South Silver

Well its been a little busy since the South Stan mission... Some of it is a little blurry but I think where were headed next was the South Silver Creek. This one is a classic close to town and provides some nice slides and you definitely feel good at the end of the day.
It has a pretty good window from high to low and everything in between is good to go.  We ran this a couple of times but I think these pics are from the second round.  Nick and I were the only ones keen to paddle this day and Jamie decided to come take photos.   While we waited for Jamie to run shuttle and run up from the bottom to take photos we rallied a couple of laps on the put in slide then headed down the river.  Jamie was waiting at Boof, Boof Slide for us.  I haven't had much luck on this in years past but with a little line alteration I have it better now.  Without much stopping we both dropped into the Tea Cups and then off Sky Scraper and Off Ramp.  After a little portage and some more sweet drops we were off back to Coloma.  This run is a great warm up to the bigger slides you will find on the High Sierra runs here in Cali!

- Coming down above Boof, Boof, Slide

-Boof Boof Slide - Photo Jamie Garrod

- Dropping into Sky Scraper - Photo Jamie Garrod

- Sky Scrapper from a different angle - Photo Jamie Garrod

-Nick coming down Off Ramp - Photo Jamie Garrod

- Nick on Sky Scraper - Photo Jamie Garrod

-Chilling at Myles, Chris and Niges place in Coloma - Photo Jamie Garrod

South Stanislaus

I arrived in California on Sunday the 5th of May in San Francisco where Myles and Jesse picked me up  and we made our way inland.  After a couple of days to get sorted and catch up with Nick and Harmony it was time to get to business.  Ryan Mac had a plan and although there was a pretty good recipe for disaster the crew soon grew from not many to a lot and then back down to a solid 6.  The idea for the trip was, in Mac's terms the ultimate "Lifestyling" trip.  Now this word gives off this feeling of ease and achievability not usually associated with an epic adventure so spirits were high and we all felt good.  After a few hour drive we set camp at Pinecrest Reservoir and settled in for the night.

- Camp one at Pinecrest Res - Photo Ryan Mac

 In true  "Lifestyle" fashion we rose late and made coffee and oatmeal before packing up camp and heading to the boat ramp.  From here we would see across the Lake and up into Cleo's Bath and our run for the next day.  Now there is another far easier hike in from the ridge but word from the ranger was that it was closed hence this angle of attack.

- Packing boats at the ramp - Photo Josh Neilson

-Pushing off with the gorge in the background - Photo Ryan Mac

- Granite in our sights - Photo Ryan Mac

On the lake we were barely 30m in and we hear someone shouting from the boat dock. "Are you guys fix'n on running those rapids in there? Are you guys
 pro-fessionals? Are you sponsored? Because I know a guy who did it and all I know is if you don't have a Red Bull helmet and a helicopter you shouldn't be going there".  And so it began... we chuckled to each other as we thanked the kind man for his input and headed across the lake to the river.  The first part of the hike was easy but soon we were at Cleo's Bath and it was steep and up hill from here.

- Me and Nick stoked to have carry systems! - Photo Ryan Mac

- Roping boats up the steep section - Photo Ryan Mac

With a bit of rope work and some balancing acts we made it to the crest and chilled for a bit.  Now quite sore and tried we decided to leave our camp stuff and hike the empty boat to the put in.  As we made it up the river we found some sweet drops but it was stacked and moving fast.  About a mile up we decided to call it quits for the day and head back to camp. With a bit of rain on the horizon we decided to camp in a cave and avoid the elements.  Many theories were passed over the fire and soon we were all set on not hiking our boats any higher and enjoying the rapids we had from there out to fit with Mac's "Lifestyle" clause in the trip brief.

-Fire and food - Cave living - Photo Josh Neilson

-Stories round the fire better when in a cave! - Photo Josh Neilson

- Jamie Garrod on pride rock  - Photo Josh Neilson

The morning started with a quick fire to make oats and coffee and then we were off up the hill once again. With some quick scouting we could see the river had come up a bit but that was ideal.  Soon we were in our kayaks and with a quick warm up we were into it!

-Drop number 1 - Photo Josh Neilson

- Drop 1 - Photo Ryan Mac

-Jamie on a nice boof - Photo Josh Neilson

Feeling better now that we were kayaking and not walking we got through a few small drops before the crux.  Standing on the granite scouting in kayaking gear made the drops look a little nicer and I was fired up.  I really wanted to run the entry but was not to psyched about the ski jump in the middle before the off ramp.  In the end my mind was made up and I dropped in.  The entry drop was sweet and as I had expected I got slowed at the lip of the ski jump but made it through and out the bottom.

- Coming off the Ski Jump in the middle of the crux 3 - Photo Ryan Mac

- Bottom slide of the top 3 - Photo Ryan Mac

-Jamie on the slide - Photo Jamie Garrod


- Jamie Garrod coming down the slot - Photo Ryan Mac

- Nick Wimsett coming into the slot in his brand new Tuna - Photo Ryan Mac


- Me coming down out of the slot into the fast section - Photo Ryan Mac



-It just keeps going - Tea Cups - Photo Ryan Mac


- Chris coming into the double hot! - Photo Ryan Mac


- Another angle of double - Photo Ryan Mac


- Tight entry! - Photo Josh Neilson


- This is not photoshop - Jamie, Nick and I on Double all at once - Photo Ryan Mac


- Riley on the top drop - Photo Ryan Mac


-Jamie on Double Drop - Photo Ryan Mac



- Montage of me on Double Drop - Photo Ryan Mac

-Mac on the bottom drop - Photo Josh Neilson

It didn't stop there we had a tricky slot drop that everyone styled and then down through the tea cup section.  The best part was the double drop and a few of us ran laps on that part! From here we portaged round Cleo's Bath once again and paddled out to the lake.  Everyone was stoked and although the way in was not ideal we all loved the way out! We were hoping that our mate from the dock was there so we could let him know we made it out without with just your average helmet and no helicopter so he could rest easy. Stoked to be here in Cali running challenging whitewater again! 

Back at the car we checked out photos, had a few beers and then headed back to Coloma!  For another version of this river which shows the top part we didnt make it to you can check out Ben's Blog for the South Stan mission they did. 

Next mission is coming to Ill leave it at that! 

Cheers

Josh

Wainui River

-Powerhouse Open Gates warm up

As I came home from the Tuakopai on Tuesday I figured with 2 weeks left in the country that I wouldn't be needing my elbow pads for any more kayaking trips this summer in NZ so packed them away and headed back out on the Kaituna! Thankfully the lake was still full and we got a couple of laps in at open gates which is always a fun time!

- Waterfall at Open Gates

The weekend was in full swing with a few drinks here and there and before I knew it I was waking up to the sound of the Neighbors running round our house talking of rain in the Kaimais again.  A few seconds later Tyler came busting into my room with a smile on his face and all he said was "CREEKING?".  While I am often able to use the excuse of work to pass on less exciting activities there was no place for excuses today.  It was a run I had always wanted to do but never been in the right place with the right flows.
~Cue inspirational dubstep soundtrack~
Everyone scattered and re grouped all piecing things together for the day ahead.  Out came the packed away elbow pads and once again we were in the car heading for the hills.
A little drive up the coast and we were there looking back down the valley to the sea and the thought crossed my mind that we had to paddle out to an estuary so all that gradient was going to be made up of  waterfalls!

-Hike in to Wainui through some wild country

At the end of the short hike in I pulled up and heard Jamie explaining the optimal flows we had ahead and downstream Lorenzo was playing his Quena (Flute).  A golden liquid flowed swiftly through the dense native forest setting the scene for the day ahead.  Although the big waterfall was hot on my mind all morning it was time to seriously focus as the rapids pretty much all drop 10 or more meters and they are unending.

-Jamie (aka Htzhamez) Entering B's Rapid

-Dropping into B's Rapid

-The exit to B's Rapid

- Making my way through 'Freight Train'

-Brad coming down 'Freight Train'

- Jamie and Tyler coming down 'Double Drop'

-Entering double drop next to the illegal water system

-Brad on the bottom half of double drop

-Tyler on the bottom of 'Double Drop'

- Sanga on 'Double'

The first scout was at B's rapid which is a nice entry, boof off a nose, land skip out, turn, head left then off another big slide in the middle.  All good lines and we were doing well.  After an uncountable amount of sweet drops we got to the next real crux called 'Little Brother'.  It is a tricky lead in followed by a 30foot drop that is shallow so you need to boof but stomp your bow down to avoid breaking your back. Again we set safety and made our way off the drop.  1,2,3,4,5,6 clean lines and big smiles at the bottom.

-Lorenzo navigating the entry to Little Brother

- Jamie on the lip of the 30

- Getting the stomp on

-Tyler getting his lean on

-Sanga on Little Brother

Now the mind has been on full focus for over an hour of solid class 5 and you are only thinking about the rapid you are running but the Big one is close and its trying to occupy your thoughts!!
Not a single bad line by anyone all day so far meant optimism was high and everyone quietly knew they were going to run the big one.  At the lip it all seemed pretty clear cut.  The idea here is to 1- not land flat and 2- not go over the handle bars.  The line is off the middle with as little speed as possible.  You sit facing upstream about 2m from the lip and as you float out the back of the eddy you pull yourself out into the flow, turning downstream.  You hold the stroke over the lip to stabilise your boat so it does not over rotate.  Once you have your angle set you spot the landing and your weight co

mes forward then you toss the paddle away and tuck forward some more.  Impact.

-Attempt 2 - Sanga

-Attempt 3 - Bradley Lauder

- Attempt 4 - Me

-Attempt 4 - Me again

-Tyler sticking the line clean

- Attempt 6 - Jamie Garrod

- Stoked to be at the bottom

So while this explanation is the ideal scenario there were some varying degrees of impact but all good.  Lorenzo went a little over the bars and was ejected but all good.  I took some skin off my nose from the elbow pad but had a soft landing.
From here we were all buzzing but it still doesn't end here.

- Big slide!!!

A few more big drops and slides and finally made it into the flat water.  A few days before we were talking about our best run ever and I think I would now have to say this one.  I could even be so bold as to say this was my best day kayaking I have ever had.  A quick pack up and we were on our way to Te Puke Mc Donald's for some much deserved burgers!
Cheers to Lorenzo, Sam, Jamie, Tyler and Brad for such a sweet day!
Next update will likely be from Cali! Looking forward to it!

For reference we had 6.5 on the Waipapa guage.