Canoeing the Otaki River, Manuwatu Range, North Island, NZ

The Otaki River (grade II-III) is a lovely scenic river on the North Island of NZ. The river is an excellent introduction to grade 2-3 whitewater, and provides very good access if you need to exit the river prematurely. The river’s rapids are not huge, and are well-spaced for beginners. Some rapids comprise rock gardens, which will not bother the technically -competent canoeist, but otherwise present only a nuisance. Beginners should take care to avoid potential snags, where the river current flows around tight corners; taking the canoeist potentially through trees. It is a small risk for the skilled canoeist.

Otaki township is a good place to meet, as there are several cafes in the centre of town. There is an outdoors-canoe shop opposite two coffee shops. If you are interested, there is a community market every 1st and 3rd Sunday in the month.
The river access is from the south side of the town. Take the exit road East just south of the Otaki River and drive to the ‘Bridgeview’ Bridge. The exit point is right after the Kaitawa Rd turnoff/bridge. This is where you should leave your exit vehicle, as you will need to get back to the point of river entry. I suggest using a GPS waypoint to identify this location on the river, as its easy to miss the exit. If you can identify the bridge, the exit is just 10m from the top of the rapid on the left above the ‘Bridgeview’. Take care on the track up to the road as it is steep. I suggest carrying the canoe on your left shoulder to avoid falling/slipping off the slope/steps.

There are a number of places you can enter the river, as there are a number of bridges crossing the river. Otaki Forks and above presents good entry points. The entry point is actually not on the Otaki River but a tributary. We entered at a campground after a Dept of Conservation (DOC) gate, however this gate is sometimes locked. Regardless, anywhere around here provides a suitable entry. We canoed the river at a river level of 2.1m, though apparently higher water does not make much difference to the water grade, though it is faster. It tends to drown the rock gardens, making it easier to navigate. The rapids are grade 2-3, though they tend to be easy grade 3 because they are discrete rapids, and not particularly difficult technically. i.e. Large standing waves require some good balance.

Once again I used a Sevylor Tahiti inflatable canoe on this river and it was well suited to the conditions. The steep valley walls means that wind does not present a problem. The shallow gravel river also posed no difficulties. I think you could comfortably canoe this section in 2.5 -3 hours. We were in at 10am, and out by 2pm, however we were a large group and people were taking their time, playing in the rapids.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Canoeing the Murrumbidgee River, NSW, Australia

The Murrumbidgee River is one of the best rivers to canoe in Australia because you cam always expect a reliable flow of water since its feed by the Snowy Mountains HydroElectric Scheme, and because the waters held back by the reservoir system are slowly released over summer when most people want to engage in canoeing. Because of the artificial flow regime and the high demand for those water resources downstream, during summer the river has high discharge rates and corresponding fast water movement. I remember canoeing a section from Tharwa (just south of Canberra) to Red Rock Gorge, and the river narrowed from 20m wide to 8m, and passing through the shoot was like being in a washing machine, being thrown from one rock to another. The consequence was a hole in the canoe.

This section of rive made for a good run for the later reasons, though this was a period of high water level, so more information would be warranted on river conditions. At the time I remember the water level was flowing well over the ford.

Barrington River Trip, Newcastle NSW Australia

The Barrington River is one of the best rivers to canoe in Australia. The appeal lies in its:
1. Proximity to Sydney
2. Its reliable water supply
3. Preservation of its natural bushland

Australia has been undergoing a climatic shift for the last 50 years - nothing new in that - despite the rhetoric that the planet is being destroyed. In fact the Earth's climate has been since the planet was formed. Anyway, the east coast of Australia is drier, the Carpenaria area is wetter. The bad news is that the rivers in NSW are not as wet as they once were, and amidst a drought, things are even worse. So if you intend to canoe, you need to make sure there is adequate water in the rivers. The good news is that the various water authorities in Australia now keep water level height and rainfall information in online databases, so you can readily see what is a good water height, and when to go. Website??

You can access the Barrington River by driving from Sydney, up the Pacific Highway. After Raymond Terrace take the left turn on the Bucketts Way to Gloucester. When you reach Gloucester continue through the town on the Scone road. You will eventually reach the town of Barrington, and soon after you will encounter the Barrington River. If you are doing the upper section, you will need to continue on past Copeland to the river junction. There is camping and good horse riding on a farm nearby. If you are canoeing from Rocky Crossing you can take the left turn off before or after the river, since they both follow the river, but the west-side option allows you to finish at the Barrington Bridge, whereas the east-side option lets you finish at either place. There is also camping at Barrington Bridge, though facilities are limited.

The Barrington River drains off a volcanic rangeland called Barrington Tops. The 'Tops' are snow covered at times in winter, and a number of peat bogs on the plateau ensure a regular release of water at times when other rivers are dry. The river flows through state forest and farmland, though these days its mostly unproductive hobby farms that dominate.

There are a number of river entry points:
1. Junction of the 2 rivers west of Copeland
2. Rocky Crossing
3. Canoelands
4. Barrington Bridge

Since I normally go with people that dont have a canoe, and have no experience, I usually take the section from Rocky Crossing to Canoelands. Its about a half day trip. I did the section to Barrington Bridge, but unfortunately the pace was slow because he had no sense of balance, even with my old 'flat floater'.

This river is mostly grade 2, with a few grade 3 rapids. They can be technically difficult if the water levels are higher. Alternatively you could be dragging the canoes if the water levels are low. To much sun is not a problem since the river is mostly lined by trees. There are a few snags, but it is mostly rocky, so wear a helmet for head protection. Also where a life jacket as there are traps. The biggest concern I think is water flowing under overhanging cliffs, where the river in undercutting old stream bed. The river flow is not as strong in low water so that should not be a problem if you anticipate and practice canoe control in the upper section.

The upper section requires a long day to complete. It requires a fair amount of rain to navigate. It has a steeper gradient so the river is narrow and fast-flowing. Its not as technically difficult, but there are low branches. Some people do the lower section first as its slower water. There are few egress options on the upper section if you have problems, so in a way its suits the disposability of an inflatable canoe, but who wants to abandon a canoe on the river if they get a hole. I have never patched up a canoe on the river, so I'm not sure how quickly they dry/repair. Maybe in the sun not so long. Anyway after 10 trips, I've only had 1 puncture for a $200-250 canoe. Thats pretty cheap travelling. And I think the offending object was glass or steel (in Japan) looking at the sharpness of the cut.

Anyone want to take a run on this river let me know.