Once docked, we took a shuttle and a bus to the Hostel in Wellington, where we were staying for 1 night. The bus ride from the ferry terminal to the hostel was a little interesting. Here we were with all our stuff; 80 lbs of clobber, trying to read the city map, on a public bus, going downtown, in the rain, during rush hour....ouch! It was not pretty. Not being able to maneuver quickly or easily through crowd, we wanted to be prepared for when we did have to jump off. I was trying to read the street signs out a foggy window and matching it with the street map. Fortunately, there was a woman who read our stress signals and asked if we needed help. She not only could tell us where we were, but exactly what bus stop to get off of and where exactly to go to get to the hostel. We did thank her, but I wish that I could have thanked her again. She was a true lifesaver and made what could have been a disastrous bus ride to a smooth sailing journey!
I am sure that Wellington is beautiful, but our plans were not to stay in the city, but to move on to our next track. So many tracks, so little time. We had dinner at the Red Dog close to the hostel, slept and then headed off early in the morning on the bus to Whanganui. Whanganui was a quaint city and was situated along the Whanganui River (Whanga - "Harbour" Nui - "Big"). We made arrangements to stay at the Tamara Lodge Backpackers in town en route to Taumarunui to the start of our 5 day canoe trip down the Whanganui River. The bus dropped us off at the "i Site" where the owners of the Tamara Lodge Backpackers agreed to pick us up (a concept that still takes me by surprise). This drive was both generous and appreciated given all the gear that we had to lug around and the hostel was still 3 or 4 km from the bus stop. The hostel was a nice place and we found out that the owner's wife, is originally from Moncton, NB Canada. I tell you, our world just keeps getting smaller and smaller! In Whanganui we organized our 5 day canoe trip. We had to book our bus transportation from Whanganui to Taumarunui, book accommodations in Taumarunui, book our canoe and equipment rental for the 5 days and then our transportation back from Raetihi to Whanganui.
The Whanganui River is 234 km in length. The route that we took; which is also the most popular route for canoeist, was from Taumaruni (this is where the Ongarue River and the Whanganui River flow into each other) to Pipiriki; downstream of course. This is a total of 145.5 km of canoeing. Now, there are a few things that I need to explain. Delia and I both hike and canoe alot, but canoeing rapids is neither our specialty nor have we had extensive experience on them. We can count on one hand how many rapids we have maneuvered around in a canoe. After reading the descriptions of the river with a mere 199 rapids that range from level 1 to level 2, I really started to doubt the brochures that stated that the river was for beginners! In fact, it really surprised me how much Delia was pushing for this adventure. It is usually me, but I have to say, I was a little freaked out. I was the one that would be sterning the boat and I was really starting to wonder if I could handle it or not. We booked our trip through "Blazing Saddles", who were fantastic. They had amazing equipment, they were accommodating, friendly and very patient when it came to giving instructions. The ironic thing is that they gave us all the good equipment. Once they found out we were from Canada that's all they could say. "Oh, you are from Canada, you know how to canoe, we don't have to tell you anything". "Ahem, excuse me, ah yes, um, with all due respect, please provide us with ALL the information, lets just pretend we are not from Canada then, can we?". Everyone that we were talking to (including Delia I might add), kept saying how easy it was and we were Canadian, we are excellent canoeist, so we have nothing to worry about. But all I could keep thinking was, oh my gawd, there are 199 rapids, how are we going to possibly get down the river alone. This is going to be 5 days of hell and we are going to die! Okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but I was anxious. Subconsciously, I was happy that Delia was so enthusiastic about this canoe trip as I love to challenge myself. I like to go beyond my comfort level and if Delia was not as keen, I don't think we would have done it. I do remember when we were planning our trip how interesting the river looked, but the more I read and the closer I got to the time of canoeing, the anxiety level definitely increased.The next day, the owner's of Tamara Lodge dropped us off at the bus station on their way to the market; again very generous and very appreciated. We left some of our stuff at the Tamara Lodge (including my camera as we were going to be on water and I just didn't trust myself - we took Delia's water proof camera only) and only took what we needed for the canoe trip as we were going back to Tamar Lodge for another night. When we arrived in Taumarunui, we were picked up by the owner of the Twin Rivers Motel where we were staying. Here we bought the rest of our food and supplies for the trip. Taumarunui is a bit of a "hick" town, but the people were extremely friendly and as everywhere in New Zealand, we found a great restaurant; Flax. It was a family run restaurant and unfortunately hurting for business. The food and service were outstanding. On that night, we were the only ones there for dinner. They were in the middle of changing their menu (make it more affordable) to try to attract more local people. The town was not big and for the most part, not many tourist come through. Needless to say we got to know the owners and had a nice visit. Although the weather was windy and cloudy that night, they were calling for good weather for the next few days....lets hope!
After dinner, Judith from Blazing Saddles came by our place to drop off the barrels for the canoe along with our paddles and life jackets. Judith's husband; Mark, picked us up the next morning at 8:45 am to drop us off at Cherry Grove. He gave us some paddling tips for the rapids and tips for our first day. Once we paddled from the boat launch at Cherry Grove, we had about a 200 m paddle to where the Ongarue River and the Whanganui River flow into each other. At this point, there were 2 grade II rapids that we had to go through. Okay then, nothing like "sink or swim" right away! I could hear my heart beat in my ears as we paddled off.
Day 1: was from Cherry Grove in Taumarunui to Poukaria Campsite; 33 km. It was quite the ride. I was actually impressed. The rapids were challenging, but we got through them. Delia was calm, gave great directions and we had good teamwork. Delia was patient and she always took time to look around and assess. I guess she really did want to do this trip. The river was very quiet. We paddled alone and got to the campsite and camped alone.
I just loved the serenity of the river. The campsites were equipped with picnic tables and compostable toilets as well as rain water that you could use for cooking and drinking. Between the rapids the water was calm. For the most part, the upper part of the river was fast flowing and the bottom of the river was much slower. All that meant was that you had to paddle harder.
Day 2: was about the same as day 1, 35 km, from Poukaria Campsite to Mangapapa campsite. The paddle was a bit longer, but the rapids were much easier. On the second day we camped alone again, but we did see 2 motorized boats that were from the DOC (Department of Conservation) and a boat dropping off some kayaks. It was for a brief moment so it was bearable. For the first two nights as much as I loved the paddle and the time we had alone on the campsite, I did not sleep well. I blame it on the anxiety that I was experiencing, thinking of what to expect on the river for the next day; just a bit of doubt of my abilities. But I was still loving the challenge and happy with our progress together as a team.Day 3: 27.5 km from Mangapapa Campsite to John Coull Hut/Campsite. This was a shorter day, but it was my favourite day. It was the quietest and the prettiest so far. There were a few rapids, but not so bad. I am not sure if I was just getting use to them or if they were just easier, or maybe both. Every day on the river was different; beautiful and exciting in different ways. "He pai rangi tahi" - Maori for "The beauty of a single day".
Once we got to John Coull, we decided that we would take a break from the camping and stay in the hut. On the river there is no difference in price for the hut or campsite, but it is first come first serve. Delia and I as usual get up early and there are very few people on the river, so getting a spot in the hut was not an issue. When we got there we met the Hut Rangers; Pete and Murray. Unlike the other Great Walks in New Zealand, on the Whanganui River, the Hut Ranger position is a volunteer position, but apparently it is highly sought after.
When we arrived and for about 5 hours after that, there was no one else there. We dried and re-packed our tent from the heavy dew from the morning then we ate our lunch. Brown beans and pita bread is best eaten when hungry; the tasted amazing today! After lunch, Delia and I went down to the river to sit and relax. I gave Delia a neck massage and we chatted about the day. I just love those moments! When we went back up to the hut, Pete; a retired Teacher, agreed to take me up the ridge. There was no path and it was very steep;
I would have got lost for sure if I tried it alone. It was just the two of us as Delia did not want to go. We chatted and Pete told me some history and geography of the river which I always enjoy. We got to the top and admired the view of the river gorge. On a clear day you can see Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro. Unfortunately, we could not see any of the mountains as there was some cloud cover, but I just loved the walk and the chat. By the time we got back down from the ridge there were 2 more couples that arrived. A young couple from Denmark, Louise & Albert and a couple from Australia, Claire and Hamish. Later that day 4 Kiwi guys also showed up (Daniel, Jason, Reese and Philip). I have to say that I much prefer the "alone" time on the river as those moments just don't happen very often in life. But the group was alot of fun! Let's just say that it was the latest that we stayed up.
Day 4: John Coull Hut to Tieke Kainga (Kanga meaning village) and Campsite; 28.5 km. This was a tough day. The distances were shorter than at the beginning, but the flow of water also got slower, the river got wider and the winds got stronger; all to make for harder paddling. Every day we started our day with a nice breakfast. It was tea or hot chocolate and pancakes. I have to admit that I was getting pretty sick of pancakes and tea, but I just absolutely loved the quiet and intimate moments together, so I ate and drank away. We were on the water by 8:15 am. The morning started off with a light drizzle that turned into a hard down pore with a wind that made the rain come straight at us. This lasted for about 45 minutes and then settled down and the weather started to clear. On this day, we stopped to do a hike to a place that is called, 
"The Bridge to Nowhere". Early years of settlement when the paddle steamer was the only mode of transport to the area, the land was offered to soldiers following World War I. They built a bridge in 1936 hoping to make the area lucrative, but by the time the bridge was built, water transport was no longer used and it was too difficult to survive. The settlers abandoned the valley and so no further road construction was done and the farms no longer operated. The area was beautiful, but just could not make it a viable place to live - sad story really. We pulled our canoe up the ridge and then hiked up the Mangapura River/Valley to get to the bridge. It was a nice change from the canoe and the weather was pretty descent by that time. The walk was pretty and surprisingly, the bridge was well constructed and in good shape - really good shape. There was a path that continued on the other side of the bridge that I guess eventually goes into town. We just walked to the bridge and back.
From here, we got back in our canoe. The first 15 to 20 minutes were nice paddling and the views were pretty. But after 20 minutes the winds really started to pick up again. But this time it was more ferocious. They were southerly winds which are supposedly the hardest and coldest; right from Antarctica. The river started to get wider and the winds were harder to fight. The rapids were not as big, but were almost harder to maneuver through because of the wind. There were times on the river that the wind was so strong that we were actually going backwards - no joke! We just kept paddling and paddling and paddling as hard as we possibly could. Every turn we thought that we should be at the campsite, but each turn just brought more rapids and more wind. A "character building" day I guess you could call it. We finally reached a private campsite called Ramanui that on the map was on the other side of the river where our campsite was and also looked like it was past our campsite; we were NOT happy! There is no way that we had any strength left to paddle upstream. Because the wind was so strong and we still did not know exactly where we were, we had to head for the shore of the Ramanui campsite until we could get our bearings and determine our plan of action. As we looked around we did see a sign across the river, "Tieke Kainga". Even though our map said, "Tieke Marae, you bet your ass we were going across to see where we were. Turns out that it is the same place. Our poor tired little arms were very happy!!!We had to still carry all our gear up a long pathway up the ridge, but just knowing we didn't have to paddle anymore today was such a relief. There was no one else there at the time. We got our gear up to the hut, ate lunch and relaxed. Across and upstream a bit from our camp was the "Bridge to Nowhere" Lodge. They have on the map that you can stay there or stop for dinner and/or a drink. I was just happy to have made it to camp and was not that keen on getting back in the canoe to paddle against the wind and current. But Delia really wanted to go. After a bit of a rest, I agreed to go. Turns out that it was not so bad a paddle after all; there and back. The Lodge itself was not nice at all, but the people were great and very friendly. We had a beer and socialized. The 4 Kiwi boys paddled over to the lodge before going to camp. We chatted with them for a while and then headed back home for dinner. The evening was cooler, but again the stars were amazing. We are hopping that the wind will die down for tomorrow; our last day of paddling. The last day has 3 long and hard rapids, right at the end to look forward to. Ah, after 4 days of rapids and today's wind, how bad can it be?
Day 5: Tieke Kainga to Pipiriki; 21.5 km. We woke up early had our last breakfast on the river. The morning was freezing and misty. The change in the weather was crazy. I was canoeing in my swimsuit for the first 4 days and on this morning we had all our warm clothes on including socks underneath my sandals. I wasn't positive, but I was pretty sure that once the mist/fog cleared, it was going to be a beautiful day. After about 30 minutes of cold paddling; and I mean cold, it did clear and it was a beautiful day. It is amazing the difference the sun can make. Once the mist cleared and the sun rose above the ridges along the water, it was nice and warm.
We saw a few landmarks along the way including a cave and underwater waterfall. We finished our canoe trip with 3 final grade II rapids. They were easier than the first day...hmmm...I guess we did learn a few things over the 5 days. When we got to the end, we took our canoe out and waited for our ride. Blazing Saddles were picking us up and taking us back to Raetihi. We saw Joe, Oliver and Louis; a father, son and friend group that we met along the way, but did not see the Aussie's, Danes or Kiwi boys before we left. We were really disappointed that we did not see them and did not get a chance to say good-bye. Our time together will have to stay in our memories as we did not exchange any contact information. From Raetihi, we moved our stuff from the canoe barrels to our duffel bags and headed to the town of Whanganui by bus. We stayed one more night back at Tamara Lodge in Whanganui.
The canoe trip was awesome and I was glad that Delia had the courage to do it and convinced me of the same. I have been asked on several occasions why we like to hike/canoe/do adventure type activities so much; what is the attraction to hump all your gear on your back (or canoe) and camp. My answer is simple. Most places in this world; and most certainly in New Zealand, you will see views that are so incredibly outstanding whether you hike into the wilderness for 50 km and camp or if you are driving along the road and stay in a 5 star hotel. So even though Delia and I go on these adventures to enjoy the scenery, the main reason is for the people that we meet and the experiences that have, that you just don't get from inside a car! It is the feeling of accomplishment each day of hard effort. Being so hungry that freezed dried beans and noodles taste like a steak dinner, being so tired that your pathetic little thermarest and sleeping bag are like a down-feathered bed and being so totally satisfied with the day that finishing it off by lying on the ground looking up at the stars is WAY better than anything that you could ever imagine. And last, but not least, are the people that you meet. In a very short period of time; strangers can become your friends. You meet people that you automatically share a common interest with, but come from all different walks of life; a combination that inevitably leads to very interesting conversations.
"Erere kau mai te awanui, mai te kahui maunga ki tangaroa, ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au.""The great river flows from the mountains to the sea, I am the river, the river is me."
"He pukenga wai, he nohoanga tangata, he nohotanga tangata he putanga korero."
"Where there is a body of water, people settle and where people settle, legends unfold."
