Planning any outdoor trip, especially a river activity around Wellington is dicey before you even set off. We managed to get a hot, sunny day with very strong winds.
The recent rainfall caused a change of plan upon arriving at the river, which was three times its normal size and looking mighty turbulent at the final rapid, which is rough at the best of times. My excellent group patiently waited while we scouted out options and decided on a shortened route that we ended up doing twice.
Spencer got to play around with his raft, adding stone weights to it for better stability and we discovered that Warehouse paddles snap under pressure. A kayak double-ended paddle or flippers on your hands work best.
The vicinity of Harcourt Park is lovely for river activities and there is also a nice cycle track if you wanted a nice day out with multiple things to do.
Joanne and Paul had perfect vehicles for transporting all people and tubes backwards and forwards. We managed to get five people and floating devices into two cars, although several ferrying rides were required once the devices were fully inflated.
Floating down a river in the sun is just magic. I am thinking I might have to invest in a waterproof camera to capture images of such a picturesque activity but the river has tremendous power and it is easy to forget that anything can happen at any moment. We had one capsize on the second run which resulted in a very bruised thigh and lost paddle. Good reminder that a wetsuit and life jacket are a must in the water.