It is always an anxious wait for the Nevis River to come in, watching the guage (yes one of the only runs in the South Island that has one), checking the forecast and speaking to the local paddlers of the Central Otago Area. Usually we devote a week or so to the 'Nevis Season', also paddling the Kawarau (Nevis Bluff, Citeron and Retrospect) and taking full advantage of the continual party that Queenstown is. This year, however, there was something special missing. On June 22nd, 2011 our good friend Simon Davidson was taken away from us, doing the thing he loved most. I had previously paddled the Nevis 7 times, 5 of those were with Si and we always crashed at his pad. Hungover Bluff runs and massive nights on the town, these were all things that Si had always been a part of. It was an odd feeling being at the put in of the Nevis without Si, but we all knew that our boy was with us in spirit... he'd never miss the Nevis Season.
Our typical evenings in Q/T (p. Jordy)
Simon routing Freight Train (p. Jordy)
On his way to check out little brother, firstday we ran it... together! (p. Jordy)
Simon looking back up at Big Brother... right before he said"Not this time my big brother"... (p. Jordy)
Now here are some snaps from our two laps on opening weekend, the crew was Barny, JV, Dylan the Villan, Willzy, Masty, Ari, Eden and Myself. Good lines and good times!
Dyl sitting at the dodgey portage (p. Jordy)
JV hoping to miss the rock (p. Barny)
Willz soaking it in (p. Jordy)
Barny on Freight Train (p. Jordy)
JV... Beautiful! (p. Jordy)
Safety first! (p. Jordy)
Boofing the lead in to Big Brother (p. Barny)
Route this! (p. Jordy)
Willzy having ANOTHER slick line (p. Jordy)
Another clean line on Big Bro (p. Jordy)
Dyl just routing in... the next bit looked fantastic! (p. Barny)
Me rolling in (p. Barny)
Ari the Curry, showing he's hot stuff! (p. Barny)We spent a fair bit of time taking footage of this trip and hope to put together a little tribute to Si in the next couple of weeks. On this southern mission we also paddled the Young River, Routeburn River, the Marion Creek Section of the Hollyford and I bagged a sunny day on the Okuku with Jared Mitchell and Skux!
