Tuakopai Slide Goodness

With the rain falling steadily over the last couple of days we managed to get on a low but still super sick down the Tuakopai river in the Kaimais. My camera was dying the whole time but I managed to get a couple of shots out of it. Most of us fired up Spa falls, Douglas Falls and the Abyss on the Mangakarengorengo and Sam Brad and Ryan ran Mclarens. Sick lines all round.

 

Brad firing spa falls

 

Sam running Douglas falls.

Spa falls from below

Brad running the Abyss, Mangas

Ryan Lucas on Mclarens falls

The amazing Upper Hokitika

Well im back up north sitting in rainy Okere Falls thinking creeking thoughts, and I thought I would chuck a bit of a post up about the Upper Hokitika river while I wait for the rain.

Stephan, wilzy and I, after a lazy recovery day on the Upper Kakas, decided on the Upper Hoki for our last day on the coast. With only the 3 of us we cruised through the run, paddling on a pretty juicy flow, making some of the holes pretty damn massive.

Sick day out and we got to the bottom of the run realising none of us had taken a roll. Choice!

The very busy class 5 "Viagara Falls" section

Fun sneak line drop

The always impressive Gates of Argonath

Stephan and Dando

Wills entering the sick gorge below Mikeys drop

Me on Viagara Falls

Stephan in a artistic shot

Big entrance waterfall to the first gorge

Stephan getting his Viagara right

Random South Island Photos

Out of my zone and into some big water

Trying to crank as much power out of those lettmann blades as I can

Me partaking in the Citroen Race

Looking down into the unknown - Hokitika Gorges

Gettin my airmail on

Illuminated by whitewater

Battling it out on the Matakitaki, I actually managed to take this dude, and the guy in front too. 

Stoked!

All photos courtesy of Louise Urwin and Tyler Fox.

The Kokatahi River... A big day out.

Hanging out at the Hokitika campground, me, willzy, si and stephan were wondering where to fly the next day when jordie rocked up and decided we would paddle the Kokatahi... well ok then, if we have to.
We woke up the next day to get to the river at the ridiculously early time of 9am and started flying at around 10.30am seeing as dando had a slight hold up. No worries, just mean we had to bomb all that much faster. The Kokatahi is a huge day and is full of solid class V water, helped by the fact we had a very juicy medium flow. Too many rapids to name, all big and scary. Check the sick photos!

B-E-A-utiful Kokatahi Gorges

Cave on the left, freedom on the right!

Simon clearing one of the MASSIVE holes on the Kokatahi

Wills lining it up

Jordie on his home(ish) turf

Helis are a great way to scout. Fun too.

Flying up the Kokatahi Valley on a super nice easter sunday morning

Jordan Searle about to test his luck against a huge hole in space.

Where it goes...? Who knows? Almost wills.

Chur bro!

Simon entering Carnage gorge. Shes tight in there.

Stephan gettin his boof on

Portaging on the Kokatahi is super fun.

Shes steep, gnarly, full of holes, seives and undercuts. Also bloody good fun.

Wills making the cover shot

Arahura River

The Arahura river is a great first heli trip, and seeing as tillsy had never been up in a whirly bird it seemed the logical choice to spend a nice sunny Saturday. Sweet run, I took a massive beatdown in the top section and swam out of a nasty pocket after going for a couple of laps round without my boat. Hamish and Simon both stepped up and run cesspit which was awesome to see. See the photos for our fun run in the sun.

Wilzy exiting billiards

Me running cesspit, hoping to not become cess.

Simon davidson ladies and gentlemen.

Stephan in billiards, seive city.

Arahura rapids are all class

Me on curtain call

Stephan getting sick air in the top section.

Magical flying machine

Tillsy stomping his boofs

The elusive wad of cash that kayakers can never hold on to.

Back on the coast

So im back down on the coast now after flying into chch to meet Willz on the 7th. First day here it snowed like crazy and the alps were coated making the rivers high and the water bloody cold! Me and Willz went for a sick run down the Kakapotahi River yesterday and snapped a few pics.

Wills going into the tunnel rapid

Willz on Postmans falls

Airing it out on Airmail

Me boofing a hole on kakas

Me on airmail, trying, and succeding to land in water

Snow on Arthurs pass

Today we were gonna fly into the Arahura but it was a little on the high side of good so we just walked into the styx for a couple of laps which made for a fun day, Arahura tomorrow if the weather goes to plan.