December 27th, 2011
Woke up, checked out (kind of anyway)....we were able to leave the majority of our stuff in the luggage locker until Dec 31st, as this evening, we have to carry all of our gear for the next 4 days on our back, over the 20 mile Routeburn Track (Hike) before kayaking for 2 days in Doubtful Sound, Adventure Queenstown Hostel (I can't say enough good things about this place) was kind enough to let us keep our bags there, containing our SCUBA gear and other unnecessary clothes. We jumped in the van/bus for a 15 minute journey to the Shotover River. We geared up in full length wet suits, a helmet, and fins to help steer/control ourselves while on our boogie board essentially white water rafting. Who needs a raft and oars when you can go through rapids on a boogie board with fins, right?!?! Anyway, we learned on the route that this was only one of two places in the world that you can go river boarding....where we were...and Africa, with waters filled with crocodiles and hippos. I choose New Zealand.
Fortunately, Tim, our friend from the hostel, and I struck up conversation with a family + extended family of about 8, who were all semi-coordinated looking so that we would be divided with their group, they were all Kiwis on holiday, and it worked out.
We hiked down from the top of the canyon edge over the course of about 10 minutes or so, and got prepped. Our guides taught us how to properly enter and exit eddy's (pools of water w/ the reverse flow of water, and lacking a downstream pull) such that you don't get swept down the river on your own, how to pivot and spin while on your board, and how to ride the board through the rapids - in a power position, with your dominate hand (right) on the lower right side of the board, and your left hand in the upper left, so that you go through the rapids on an angle, and can more sturdily stay on your board. We practiced being thrown off the board, and retrieving our board (via wrist strap) and getting back on as soon as possible, for safety...and fun. And finally we practiced doing duck dives, throwing our head into the bitter cold water, as if going through rapids, but I'm certain it's just for the guides entertainment purposes.
Onward we went, the river water was chilly, but our wet suits did the trick. The water, again, an incredible shade of turquoise blue, and as we're floating down the river, suddenly the shore is no longer shore, but rather shear, jagged rock faces. It was gorgeous, while floating I'd just find myself taking it all in, stunned by its beauty.
Our guide then informed us, that this river is where a portion of the Lord of the Rings was filmed. He informed us that in the movie they go down the river, to a spot with 2 Kings on either side of the river. I have yet to see any of these movies, but upon research, I have learned that it is "Argonath" in The Fellowship of the Ring. Upon which most people were like "ohhhh, coooooooool"..... and i had no idea what he was talking about. Another fun fact, he informed us that in the DVD version of the movie, they forgot to edit out a telephone pole in the movie, that can be seen, which they clearly had electricity at the time the movie takes place. The guide pointed to the telephone pole high up on the mountainside, and upon some research, I was able to find it here.
We journeyed on, went through some smaller and some bigger rapids, stopped off in various eddys to get a pep talk / what to do in the upcoming set of rapids. As you enter the rapids, its definitely not for those who freak out in water, you are tossed about by the water, and constantly being submerged, or wave over your head. You make it through one rapid, pop up / clear your eyes, catch a quick breathe and into another rapid you go. It's challenging, yet fun, and I could definitely see it being very scary for some. Its quite the unique experience and I'm definitely glad that I did it.
On some of the smaller rapids, the guide and I would attempt to sit on our board, as the board rests about a foot under water then due to my weight, and keep our hands on our head, as not to use them for balance and make it through the rapids. I made it through about 2.5 rapids before falling off and having to jump back on my board, and cruise through the rest, while he, doing this trip 2 times a day, 6 to 7 days a week, is quite the pro at this.
Next up, we "pull over" on the side of the river, and climb up some rocks/boulders. Each of us takes our turn jumping off of them into the water. If it was a normal jump, you jumped with your board, if you were flipping (remember, we're wearing flippers which makes things quite awkward haha) you gave your board to your guide. Most jumped, a handful of us flipped, and did it multiple times doing front and back flips.
The coolest atmosphere thing about this was the bumping tunes that we could hear booming down the canyon falls, just ahead of us, there was a bridge over head, with ~100' bungy jump, so we got to see the people free falling from the perspective of below. Having never done it, not that I wouldn't, I just haven't, it looks like quite a rush for the first second or so, and then just...meh, that was cool. My friend was traveling South Africa at the same time I was in New Zealand and jumped off the rickety old bridge above Lake Victoria.... and about 18 hours after he and 2 other friends of mine completed the jump...things didn't quite go as planned. Here's his video of him jumping (this was about 350') and then a short clip of what happened the following morning. For the record, everyone was OK. And now that that clip bothered you, watch this one that he also took in South Africa to make you smile again. Haha, I knew you'd smile.
We River Board on from our rock jump location, and I pause as long as possible beneath the bridge, hoping / wanting a bungee jumper to jump off, to no avail, I finally get yelled at to move on, because they couldn't send the next person with us below, but I really wanted to see it directly from below! After a few more sets of rapids, we enter into an eddy and discuss the impending rapids ahead. Our guide instructs us that there is an eddy on the right side that is very challenging to get into, its up against a shear rock face, and its about 30' by 2' long. So, yes, we need to go right at it, into it, grab the various jagged rocks (it was safer than I'm making it sound...i think?) and stop there.
Everyone but one in our group was able to do it. Here, we were introduced to 'the standing wave.' A stationary wave, created due to a giant boulder underwater, which allows you to 'surf' on it, as the water rushes past you in the other direction. It was the third large wave, in a row of 3, the best one to ride. One by one we all attempted leaps from the side of the canyon to get into this wave and ride it and everyone but 1 person failed, even with the guides in the wave attempting to catch us from flying by / through the wave and further down stream.
My attempt went like this, jump in off the side, kicking for dear life to go as far horizontally as I could to get closer to the wave, backwards through wave 1, backwards through wave 2, and kick kick kick kick kick as I'm trying to prevent myself from going through wave 3, the guide semi-caught for a second, the front tip of my board tips under the rushing downstream water and I capsize upside down, while being twisted by the water going down stream. I come up from my twisting / underwater flip, pull my board close, as we practiced and jump back on it to ride through the rapids down this section. At the end of the rapids, I veer hard left towards the shore and another eddy, and proceed to walk back upstream on the shore of the river to where everyone else was trying to get into the wave. We then get an opportunity to walk further upstream and instead of entering the wave from the canyon side, we can float down the river, in the middle of the canyon, where the stationary wave is located and attempt to get it this way.
Whilst waiting my turn, I begin to shiver having been in the water for so long and not much movement as of late. My turn comes and I drift down the river, backwards/feet/fins first, while looking at the guide upstream to properly locate me as I plummet downstream towards the rapids. Wave 1 comes, kick slowly, wave 2 comes...kick faster, and as I crest over/through wave 2, kicking as hard as I can to prevent myself from going down stream, I enter wave 3's crest, the stationary wave with the most power, the guide is able to grasp me somewhere/somehow to slow me from going all the way through the wave. I am swamped in water from behind, with the current of the water rushing at me full speed ahead. I think I've missed it, and all of a sudden, I am propelled forward (upstream) by the crest of the wave, and I did it!! Once in this position, the wave does all the work and as long as the tip of your board doesn't dip into the current and flip you upside down underwater as it did the first time, you can just hang out in the wave as the water goes rushing under your board.
It was such a cool experience, to be surfing, on a boogie board, on a stationary wave in New Zealand, and not having to put in any effort at all to accomplish this. I was able to put both my hands under my chin, and relax, I was able to put my arms out to the side of my board and 'fly' over the water, I made the 'shaka sign' to the camera several times, a very common symbol originating in Hawaii, but used throughout the pacific essentially meaning "its all good, i'm hanging loose," - essentially, "no worries."
A few more shakas and enjoying the moment realizing how cool of an experience this was riding a wave, and eventually, my board tip gets caught by the wave, and I tumble into / under the rapids again. Surfs up! Even in one relatively small wave on the Shotover River in Southern New Zealand.
After cruising for awhile, we approach our final set, and largest set of rapids. Class IV. This set of rapids is known as "Chinese Dog Leg." We get our preparation from the guides, we will go through single file, as to go through the safest/deepest part of the river, and we take our (last ever?) photo...in case we don't make it through... We jump in, and 30 seconds later, we're into the rapids, bouncing up and down, side to side, head through the waves of water, constantly shaking my head my clear water from my face and prepping to be swamped seconds later by the next wave.
(Tim and I are the 9th and 10th people through. The 8th person has an orange helmet, tim is in a red helmet, and my helmet is black. There is a cluster of the three of us from the 12 second to the 16 second mark.)
This goes on for 800m!! Half-a-mile!!! Incredible. It was exhausting too, as you're constantly kicking to maintain control with your fins and the rush of adrenaline throughout just wears you out. Everyone makes it through in one piece and we slowly cruise to the exit point on the river, where we de-gear and get our ride back to Queenstown.
I spoke to several of the guides, one an American, how they just decided to travel the world and ended up hear, and stopped to work for awhile. Most being snow ski/board instructors by winter in Queenstown (a very good skiing location) and being guides for activities such as river boarding / canyoning in the summer. I think I could handle that life.
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