Anyone been to New Zealand THIS winter???

[gard_nerd]

I'll be on the South Island in a week and was just curious how the water levels have been this season. I'll be in the Murchison area for a week, then another week on the West Coast/Hokitika.

Dave

[gh]

I am saving my money to try to make it next year. Take pictures and give me a trip report if you dont mind. I will be heading to Murchison if I can make it out next year. I would like to know as much as possible about the area and boat rental, etc.

greg

[RiverWrangler]

Just retrned from an epic 5 week adventure down under. The West Coast has been seeing plenty of rain so the murchinson, west coast, and fiordland paddling is going off. Make sure to bring plenty of funds for heli-trips because the exchange rate is just killing the american dollar right now. Or, do what the locals do and hike the heli-runs. (only reccommended if you're used to shouldering your boat for 10+ miles of muddy steep track!). Whatever you do, get amongst it. There's some of the best paddling in the world down there.
Evan

[gh]

Thanks for the pics, very nice.

[ksable]

I was down there back in December and January and it is truly great. Just a note: the rivers are mostly rain driven so flows change radically over a small amount of time. Keep lots of change for internet so you can check weather forecast daily.
New Zealand Kayak school in Murch provides a good supplemental list to the guide book. The list concerns difficulty and roughly when to do the harder west coast stuff (in relationship to rain events)
Murch is easy. the buller is better for play at low flows and the tribs such as the Matak and maturi are better with lots of water.
Get the Grahm Charles Guidebook.
go to the holiday park campground in Murch and Lake Muanipua Campground 10k south of Hokitika for west coast boaters
Cheers

[Don]

We have the Guide Book for New Zealand in stock.

Confluence Kayaks
303-433-3676