White Water Rafting with Kaitiaki
James, Mieke, and I decided to take a break from black water rafting, and give white water rafting a shot.... We weren't disappointed.
We slightly nudged away from the calm eddy, and in an instant, we were sucked into the strong downward surge of water. Next thing I knew, we were completely vertical, diving straight into the crashing water. I was splashed by a little water, then I suddenly found myself completely submerged, holding on to the raft as the rushing water pulled me upwards. Then after a few split seconds, all the water receded and I was able to gasp for air. Everyone was cheering. I opened my eyes, and turned to see the waterfall behind me. We had just gone over the world's largest commercially rafted waterfall.. WHAT'S UP!
The Kaituna River is quite sacred and vital tot he local Maori iwi because it is a source of food and irrigation. There is also a cavern along the riverbed that is considered a wahi tapu (sacred place), because it is a burial ground. This is where they would lay their dead warriors from the battles with other tribes. The guides are very reverent in regards to the river and the iwi, which I felt, really gave the trip a mystical feel.
I'm quite impressed with the trip to be honest. The guides have a good understanding of the hydrology of the river, and are fully capable of maneuvering the raft single-handedly if necessary.
