Five Go Rafting

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Five Go Rafting Anita Benbrook We were all packed up and ready to go until we listened to the forecast: rain, rain and more rain, plus a bonus ofs snow not the best weather for an eight-day rafting trip. fter last minute discussions with the fellow rafters, the pilot and a forecaster, the trip was canned for a week. We went out for some shopping therapy and Rex consoled himselfwith a rafting picture: thunderous water with a raft half-submergedin a huge stopper enough to give me nightmares before l'd even been on the trip. The quote summed things up: Risk "Some people dream of great accomplishments while others stay. awake and do them". The week dragged on. Finally we were off to Taihape early on Friday morning. The pilot cheerfully told us it was going to be a little rough and it certainly was; quite disconcerting flying over the saddle before Boyd Lodge, unable to see where we were going and the little plane bouncing from side to side and up and down. The landing strip is on a big terrace above the Ngaruroro River. Rex had managed tol lose our raft for an houri in the scrub last time we were there, so we kept careful tabs on the gear this time. Eventually all the was shuffled down to the river, rafts pumped up, and dthes gear tied on. Off we went. In the gorge a short distance downstream, Rex and I suddenly had a closer look at the fish in the river. The yelling in thel back didn't translate to a smooth transition down a sudden slot in front of us. We continued down the gorge and found a campsite below Golden Hills. The big fishing pool was very tempting to thel budding fisher-persons amongst us, and with the spinner attached, I was soon trying my luck. Nothing for starters so I had a break before giving it another A great catch! Rex Benbrook go. Bang, on hopped a big trout; I received advice from all quarters, including Khan lending vocal support, and the fish was soon on shore. Pleased at having caught the Wej packed up and moved down to a campsite just above first fish of the trip, as well as the first one I have ever Ngaawapurua Hut. The gorge in this section is very! beaumanaged to land, the day ended well. tiful buti it would be difficult to get down it without pack floating. There are some big pools with steep sides to Next day Les and Ashley were off early to visit a "hot negotiate. After finding the next "hot spot", according to spot". Two shots later, they returned without anything. the Les information on "hot spots in the Ngaruroro The day turned out to be a cracker and Rex and I went River", we pitched the tents. Our campsite was next to for a wander in the Golden Hills area behind the camp- another big fishing pool, but alas the fish weren't keen site. It was very hot walking up through the manuka and on the spinner or nymphs. clay pans but we soon reached the relative cool of the beech forest. We moved down-river the next day and camped in an area that must have seen some very strong winds re- On the way back we stopped to have a look around with cently. Huge sections of beech trees had fallen down and thel binos and out popped a deer below us. Thel boys had somel big hangers were left upi in the remaining trees. We been teasing Rex about the speed of his bullets and I carefully selected our campsites in positions we hoped think they may have been right. The deer appeared to wouldn't have any fall-out from above. There were some duck, and then take off into the bush before another shot tempting fish in this pool too, swimming just out of could be fired. Never mind, plenty more hunting to be range of the nymph line. Some of them were monsters, had further down the river. cruising back and forth, teasing us. Tramping and Mountaineering 1997

As dusk fell, Les was out fishing and one of the cruisers got a little too close to shore. Breakfast I baked trout! We headed off next morning and were soon at Omarukokere Biv. This section of river travels through some gentle areas before moving into the big rock-filled rapids which are good for an adrenaline buzz. The river tightened up again and we arrived at Rocks Ahead Hut in no time. We went for a walk up to the tops in the afternoon and the weather turned while we were up there. Les and Ashley managed to spot some deer before we made a hasty retreat but by the time we got back to the hut it was pouring and we were all drenched. The rain continued all night and into the next morning. The river was moving swiftly when we hopped in the next day and appeared to be rising. Lines were carefully picked before tackling the rapids. One particular rapid in this section we had considered portaging last time and we hopped out to assess it. There was a nasty-looking log jammed across one part and a bit of a drop to negotiate. We opted for the safe route and pulled the rafts around it. The bit below was just as exciting with some big rocks and holes to avoid. Rex was yelling himself hoarse shouting directions, while thought about those "Great Accomplishments' ". Iwas certainly awake and doing them, but wasn't ready to be swallowed up in a giant hole just yet. The weather cleared up on the Thursday sO wewandered up onto the Manson for a look at the hut and meet the famous .338. This guy's entries are in all the logbooks around the Kawekas so we thought we would put a face Coming ashore for a break Anita Benbrook to the name. The boys decided they were certainly outgunned; he was pinging shots off from up to 400 metres. Much discussion ensued, cups oftea, ballistics, bullets, went out to have another go at this fly fishing business; deer, rifles, and other very interesting topics! We took still haven't quite got the hang of casting so I needed a side trip down to the old Manson Hut (after managed thej practice. crept up to the pool and had a look in. Yep, to drag them away) which has had a facelift. It's an origi- there was a biggy cruising within reach. Khan had a nal hut, one of the few in this area and worth the effort closer inspection and was soon pushed away. In went of thel hill you have to climb down and up to reach it. We the nymph, past his nose, no take. Try a bit further up, sauntered back in the direction of Kiwi Mouth and sat says Les, so I tried for a bigger cast; down went the indown at the bush edge for a look. We not only spotted dicator, just an eddy I thought. But no, I had him. Boy one deer, but some dead sitters well, alive actually; did he fight; with vocal support and offers of how to do no-one could be bothered going down to shoot them. it from all sides Iwas soon in the water up to my thighs, balanced on the edge of the rocks, teetering up and We headed back to Kiwi Mouth for dinner and Rex and down the pool but getting dragged nearer and nearer the Ashley made plans for an early start on the Friday. They rapid below. Up and down he went; we had several close left at 5 am while Les and I stayed behind to do some inspections as it leapt out of the water, then bang, a fishing. To get to some of the pools we had to do a bit double twist out of the water and it escaped. Never of bush-bashing; not so easy climbing through manuka mind, he will live for another fishing tale, albeit with a scrub with a 6 ft fishing rod getting caught on every sore mouth for a day or two. branch. After Khan decided to hopin the pool for a as well, we returned to thel hut in disgust; no fish to Be We had rung up Paul Critchley when we were up on the seen. Les thought he would have one more go and re- Manson to arrange for him to drop our van off at Kuriturned triumphant Rex and Ash reappeared and quickly papango. Wej packed up and headedi into thel last section informed him he still hadn' 't caught one as big as mine. of the river. It had taken us several hours to raft the last We asked where the venison was and Rex replied, "still two sections the previous year; this time we were down sleeping behind the bush on the vertical face". They had at Cameron Hut in no time. Ashley went for a last dunkwatched a deer disappear into some bushes on a slip- ing and confirmed that the water was still cold. A few face never to be seen again; they couldn't work it out as more rapids to go and Kuripapango was in our sights. it had nowhere to go since the three bushes were sur- The river was not as high as ithad been but it still made rounded by gravel. Tall story, we said. for exciting rafting. An excellent trip once again. Tramping and Mountaineering 1997