REGATTA WEEKEND

Murray on the YC beach with our kayaks and all the empty trailers of the Hobi Cats

We found a less-congested beach to have a picnic on

A perfect day for a yacht race
Intent on rounding the mark

Back at the beach after the last race of the day

Unprecedented signs of life at the Yacht Club


End of a good day's racing

At the road bridge over the Tauranga-Taupo River

Towing Murray's kayak downriver

Lunch in the shade of a gum tree at Oruatua

CRUISING THE WANGANUI RIVER

DAY 1 - SATURDAY 2 JANUARY

Unloading the kayaks at Cherry Grove, Taumarunui

Ready to set sail

A 'must-do' stop - Lavender Farm (for a coffee - and a loo)

Getting back on the river after visiting the Lavender Farm

Our first night's stop - Poukaria DOC camp

Typical DOC comfort stop

The river at Poukaria camp

Poukaria

DAY 2 - SUNDAY 3 JANUARY

River view

Ohura Falls. Low water means they were not as spectacular as they could be, but we weren't complaining

Eroded rocks

Opposite the Retaruke River Mouth; the grassy headland to the left of the photo is Lucy's Landing. Up the river is Whakahoro (accessed via Raurimu). At this point you can start a 3 day trip of the most spectacular part of the river.

Our camp for the second night - Mangapapa (looking upstream)

And again, looking downstream. It rained overnight at this camp and in spite of its magnificent location, it was rather a disspiriting start the next day

DAY 3 - MONDAY 4 JANUARY

Fantastic bush & or pungas line the river

Most people do the trip in Canadian kayaks

Breakfast stop at Ohauora Campsite

Lots of tranquil water (impossible to take photos through the rapids, therefore there are no exciting action shots!)

Campsite at John Coull Hut; our home for the 3rd night. We had an early finish on the river and spent the afternoon drying everything which got wet last night.

Murray getting water

John Coull Campsite. By the time the sun went down, the camp was full

Kayaks on the beach at John Coull Campsite - all securely tied up in case the river rises in the night!

DAY 4 - TUESDAY 5 JANUARY

Early morning on the river

Another spectacular campsite; this is Mangawaiiti - high up above the river. We stopped here for breakfast on Tuesday morning

Just cruisin'

Murray

Our stopping point for the Bridge to Nowhere - the mouth of the Mangapurua Stream

The famous bridge - definitely in the middle of nowhere! It's a 40 minute walk from the river. There used to be a handful of farms in the area, but the regenerating bush has obliterated most signs that they ever existed

Kayaks pulled well up out of the water on a sticky muddy bank

The river at Tieke Kainga campsite. Opposite is the Bridge to Nowhere Lodge

Kayaks on high ground

Looking downriver at Tieke Kainga

The Marae at Tieke Kainga

DAY 5 - WEDNESDAY 6 JANUARY

Entering the lower gorge

Cave formation on the left hand bank

Puparoto Cave on the right hand bank. This cave has a waterfall inside it, and fossils on the rocks outside

On the final stretch, just above Pipiriki

Arrival at Pipiriki. Ian and Robyn picked us up there, and we had a picnic on the hill above the river before heading back to Turangi via Raetihi, 22 km away over a gravel road