We Are Family - Kokatahi River, New Zealand

Its hard to keep thinking of things to write about this river. I usually get to run it 3 or more times a season, over the past 5 years... you get the picture. This day however we thought we had been skunked. A massive crew came together on a sunny Hokitika morning, not a cloud in the sky. No wind, warm and the flow would be a welcoming low-medium. Rolling out in a pack we arrived at the take-out and awaited our shuttle driver, who was prompt on-time. But for some reason flew past us, up around the corner and then came back. After he landed we were quick about our business, get his extra petrol cans out of the chopper, tie on boats, sling paddles and tie them on... but all of a sudden our work was brought to a halt. "I can't fly in this weather, its blowing and Easterly". WHAT THE FUCK! I'm not a helicopter pilot, but have sat in a chopper 50+ times in good, okay and marginal conditions. I had flown up the Kokatahi about 12 times! But I'm not a chopper pilot. Trent, however, IS a chopper pilot. And he thought the condition would be in the OKAY realm at the least! AND after we lost hope, drive almost back to town, organised another helicopter pilot, drove back out and then flew in with him... that chopper pilot said it was ALL GOOD! Anyway, rant over and we made it into the river for another amazing trip down my favourite river in the world.

At Crawford Junction, finally! (p. Daan)

Daangerous running left on the

first one (p. Jordy)

Bonny about to go for a swim (p. Barny)

Yimmo on it (p. Barny)

Rudd's below the 'Big One' (p. Barny)

Entering 'Carnage Gorge' (p. Barny)

Barny coming through Carnage (p. Daan)

The 'Class IV Gorge', Entrance Rapid (p. Barny)

Charging the 'Sticky Slot', Masty and I

gave it a shunt with mixed results

but plenty of smiles (p. Daan)

The Family (p. Barnosauras Rex)

I have had another lap on the Kokatahi since this run, but everyone will see plenty of footage from my VERY close call soon enough. Keep charging.