Log 7

Faffing – wasting time, goofing around, procrastinating More from the Brits than the Kiwi’s

Dippy – being a ‘blonde’ or doing sometime stupid.

Monday of our Easter weekend we had booked white water rafting on the Rangitata River. I had never been rafting before due to my younger minds sense of fear, but these days It seems that fear is gone and I’m game for anything adventurous and crazy! Even bungee jumping and skydiving have been added to the list of things to do. Laura and I, recouped by a hot shower and a good nights sleep in a real bed back in Ashburton, headed up the back roads of mid-Canterbury to the Rangitata River gorge. On arrival we were greeted with a made your own sandwich brunch and coffee. Calories and a hot drink were highly recommended by our hosts. They gave us the run down in the back and how to put on all the gear as it was a chilly day and the water was going to be even chillier. Wetsuit, booties, polypro, fleece sweater, orange windjacket, life-jacket, and the all important helmet. They split us into groups and loaded us onto a slightly damp bus, still wet from a pervious trip back from the river. We were guaranteed to get wet. YESSS! At the rivers edge, we took before pictures with our raft guide, Cameron, Cam for short. We met the blonde surfer-esque with dreds at the brunch, who as it turns out, grew up on a dairy farm in the Waikato up north. Always reluctant to talk about our profession due to certain attitudes, we were quite happy to talk with someone that knew the routine and didn’t want to give us their version of the evils of farming. Loaded smiling and giddy into the raft, Cam took us through exercises on steering and explained what would happen when we hit the rapids. With mounting anticipation we finally made it to our first rapid, a grade 2. Into the white water, a huge splash of water into the boat and all over us, some whoop whoops by our brave leader and it was done. AWESOME!! This is gonna be fantastic! Through a few more various 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s it was the same. More water on the

rafters, paddles paddling in organized fury, jumping into the middle to keep all occupants’ IN the boat. Then came the 5’s. First they beached the boats, and took us up a rocky ledge, in wet wetsuits and slippy booties, to view the Grade 5. At this point they allow you to bail out and walk past the 5 as the rest who want to go down them manage without you. NO WAY! I just got more excited! Laura and I pumped up the rest of our crew and back in the boat we went. Paddle, paddle paddle, jump in the center, a drop and a huge wall of water and we were through. High fives all around, and across the

boat to Laura, laughing and cheering, we were already ready for the next one. More rapids and another Grad 5, and we were taken to the jumping rock. The first jump was into a fast moving narrow gorge that takes you through a whirlpool and you have to swim around the corner and give the rafting guide interns practice at saving you with the throw rope.

Now to give you a perspective, that last time I did any kind of jumping from a height into water was when I was about 12 and our Dairy Quiz Bowl team (yes that really does exist) went to the MSU pool and jumped off the high dive platform. I think I was so scared I was shaking and probably closed my eyes tightly and plugged my nose on the way down. This time was no different except I wasn’t scared and I let out a good ol’ yeehaaa! as I jumped off the rock. It was amazing, very very cold, and I was dutifully 'saved' by the interns with the throw rope. Back in the boat we were off to the next set of jump rocks, 3m and 9m due to the water level. 3m jump was successful with another yeehaa and a good a pretty goofy face upon

surfacing. The camera guy on the rock was documenting the trip for everyone. The boat full of army dudes were first to reach the 9m rock ledge, and all of them started whinging and getting scared. Laura and I both decided right then and there that we were jumping off that rock no matter what! Laura told one to get on with it as he faffed around, he yelled back, well why don’t you go then. Laura, not going to miss an opportunity, sidled up to the ledge and off she went. I was next and I just had to keep focusing on the bush across the gorge, look at the bush, look at the bush… A step off, free fall and more free fall, then a splash of icy cold water, I surfaced with both thumbs up and a really retarded face. As evidenced from the picture.

On the calm part of the river, nearing the end of our journey Cam suggested a capsize which many of us were game for except a few that were very cold and didn’t want to get wet again. Pansies!! So instead we did a balancing act with the boat. We all loaded on the back and Cam attached a rope to the front of the raft. We then tipped the boat up on its butt end and balanced it there without capsizing and let the wind use the raft as a sail and turn us around. It was pretty sweet!

Back at the lodge we ended with a big barbecue; sausages, roasted kumara (Kiwi sweet potato) and potatoes, bread and salads, and a review of the pictures featuring our boat with the option to buy them of course. As cool as they were and fairly bargain priced compared to other tourist traps, we purchased a CD and split it between us. Well worth it I think.

A hot shower and a dinner movie ended the day and a really really amazing weekend. I’m really loving the New Zealand outdoors!