North Island Kayaking

“Bro it was mean, we just did laps on the Kaituna all holidays”

These were that words that I heard all the time when the crew came back down to study after the holidays. So I decided to put my A into G and head up north for a week paddling to see what all the fuss was about. It all started back before exams when Ben Craddock and myself decided to head up but after new years bens funds become some what depleted and it didn’t help that his van got stolen again and sold to a scrap metal place so with Ben fighting off guard dogs to get his van back, I took off up north with a mate who just happened to be driving to Napier so with 7.30am start we finally arrived in Napier 14 hours later just in time to hit the piss in Havelock.


Me just after droping the falls

With a 4 hour trip in the morning to the Wairoa the night was some what cut short at 3.30am. We arrived at the Wairoa at around lunch time and managed to get 4 runs in before they shut the water off. After waiting at the hospital for Sam to get 9 stitches in his eyebrow from a wee slip up on the river, we rolled onto Papamoa for the night.

Kaituna hole

From Papamoa we went to hit the famous Kaituna up we were there for 2 days and managed to get 10 or so runs in over the 2 days. Big ups to Libby for letting us crash at her place
On the Wednesday we busted a move and headed south to the Rangitikei after 5 hours of driving we were glad to see some water. Levels were low but never or less it was still a mean day with 20 more cfs this run would be one of the best runs in the north.
Thanks for the sweet trip crew

Swiming in the dam .... so much fun