot more than most of the others on the raft to talk about, its a very small community with us whitewater folk!

The river was pretty good there were only about 7 or 8 rapids to speak of but it ran through some pretty cold gold mining country side and the trip is well worth it as a whole. Trips with Queenstown rafting are around NZ$185 and leave from Arthur's Point. If you are looking to paddle in the area without arriving with gear then you best make some arrangements before you arrive otherwise I was advised that the only place to rent gear on the South Island was around Murchison, where the Buller Whitewater Festival was taking place that same week! just my luck eh? Till next time Mike out. PS. I have been reasonably assured that the Cork rodeo footage is winging its way to Australia on a hard drive in the mail as we speak, so the video minus the Expert rounds (thanks Jack!) will be up shortly!