Since the price of chopper flights went up and the fact that Carnage Gorge on the Kokatahi was no longer a portage, the Waitaha was never one of my go to options when the weather was fine and it was time to fly. Well a couple of weeks back, just after the Kokatahi trip, it was time to fly... I'd done the Whitcombe, the Mungo was to low, the Perth would of been boney and the Upper Whataroa would of been a bit high for the upper section. So, it would seem the stars were aligning for what would be only my third trip down the Waitaha. The usual suspects of Mark Basso and Ari Walker were keen, Daan-gerous got a pass and two Italians, Thomas and Luca, would round off our crew. The weather wasn't perfect, but the day itself was. A medium flow and good lines all round left us all completely stoked with our trip, and I personally re-gained my love for this epic south-westland heli-trip.
I didn't take many photos of the trip, but here are a couple of good shots from the day and a little clip of me paddling the seal-launch portage. I still haven't paddled Morgans and, now, there is talk of an assult on Windhover... the Waitaha is truely a rugged class V river and just generally place to be!
We've been busy lately, getting multiple laps of the Toaroha Canyon. I will get a post up in the next few days, there are some stellar images.
