Kayaking the Waikato River

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Kayaking the Waikato River Wayne Stevens The Waikato River, at 425km long, is New Zealand's long est river. Itcontains a great variety of scenery, both natural and manmade and the river and the 8 hydro lakes along its length make for interesting kayaking. Alast minute decision at Christmas led me to Taupo and the start of a trip down the Waikato Riverin a sea kayak. The total trip from Taupo to the Tasman Sea can take 1-2 weeks, depending on how you get around a number of natural and man-made obstacles on the river. originally attempted to use à collapsible trolley, which I carried inside my kayak, to transport myself around the dams and the Huka Falls; however, a lot of walking led me to abandon this plan and resort to a car to avoid most of the dams on the Early morning on the Waikato River Wayne Stevens Waikato. The total trip took 12 days. I intended to re-enter the river just 400m below the Full James. After my The first part, from Taupo to the Huka below the dam. The Waikato had a experiences of earlier in the morning Falls, was relatively short. The river high river flow, however, which put me I was a little apprehensive about takflows past the outskirts of Taupo, past off this idea. Instead I had another ing my kayak further, but I had no farmland and a hot spring and through lengthy walk down a dirt road to the problems. The rest of this part of the a gorge before reaching the camping Full James rapid. A ride from a canoe- river, down to SH5 was quite enjoyarea at Reeds Farm. This is the safest ist who was driving past was grate- able and beautiful. place to exit the river before the Falls. fully accepted as I had walked about Some tourists at Huka Falls asked me, 12km at this stage with my kayak and The next part of the Waikato River "How soon are you going to go down was quite exhausted. down to the dam on Lake Ohakuri is the Falls, as we would like to take a probably the most varied section and photo of you?" They were disap- The next day didn't start well. Follow- one of the most beautiful of the whole pointed when I told them wasn't go- ing a scramble down to the river with trip. The river flows through farmland, ing over the Falls that day as it wasn't my kayak I was able to get into the large pine plantations, and past a numflowing fast enough and it would be river next to the Full James. I thought ber of thermal areas. When the hydro too easy. hoped they realised I was I could successfully get around the dam at Ohakuri was constructed in the joking! No photos of the police dive rapid but a few moments later I was 1960s a number of spectacular therteam pulling a dead kayaker out of the lying upside down in my kayak and mal areas were flooded to make way bottom of the falls today! being swept back towards the rapid.I for the new hydrol lake; however, some quickly escaped and swam with my thermal areas, such as Orakei Korako After a long walk with my kayak found kayak, against the current, back to the still remain. There are also a couple an area down river from Huka Falls river's edge. Aquick check of my gear of hot springs and these are worth a where I could once again safely re- revealed that all Ihad lost was my cap. visit. The dam may have created a enter the river. It continues to flow The kayak was fine and the gear in- popular lake for boaties, but found it quite swiftly below thel Falls; however, side the sealed compartment was dry. tragic to think of what had been lost the flow was not a problem. Once In retrospect, accessing the river here in the name of "progress". again - seemed to be the object of tour- was not a good idea as the river was ist attention as jet boats and the his- too high. On other days, with a lower The dam at the end of Lake Ohakuri toric. Africa Queen steamer passed by. river flow, I would have been fine. seemed to be impossible to get The temperature of the Waikato River around, due to a steep gorge below rises substantiallywhere hot water dis- managed to get some help to get my the dam. Furthermore, I was aware charges from the Wairakei geothermal kayak and gear back up the hill, and that there were still six hydro lakes to power station. The remaining section following some advice from a canoe- come andldid not fancywalking many of the river down to Aratiatia Dam: was ing instructor from Auckland, I man- kilometres around all these dams. I relatively quick travel. aged to get back into the river about decided to ring my sister, Angela, who TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996 brought my car down from Hamilton, After Lake Karapiro there wére no had been well-used. Despite camping which I used to get around the dams. morel hydro dams in my way. The river relatively close to SH1, slept well that Whilst this avoided lengthy road from Cambridge to Hamilton was re- night. think the continuous sunshine, walks, it did pose a problem as Iwould ally beautiful and with a steady cur- the lack of shade, and the long hours park my car at one end of a hydro lake, rent behind me, made for quick travel. of paddling were good ingredients for then kayak up and down the lake and The river through to Hamilton flows an excellent night's sleep. the river to the dam, but my car would through a gorge with steep cliff edges still be at the other end of the lake. covered in native bush. The following dayl paddled for about This meant that the following six hy- 10 hours to my next campsite near drol lakes and the river areas below the Kayaking through Hamilton was quite Tuakau, about 60km down-river. The dams were kayaked twice, in order to a pleasant experience. The Waikato power station at Huntly dominates the collect my car and see all of the river. River passes through the middle of Waikato for much of this part of the Hamilton and a number of houses trip. The sides of the river are largely Lake Atiamuri is one of the shortest have been built along the river's edge. bush-covered and the views are occalakes and is relatively peaceful. The Hamilton has made excellent use of sionally broken by views of vehicles paddle was relatively quick and soon the attractiveness of the Waikato River, on SH1, the rusting shell of a former left Lake Atiamuri to set up camp for with parks and reserves along its river boat, and the townships of Huntly ther night adjacent tol Lake Whakamaru. banks. The mock paddle-steamer, the and Mercer. This is one of the longer lakes. I was MV Waipa Delta, looks impressive as keen to kayak the length of the lake it travels this section of the river. I My final day on the river involved a and return to my car in one day. It is passed a group of guys working on the scenic paddle to Port Waikato. There quite beautiful and also had a mixture construction of a sixth bridge over the are hundreds of baches along the of farmland and forestry plantations riveri in Hamilton. They asked wherel banks of the river. Some have permaalong its shores. The total trip up and had come from; "Taupo, said, and nent occupants, others are used by down Lake Whakamaru, from the dam they asked where I was heading; "to whitebaiters and fishermen, and othon Whakamaru to the dam at the end the sea," " I replied. They were im- ers are abandoned and falling apart. of Lake Atiamuri is about 40km. The pressed and wished me luck. This partoft the river was different from upper reaches of the lake have a strong any other area of New Zealand and current, and it took some effort to The Waikato River kept up its steady was a voyage of discovery for me. paddle back to the Atiamuri Dam. current all the way to Ngaruawahia where the Waipa River merges with It was great to finally reach Port The following day was spent kayaking the Waikato and the current is re- Waikato and the Tasman Sea. A numon the smaller hydrol lakes of Maraetai duced. After merging with the Waipa ber of locals asked me where I had and Waipapa. There were a few row- the Waikato becomes even broader come from; when I told them, they ers and otherl boaties on Lake Maraetai and it's not hard to imagine paddle were impressed. Whilst the trip was but Ihad Lake Waipapa to myself. The steamers, waka, and other boats on longin distance it had not been all that next lake on the Waikato River, Lake the river last century. difficult. Thel hydro dams were a bit of Arapuni is about 25 to 30km long. As a pain, but the trip wasn't that hard.I a round trip would take twice as long Icamped for the night on farmland had enjoyed it, but 10 days of condecided to spend two days kayaking south of Huntly after a long day's pad- tinuous hot, sunny weather had made this lake. After paddling from below dling. My arms were feeling like they me anxious for some shade. A the Waipapa Dam, down the Waikato River to Lake Arapuni and on down to the Arapuni Dam and back, found an excellent campsite located about halfway down thel lake. That night joined ina party with a large bunch off friendly farmers who were camped there. These farmers, mainly from the surroundingarea, hads set upa camp complete with washing machines, microwave ovens, a fridge and freezer, showers and a generator. These farmers had to return home twice a day to milk the cows. Thel last lake on the Waikato River, Lake Karapiro, is also another long lake. It is mainly surrounded byf farmland and I didn't find this lake as beautiful as the others. Karapiro is popular with rowers, water skiers and boaties alike. the Loading kayak Wayne Stevens TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996