Our backpacking trip: Diciembre 3 / December 3

Nos levantamos temprano y fuimos al I-Site de Taumarunui en busca de informacion a cerca de la caminada por el rio Whanganui (que es un recorrido que se hace en kayak o canoas). Despues de discutir varias opciones decidimos hacer un dia de kayak. Manejamos al sitio donde rentan los kayaks, vimos un video de seguridad y nos dieron una corta charla de como evader situaciones peligrosas en el rio (todo fue muy basico y nos montamos en los kayaks creyendo que ibamos a bajar or un rio muy tranquilo… pero eso fue lo que asumimos y estabamos un poco incorrectos!).

Despues de una hora nos embarcamos en un recorrido de 5 horas rio abajo. El recorrido comienza bastante tranquilo, pero despues de la primera curva estan los primeros rapidos. Ahi nos fue bien pero nos dimos cuenta que no iba a ser pan comido y que nos habiamos metido en camisa de once varas pero no habia como echar para atrás.

Seguimos dandole rio abajo e ibamos muy bien, sin problema y pudimos sortear todos los obstaculos; sin embargo los rapidos se pusieron un poco mas fuertes, Marcela iba adelante y lo iba haciendo muy bien, pero desafortunadamente cometio un pequeño error y termino en el agua con el kayak de para abajo. Marcela no se pudo coger del kayak pero si pudo salir a flote y nadar hasta la playa. Yo iba de segundo pero no pude llegar donde ella estaba y al ver que el kayak seguia rio abajo me enfoque en recuperarlo, de lo contrario a ella le tocaria nadar rio abajo. Reme lo mas rapido posible y lo alcance, pero termine contra una roca donde me toco bajarme del kayak. Alli amarre el kayak de Marcela al mio y descanse un ratico. De un momento a otro veo que el kayak de Marcela flotando rio abajo… el nudo que le hice no fue suficiente y se solto; me monte en mi kayak y sali a perseguirlo nuevamente. Mientras tanto podia ver a Marcela en la playa esperando a Agustin que no se habia dado cuenta de lo que estaba pasando y seguia pescando y disfrutando del paseo por el rio.

Finalmente alcance el kayak de Marcela y pude llegar con los dos kayaks a la orilla. Alli espere hasta que Agustin rescato a Marcela y llegaron los dos juntos en el kayak de Agustin.

Marcela y yo continuamos bajando y Agustin se quedo atras por precaucion. Paramos en una playa y yo decidi empezar a pescar… en el primer lance se me pego una hermosa trucha arco iris! Fue una buena pelea porque se me pego en un corrienton y cogio rio abajo. Disfrute bastante sacando esa trucha.

El resto del recorrido continuo sin ningun percance, pero al final del dia estabamos listos para una apacible noche!

Nos recogieron donde nos habian dicho y nos trajeron de devuelta al pueblo, manejamos hasta el mismo camping donde estuvimos anoche.

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We woke up early in the morning and went to the I-Site in Taumarunui to get some information about the Whanganui Great Walk (which is not a walk but kayak through the Whanganui River). We were offered several options but due to time constraints we settled for a one-day kayak adventure in the Whanganui River. We drove to the kayak rental site, watched a video and got a safety briefing on using a kayak and how to avoid dangerous situations on the river (it was quite basic and we thought it was basic because the river was calmed… but this was our assumption, which was not quite right after all!).

After an hour we embarked on a 5 hours journey down the river. It starts quite calmed, however after the first bend the first set of rapids were in front of us. We managed our way but realized we had not signed up for a lazy river activity but for something more advanced… but there was not going back!

We kept going down the river and everything was great, we could managed most of the obstacles without major incidents; however we got to a point where the rapids were quite aggressive, Marcela got there first, she was doing very good but unfortunately a bad move and she was in the water with the kayak upside down. She could not hold on to the kayak but managed her way to safety on shore. I was following her but I could not get to her and started focusing on getting the kayak, otherwise she would have had to swim down the river. I was rowing as fast as I could and I got a hand on the kayak, however I ended up against a big rock where I had to jump out of my kayak. I tied Marcela’s kayak to my kayak and stayed there for a little bit trying to catch my breath. All of a sudden I see Marcela’s kayak floating down the river again… the knot I did to tie it to my kayak was not good enough; so I jumped on my kayak again and started following Marcela’s kayak. In the meantime I could see that Marcela was still on shore waiting for Agustin who was fishing and enjoying his time on the river.

I finally got a hold off Marcela’s kayak again and was able to hold on to it and got to shore. I waited there until Agustin recued Marcela both of them in one kayak were able to get to shore where I was waiting for them.

Marcela and I continued while Agustin stayed behind as a precaution. We stopped at a nice beach and I decided to set up my fishing rod… first cast and I get a beautiful rainbow trout! It was quite the fight as I hooked it right on the rapids so it went down the river. I really enjoyed bringing it in.

The rest of the trip continued without any more incidents, however at the end of the day we were ready for a good night sleep!

We were picked up at the agreed location and brought back to town; we drove to the campground where we stayed last night.