Andy: Ever wonder what a kayak sounds like when it falls off the roof rack of a vehicle? Unfortunately, we all learned that sound today when my beautiful new kayak (Eskimo Salto) departed the roof at 60 mph. We all looked back in time to watch it doing cartwheels on the pavement and then bounce off into the bush. Good thing nobody was behind us!!
Upon retrieval, the boat held up very well - good thing for quality German engineering. I think it might be 2" shorter, but it still floats!
We paddled the Whataroa today. "WH" is pronounced with an "F" down here, hence the funky pronunciation. An excellent class IV run with stunning gorges and great drops. Group included me, Kiwi Chris, Steve, Ian, and Peter. Wendy stayed home because of her hurt shoulder. There was one big drop that Chris and Peter ran that the rest of us portaged. Not my finest day of paddling - I flipped three times in one rapid (of course, I kept rolling up just in time to drop into the next hole).
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Mountains clearing at the put-in
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Yet another breathtaking gorge!
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Peter showing was the proper way to boof (jump rocks) on the big drop. What you can't see is to the right of the picture. 80% of the river pounds into and UNDER a giant rock!
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Kiwi Chris enjoying the rapids
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