Canoeing With Teenagers......on the Wanganui River

The catastrophe happened in the whirlpool. Father and daughter swirling around looking for a safe handhold and Jenny and myself assuring them that it was NOT the side of our canoe! Once they'd moved fore and aft and our canoe had stabilized, we set about, slowly, towing them to shore. Some people will do ANYTHING to stop for lunch! (Sorry, no photos, it was a slightly stressful moment).

	Father and daughter still smiling

We started our 3 day expedition of the Wanganui River with an overnight stay in Taumaranui - adults one motel unit, kids the other - at the end of the canoeing season. The kids had heard the tales of our previous trips and, after a session with the photo albums, sought of organised us into taking them. There were eight of us in total, 4 parents and 4 teenagers.

Wednesday 22nd April 1998, we set out by van to Retaruke, road works on the bridge causing a rather lenghty back road detour to the river.

	All packed and ready to go

Onto the river at 12:30. A minor worry. It was, afterall, the beginning of winter, daylight saving over and the river very low.
An hour down and we stopped for a snack and play.

	This is serious stuff here!

Back to the river, the whirlpool and lunch.
Dry, warm and somewhat refreshed we went onwards..... and onwards..... and onwards to the ....hut? Dusk came... then dark ..... we stopped. A torch light beckoned us on so we proceeded - cautiously - in the direction of that (and the sound of the rapid). "Mum, paddle LEFT! ... MUM paddle LEFT! ....MUM PADDLE LEFT!" (To keep her happy I did, and we went aground).

Torches were found, warm gear produced, fresh batteries located, a snack was eaten and we rehit the river - cautiously. Round the bend, through the rapid and there's a sign. John Coull Hut 200 metres. We could have walked.

Dinner and bed, muscles protesting.

	We all felt a bit this way

The next morning a 10 a.m. start and on to the Bridge to Nowhere.
A 40 minute walk to the bridge, 10 minutes to admire the view, then back to the canoes. Not a great desire to see the river after dark AGAIN!

Arrived Tieke Marae (before dark) - a Park's Board hut at the center of a Maori land claim. Welcomed onto the Marae, we used the hut and joined the locals for dinner.

Next morning... the river again and only an hour late to Pipiriki and our ride home.

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