The Nevis River, Take 2, NZ

The Boys, L to R. Dawson, Paul B, Myself, Danly and Marc in Front.

Yesterday myself, Danly, Paul Button, Marc, and Dawson headed up to Ben Nevis station to hit up the formable Nevis River. With a somewhat clear day, what looked like a good water flow from the flow phone we were off, but after organizing, a couple of stops in town to get gas and pick up the boats from the rafting base at Cavells, and a stop to get food in Cromwell we made it to the put on at just after 12pm. Thus a bit of a late start, which meant that we had to get a bit of a move on. Myself and Dawson had both done the river a couple of weeks ago which was good because we could sort of remember where to go and which drops to get out and have a look at and which ones to charge down. A couple of hours in, two swims later for one of the crew and we were in the midst of the steeps. It is such a beautiful place, a complete switch from the green look of Queenstown.
The water was a bit lower than last time, probably in the 12-13cms range. Hope to hit it up in the higher teens soon. Paddling out to the bottom after the steep section, a couple of us got caught in a little sticky hole, going to remember Dawson boofing over me as I was surfing in the bottom for a while. Good times. Then we paddled down the Kawarau and ran Citroen rapid, which was running around 260cms. Such a neat switch going from low to high volume all in one trip. Enjoy the photos.



The put on bridge where we discovered the river was a bit lower than what the gauge had advertised.

With a few drops here and there the first two and a half kms is a nice warm up with mountains in the back ground.

Then it gets a bit steeper. Paul B in the midst of it.

March eyeing up one of the slots.

Danly heading down stream, with an ominous looking sky behind.

Marc coming through the bottom of the above drop.

Looking down toward the drops Little and Big Brother, the last of the Steeps.

Dawson in the middle of Triple Drop.

Paul B coming out the bottom of Triple drop.

Photos by David Prothero