Tree Trunk Gorge

Me on the big 1 (Photo -Tim Pickering)



Yesterday, Willz, Tim Pickering, Martic a slalom dude and I decided to head down to Tree Trunk Gorge for a little bit of a huck fest. We rocked up there and the flow was nice and it was all good to go. Tim and Willz decided they would fire it up first and both portaged the shitty entrance rapid which isn't nice at all. Tim dropped in first off the big 1, he had a sick line over the waterfall and Willz had a sweet line too. After the first drop, there is a super clean 20-footer, both the boys aired a big boof of it and stomped it. They were both super stoked on how the run went. I was now up next and super keen to run the drops, Martic wasn't keen to run the Gorge so Willz decided he would run it again with me , so I wouldn't be alone in there (good dude!). We both portaged the entrance rapid. I decided that I was going to drop in first. I was a little nervous. I gave Tim the hand signal and then made my way to the lip. It felt like I was in the right place and on line I then hit the connector with a bit of an angle and bounced off it and landed in the pool up side down, rolled up straight away and all was good. I was still super stoked on it. Willz was up next, he styled the falls again. We both had sweet lines of the last drop - such an amazing boof! We were all stoked on how the run went, a mint days boating. Thanks to Tim and Martic for the sweet photos, shot boys!

Aratiatia Rapids 30th Jan 2010




Me styling the weir

Aratiatia Rapids

On Saturday, 30th January, Sam Sutton, Willz, Max and I decided to head to Aratiatia Rapids to catch the 10 am flow down. We arrived there with a little bit of time to spare Willz decided that he would run safety at the weir with Matt Burton as they had both ran the rapids at the start of the week. Max, Sam and I put in and waited for the water to rise to full flow. Sam as usual dropped in first at around 10 past, I was up next I got the hand signal, all good to go I was a bit nervous but as soon as I dropped in the nerves went away. The entrance rapid went well I ran it on the hard left, I had sweet lines. I managed to line the weir up okay I stalled out a bit but it was sweet, I was stoked. Sam had a little play session in the weir and managed to paddle out. Max was up last it looked like he had a sweet line off the weir but it looped him back into the guts and he ended up swimming, he took a bit of a beating but managed to grab the rope that Matt threw him it was super scary watching him getting smashed. Max's kayak went down stream so he couldn't carry on. The Middle drop was up next Sam and I had sweet lines, plugged it hard and came out sweet.I was super stoked to get down the rapids and style them. A sick days kayaking. Thanks Matt and Willz for running safety for us, shot boys!

Here are a few pics from the run

Maxi before a NDE Near Death Experience

Sam before a little freestyle session in the weir NO BIG DEAL!