30 March 11 - Mountain Club of Zimbabwe
WOW! What an entertaining presentation by an interesting group of adventurers. They tackled a relatively remote, and probably never-before paddled section of the Gairezi river, in inflatable canoes. It must be said that Laurie and his team really did their homework before setting off, so they were well-prepared for what came along.
They covered a stretch of about 60km's, with quite a bit of flat water, and two gorges with lots of rapids. The volume was pretty high (it was December 2010) and they set a pretty good pace.
I will most certainly be leading a kayak trip down all or parts of the same section of river. We'll have a look at the river level next week and see if there's still enough water to do it this season!
Thanks to Laurie and his adventurers for sharing this experience with us through the medium of photographs, videos and Laurie's inimitable style! Hopefully he'll post some material online.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Novice Sessions
22 & 29 March 11
Troy's house proved to be another excellent venue for a pool session and we have good turnouts on both occasions. Several people successfully rolled, and all improved vastly in areas such boat control, paddle strokes and hipsnap. Special mention must be made of Shane D who came along on the 29th and managed several paddle rolls - he claims he's never had any lessons!
Thanks Troy for the use of your place and for assisting with the coaching.
Thanks also to Andy, David and Murray for the loan of your equipment.
Troy's house proved to be another excellent venue for a pool session and we have good turnouts on both occasions. Several people successfully rolled, and all improved vastly in areas such boat control, paddle strokes and hipsnap. Special mention must be made of Shane D who came along on the 29th and managed several paddle rolls - he claims he's never had any lessons!
Thanks Troy for the use of your place and for assisting with the coaching.
Thanks also to Andy, David and Murray for the loan of your equipment.
Planned Pungwe Gorge Trip 7-13 April
In 1989 David Chidzero wrecked his fiberglass boat and was forced to walk out of the Pungwe Gorge, using his paddle as a platform to walk on top of the impenetrable vegetation. The military chopper sent to find him failed to spot him and he walked to safety the next day.
During the 90's, four brave souls from Vic Falls ran the gorge and, once on the commercial section, they relaxed their guard long enough to name a rapid: "Four Clowns Folly".
In about 10 days time another batch of intrepid paddlerswill walk into the Gorge, looking forward to two days on one of the most unspoiled sections of wilderness river in the world (certainly in the warmer climates). The adrenaline will be coursing through their veins as they anticipate the steep and pristine waters before them. The roar of the Pungwe Falls will add to the backdrop, and induce just a little more adrenaline into the blood.
The confirmed intrepid paddlers are:
Robin Kock (RSA);
Hugh Du Preez (RSA);
Wayne Moss;
David Chidzero (round 2);
Troy Drummond; and
Jan Hart.
David assures me that his previous attempt sounds a whole lot more dramatic than it actually was, and he's looking forward to this trip. We will of course be much better prepared than previous outings, with more robust boats,spare paddles, swiftwater rescue experts (Wayne and Hugh) and prior river knowledge (David - top section & commercial, me - bottom section and comercial). We will also have two-way radio comms, GPS (yes I know Clyde - we don't need a GPS to find our way down the river - it is only used for evacuations), a small first aid kit, and best of all, porters will carry in an overnight camp to be set up near the slide.
I encourage the fence-sitters, those with doctors notes, work pressure, grumpy wives, or other perfectly valid excuses to emulate the Aussie surfers, "chuck a sickie" and join us. You will have the time of your life and stories to tell yourgrandchildren. For those in far-off places copied in this email - there's still time to book flights!
Novice paddlers, hikers, birders and campers who wish to join our porters on the walk in and share much exaggeratedstories of day 1 around the campfire are welcome. You will enjoy a steep walk through wild and scenic country, and a camp in the magical riparian forest of a spectacular river (birders - there may well be a rare bird or two calling).
As Andy can attest, every circus must have a fewsideshows, and this one is no exception. Here are the details:
Sideshow1: Wed 6 April - Robin, Hugh and any other "Sickie Chuckers" depart Pretoria at lunch time, with a load of creek boats for the Zim crowd. Overnight Lion & Elephant.
Sideshow2: Thu 7 April - Andy, Jan, last minute fly-ins and novices meet Robin in the Honde Valley around lunch time for a meander down a novice section, or the commercial section (if no novices), to try out the new boats and stretch tired legs. We'll spend the night at Echo Valley Cottage (near Pine Tree Inn). Andy returns to Harare Friday afternoon for a birthday party and I'm sure he would be happy to give people who need to be in Harare for the weekend a lift.
Sideshow3: Fri 8 April - we'll take a look at the Gairezi and probably run a short and moderate section, or run Pungwe Commercial section if the Gairezi is too low. We'll also make final preparations for porters etc.
The main act part1: Sat 9 April 05:30 - paddlers walk in from Pungwe View, while the porters, hikers, birders and hangers-on walk in from the Honde Valley to set up camp at The Slide.
Sideshow4: Sat 9 April - braai boerie, cold beverages, tall tales and scenic stars around the crackling campfire.
The main act part2: Sun 10 April - paddlers set off on the serious section below the slide, while the rest take their time breaking camp and hiking out, to meet the paddlers at the commercial take-out. There should be time to take novices down a flatter section. Overnight Echo Valley.
Sideshow5: Monday 11 April - some depart early to get back to work, while the remaining paddlers choose between Gairezi, Nyagui, and Mazowe.
Sideshow6: Tue 12 April - Nyagui or Mazowe. Overnight Harare.
Sideshow7: Wed 13 April - Robin and Hugh depart for Pretoria.
Ian, Andy, Squash, Foxy, Bryan, Celliers and other experienced paddlers, feel free to join us on all or just part of this adventure (airport transfers can be arranged!)
Hikers, birders, campers and novices, please let me know who's coming so we can confirm details.
During the 90's, four brave souls from Vic Falls ran the gorge and, once on the commercial section, they relaxed their guard long enough to name a rapid: "Four Clowns Folly".
In about 10 days time another batch of intrepid paddlerswill walk into the Gorge, looking forward to two days on one of the most unspoiled sections of wilderness river in the world (certainly in the warmer climates). The adrenaline will be coursing through their veins as they anticipate the steep and pristine waters before them. The roar of the Pungwe Falls will add to the backdrop, and induce just a little more adrenaline into the blood.
The confirmed intrepid paddlers are:
Robin Kock (RSA);
Hugh Du Preez (RSA);
Wayne Moss;
David Chidzero (round 2);
Troy Drummond; and
Jan Hart.
David assures me that his previous attempt sounds a whole lot more dramatic than it actually was, and he's looking forward to this trip. We will of course be much better prepared than previous outings, with more robust boats,spare paddles, swiftwater rescue experts (Wayne and Hugh) and prior river knowledge (David - top section & commercial, me - bottom section and comercial). We will also have two-way radio comms, GPS (yes I know Clyde - we don't need a GPS to find our way down the river - it is only used for evacuations), a small first aid kit, and best of all, porters will carry in an overnight camp to be set up near the slide.
I encourage the fence-sitters, those with doctors notes, work pressure, grumpy wives, or other perfectly valid excuses to emulate the Aussie surfers, "chuck a sickie" and join us. You will have the time of your life and stories to tell yourgrandchildren. For those in far-off places copied in this email - there's still time to book flights!
Novice paddlers, hikers, birders and campers who wish to join our porters on the walk in and share much exaggeratedstories of day 1 around the campfire are welcome. You will enjoy a steep walk through wild and scenic country, and a camp in the magical riparian forest of a spectacular river (birders - there may well be a rare bird or two calling).
As Andy can attest, every circus must have a fewsideshows, and this one is no exception. Here are the details:
Sideshow1: Wed 6 April - Robin, Hugh and any other "Sickie Chuckers" depart Pretoria at lunch time, with a load of creek boats for the Zim crowd. Overnight Lion & Elephant.
Sideshow2: Thu 7 April - Andy, Jan, last minute fly-ins and novices meet Robin in the Honde Valley around lunch time for a meander down a novice section, or the commercial section (if no novices), to try out the new boats and stretch tired legs. We'll spend the night at Echo Valley Cottage (near Pine Tree Inn). Andy returns to Harare Friday afternoon for a birthday party and I'm sure he would be happy to give people who need to be in Harare for the weekend a lift.
Sideshow3: Fri 8 April - we'll take a look at the Gairezi and probably run a short and moderate section, or run Pungwe Commercial section if the Gairezi is too low. We'll also make final preparations for porters etc.
The main act part1: Sat 9 April 05:30 - paddlers walk in from Pungwe View, while the porters, hikers, birders and hangers-on walk in from the Honde Valley to set up camp at The Slide.
Sideshow4: Sat 9 April - braai boerie, cold beverages, tall tales and scenic stars around the crackling campfire.
The main act part2: Sun 10 April - paddlers set off on the serious section below the slide, while the rest take their time breaking camp and hiking out, to meet the paddlers at the commercial take-out. There should be time to take novices down a flatter section. Overnight Echo Valley.
Sideshow5: Monday 11 April - some depart early to get back to work, while the remaining paddlers choose between Gairezi, Nyagui, and Mazowe.
Sideshow6: Tue 12 April - Nyagui or Mazowe. Overnight Harare.
Sideshow7: Wed 13 April - Robin and Hugh depart for Pretoria.
Ian, Andy, Squash, Foxy, Bryan, Celliers and other experienced paddlers, feel free to join us on all or just part of this adventure (airport transfers can be arranged!)
Hikers, birders, campers and novices, please let me know who's coming so we can confirm details.
Costs: Minimal - food, drink, contributions towards fuel and porters.
See you on the river!
See you on the river!
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Some Humour from the Land Down Under
30 Mar 11
Here's a humorous little anecdote received from my mate Clyde over in Perth, in response to my invitation to join us on the Pungwe Gorge. I've edited it slightly in an effort to make it more readable, hopefully without losing too much of Clyde's humorous turn of phrase.
Allo Mate
Sounds like a party but I am one of those weak as p!ss Ozzies who can't make it. We're struggling here, unlike you Zimbo farmers who've had an abundance of rain, which has led to bumper crops which = “The Big Bucks”. Finding a crust to eat is getting harder by the day.
Last week I was out at the back of Little Island [location Lat: -31.811091°, Lon: 115.704566°] in my Epic [fibre-glass surf-ski], when I caught a medium size wave and snapped the f@kker in half. The nose just exploded into many small pieces (2 many 2 collect). This led to me being rescued off the island after already doing warm ups in preparation for the big swim!
[So did the water coppers rescue you, and if so did you get slapped with a severe fine for not having PFD, flares, EPIRB, first aid kit, sunblock, sunglasses, hat and all that malarky?]
Nah, the fkn useless cops didn’t rescue me; too busy having coffee and muffins elsewhere! The tinny [small aluminium fishing boat] that picked me up was smaller than the half Epic I had on board.
It was embarrassing landing at Sorrento with half a boat under arm, believe me! I did ask to be dropped 500m offshore to be able to make a stealthy beach entry. Yes I know I'm a rude prick, but I did drop off a carton at the blokes house as a thank-you.
Popularity at home was already at a record low as the previous week I snapped my paddle behind the island and got towed home by my good mate Rob. [That's a 4km paddle to the landing spot, towing a surf-ski in ocean conditions which are known to be quite rough – well done Robbo!]
I'm now the proud owner of a brand spanking new Spirit PRS, along with paddle (very important) and would you believe; Sunnies! Yep, I lost them too.
Oh yeah I almost forgot me mate and I went out on Sunday to the best surf I have ever seen at the island, you missed a good sesh. Even though I was in that yellow puss-bucket of mine also known as the yellow submarine for obvious reasons [an ancient and much abused yellow plastic surf-ski with more holes than a good Swiss cheese.] We were getting 100-200m rides at full speed – it was perfect!
OK I got to go and catch some grass hoppers for dinner.
PS: Our Old Mate Tony didn’t come cos he had a sore back or toe or broke a nail – I cant remember, but is was another weak excuse at 5.30am. It appears he doesn’t like early mornings, sharks, or may be just doesn’t like me. Who Knows?
Got grasshoppers to catch, C ya.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Shavas Novice Run
27 Mar 11 - 1.0m Shavas Old Rd Bridge
Treehuggers, Swimmers and Smiling villagers. A very pleasant and entertaining day on the river (main rd to old rd), amongst the very friendly locals, followed by a humorous team lunch at Sitar.
Val C, Ramona WG and Zia T were already waiting when Ken and I pulled up at 6am, closely followed by Ben B. We left our cars at Treetops and were off by 6:10am in the Landy. The Shavas was at a mild level and the novices all had time to get used to their boats while putting to practice the concepts of ferry glides and eddying in and out. We also discussed currents, eddies and obstacles, and the three golden rules of safe paddling.
The locals are warming to us and there was quite a crowd on the banks, with the kids yelling encouragement and laughing raucously at the swimmers, while the older folk smiled their broad smiles and shook their heads disconsolately at such lunacy.
Once the four novices were comfortable we waved goodbye to Ken and the locals to set off on our leisurely cruise. We introduced Ramona to the wet exit and eskimo rescue on the flat sections, and demonstrated the dangers of not leaning downstream when hitting an obstacle (rule 2). Trees and shrubs proved to be a real menace and Ramona managed to get herself stuck several times, grabbing onto them (against rule 3). Zia had to buy beers all round at the finish as she was judged to have grabbed too many branches and reeds on the way past.
Val turned over at the start, and waited patiently for a rescue. Zia and Ben yelled at me to provide a rescue, but I was busy bailing Ramona's boat, so she waited a long time before finally exiting, coughing and spluttering.
Ramona joined the ranks of the swimmers early on, and later had a rather unpleasant incident when she hung on to a tree and wash pushed under. She quickly ejected and emerged, also coughing and spluttering, but she did remember to keep her feet up in the swim (rule 1).
Things settled after that and we all aced the three sisters, and the island rapid. Val managed to drop into the trees at the very end, but was soon back on her way after a quick nudge. Ben and I ran it a second time while the ladies took a comfort break.
The last drop was a breeze for all. Ben and I had an extended play session on the wave, which was hard to get onto, but still pretty retentive. Ken loaded up while we had a chat to Headman Matthew and the jovial crowd of locals who'd gathered to watch the mad muzungus.
A quick stop for ice cold amber liquid at the friendly local bottle store (Ken and I had to make do with bombers as they were out of pints) and we had a leisurely cruise home in the very clean Landy (Ken had washed it in the river while waiting for us). A snap decision was made to have lunch at Sitar, which turned out to be a very pleasant affair.
Thanks to all of you for the excellent company!
Treehuggers, Swimmers and Smiling villagers. A very pleasant and entertaining day on the river (main rd to old rd), amongst the very friendly locals, followed by a humorous team lunch at Sitar.
Val C, Ramona WG and Zia T were already waiting when Ken and I pulled up at 6am, closely followed by Ben B. We left our cars at Treetops and were off by 6:10am in the Landy. The Shavas was at a mild level and the novices all had time to get used to their boats while putting to practice the concepts of ferry glides and eddying in and out. We also discussed currents, eddies and obstacles, and the three golden rules of safe paddling.
The locals are warming to us and there was quite a crowd on the banks, with the kids yelling encouragement and laughing raucously at the swimmers, while the older folk smiled their broad smiles and shook their heads disconsolately at such lunacy.
Once the four novices were comfortable we waved goodbye to Ken and the locals to set off on our leisurely cruise. We introduced Ramona to the wet exit and eskimo rescue on the flat sections, and demonstrated the dangers of not leaning downstream when hitting an obstacle (rule 2). Trees and shrubs proved to be a real menace and Ramona managed to get herself stuck several times, grabbing onto them (against rule 3). Zia had to buy beers all round at the finish as she was judged to have grabbed too many branches and reeds on the way past.
Val turned over at the start, and waited patiently for a rescue. Zia and Ben yelled at me to provide a rescue, but I was busy bailing Ramona's boat, so she waited a long time before finally exiting, coughing and spluttering.
Ramona joined the ranks of the swimmers early on, and later had a rather unpleasant incident when she hung on to a tree and wash pushed under. She quickly ejected and emerged, also coughing and spluttering, but she did remember to keep her feet up in the swim (rule 1).
Things settled after that and we all aced the three sisters, and the island rapid. Val managed to drop into the trees at the very end, but was soon back on her way after a quick nudge. Ben and I ran it a second time while the ladies took a comfort break.
The last drop was a breeze for all. Ben and I had an extended play session on the wave, which was hard to get onto, but still pretty retentive. Ken loaded up while we had a chat to Headman Matthew and the jovial crowd of locals who'd gathered to watch the mad muzungus.
A quick stop for ice cold amber liquid at the friendly local bottle store (Ken and I had to make do with bombers as they were out of pints) and we had a leisurely cruise home in the very clean Landy (Ken had washed it in the river while waiting for us). A snap decision was made to have lunch at Sitar, which turned out to be a very pleasant affair.
Thanks to all of you for the excellent company!
Zia, Ben, Val, Jan & Treehugger Ramona
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Pungwe Commercial Section
20 Mar 11 - High Level
I nervously asked Andy if we'd ever heard the roar of the Pungwe all the way from the start of the commercial walk-in. Andy said "no", but I checked with Ken as well, hoping for a different answer, while knowing full well that few people are as familiar with this river as Andy.
Conversation was rather subdued during our thorough preparations, and I was strangely sad to say good-bye to Ken before setting off on the 1.2km trek to the river, on somewhat rubbery legs. We took longer than usual to reach the river, in spite of the shortcut we took......
The river was certainly high, and brownish (possibly from the bracken/heath of Nyanga), but not quite as high as last March when Robin and I took it on. At one of the later rapids I identified a point which indicated that the water was about half a meter lower than that trip. There was plenty of evidence of recent floods about 4 meters higher than the present level!
Some of the early waves were washed out, so we were soon into the thick of it. We scouted a few of the rapids, mainly due to the presence of trees, but none presented any problems, so we ran most of the usual lines.
The big rapid about halfway down was as impressive as ever, with the hole at the top looking very significant. Andy ran it perfectly, while I managed to end up in the hole, which promptly tail-looped me. I stayed inverted for a few seconds until I was sure I'd flushed out before running the main drop backwards, and then straight on into the "Blender", which is a large diagonal washing machine.
About 50 meters further on is a fairly gnarly rapid, where Dean McG apparently got pinned years ago. The usual pinning rock was safe, but it had a nasty friend on the left, so we opted to keep right, which worked well.
The next rapid is usually a couple of holes on the left, followed by a drop into a pool, with the current in the pool pushing you into the wall on the left. The holes above were super retentive, so we hung right and once again Andy made it look easy, while the fairly substantive hole at the bottom looped me (again). I hung on to flush out and then made three attempts to roll against the wall, before finally setting up on the left to roll successfully.
We took a break so Andy could stock up on sugar and collect his customary white rocks (ballast for his PFD), before drifting into the next bumpy section. A pair of trees looked to have formed a strainer, but it was a trick of the light and there was ample room between them. We opted not to scout the slide, which had a very energetic wave at the bottom.
"Four-clowns Folly" was up next, and almost became "Five-clowns Folly" when a daydreaming Andy thought it was one drop further on. It sure looked nasty at that level, except for a small tongue on the far right. When I pointed this out to Andy he tossed a bit of driftwood in, which punched straight through on the right, after which he nonchalantly turned and asked if I was going to run it. My reply was brief and emphatic.
I did put in on the back-end of the main washing machine to try and catch a very nice wave - sadly I missed it. There were several waves and holes from here on and we played several as we meandered down to the take-out, which we reached by 10:30am.
We'd driven down to Will's cottage in Juliasdale on Saturday afternoon, which resulted in an early start and finish. The Mutarazi Falls were spectacular, and appeared to have more water in the afternoon. The long drive home was broken in Rusape by speed-cops (I managed to talk my way out of a fine) and lunch with Phil and Mandi, who farm near Peterhouse.
I nervously asked Andy if we'd ever heard the roar of the Pungwe all the way from the start of the commercial walk-in. Andy said "no", but I checked with Ken as well, hoping for a different answer, while knowing full well that few people are as familiar with this river as Andy.
Conversation was rather subdued during our thorough preparations, and I was strangely sad to say good-bye to Ken before setting off on the 1.2km trek to the river, on somewhat rubbery legs. We took longer than usual to reach the river, in spite of the shortcut we took......
The river was certainly high, and brownish (possibly from the bracken/heath of Nyanga), but not quite as high as last March when Robin and I took it on. At one of the later rapids I identified a point which indicated that the water was about half a meter lower than that trip. There was plenty of evidence of recent floods about 4 meters higher than the present level!
Some of the early waves were washed out, so we were soon into the thick of it. We scouted a few of the rapids, mainly due to the presence of trees, but none presented any problems, so we ran most of the usual lines.
The big rapid about halfway down was as impressive as ever, with the hole at the top looking very significant. Andy ran it perfectly, while I managed to end up in the hole, which promptly tail-looped me. I stayed inverted for a few seconds until I was sure I'd flushed out before running the main drop backwards, and then straight on into the "Blender", which is a large diagonal washing machine.
About 50 meters further on is a fairly gnarly rapid, where Dean McG apparently got pinned years ago. The usual pinning rock was safe, but it had a nasty friend on the left, so we opted to keep right, which worked well.
The next rapid is usually a couple of holes on the left, followed by a drop into a pool, with the current in the pool pushing you into the wall on the left. The holes above were super retentive, so we hung right and once again Andy made it look easy, while the fairly substantive hole at the bottom looped me (again). I hung on to flush out and then made three attempts to roll against the wall, before finally setting up on the left to roll successfully.
We took a break so Andy could stock up on sugar and collect his customary white rocks (ballast for his PFD), before drifting into the next bumpy section. A pair of trees looked to have formed a strainer, but it was a trick of the light and there was ample room between them. We opted not to scout the slide, which had a very energetic wave at the bottom.
"Four-clowns Folly" was up next, and almost became "Five-clowns Folly" when a daydreaming Andy thought it was one drop further on. It sure looked nasty at that level, except for a small tongue on the far right. When I pointed this out to Andy he tossed a bit of driftwood in, which punched straight through on the right, after which he nonchalantly turned and asked if I was going to run it. My reply was brief and emphatic.
I did put in on the back-end of the main washing machine to try and catch a very nice wave - sadly I missed it. There were several waves and holes from here on and we played several as we meandered down to the take-out, which we reached by 10:30am.
We'd driven down to Will's cottage in Juliasdale on Saturday afternoon, which resulted in an early start and finish. The Mutarazi Falls were spectacular, and appeared to have more water in the afternoon. The long drive home was broken in Rusape by speed-cops (I managed to talk my way out of a fine) and lunch with Phil and Mandi, who farm near Peterhouse.
Sunday, 13 March 2011
Chinyoka Novice Run & Domborembudzu Sundowners
13 Mar 11 - Flowing well, not very big volume
An eventful trip down the Chinyoka, followed by a drive up Domborembudzi to watch the sun set (and a very nerve-wracking descent in the dark).
Taking David's word for it, Troy, Beanie and I put in at the main road and told Ken to wait 30 minutes before going to the old road. Beanie has some paddling experience, and after running her through the basics we set off.
The first section is fairly technical, with a couple of drops. This is probably a section of river suited to novices who have the ability to confidently ferry and catch small eddies. Beanie isn't quite at that level and found the going hard, especially when I yelled at her to catch a small eddy just before a drop.
I attempted to radio Ken to abort the trip, but he'd left already, so we pressed on. The river flattened out somewhat, but was now sprinkled with shrubs and trees, which meant we had to keep alert to avoid getting pinned. A few more interesting drops, including a longish chute with three options, and we were at the final drop, with a nice little wave.
The run took about an hour and a half and is worth doing with intermediate paddlers when there is substantial water. Beanie acquitted herself very well and I hope she'll join us on more outings.
To cap off the day we drove up Domborembudzi, having first acquired the obligatory amber liquid. The climb was very steep, but the Landy didn't miss a beat (although our hearts did). We took a walk and watched the sunset from near the top (we didn't have time to get all the way to the top, having taken a look at a stream on the east side - which had dried up since Saturday).
We'd thought ahead and carefully planned the way down so we could find it after dark, but the guides were too nervous to allow the Landy near the steep drop we'd passed on the way up, so a new route was scouted while I sat with both feet on the brake pedal, with the Landy in gear and handbrake on. A nerve-wracking half hour of steep inclines followed before we made it back to flat ground, and the main road. All agreed that we need to organise a braai after a paddling session and spend the night on the Dombo - watch this space for details!
An eventful trip down the Chinyoka, followed by a drive up Domborembudzi to watch the sun set (and a very nerve-wracking descent in the dark).
Taking David's word for it, Troy, Beanie and I put in at the main road and told Ken to wait 30 minutes before going to the old road. Beanie has some paddling experience, and after running her through the basics we set off.
The first section is fairly technical, with a couple of drops. This is probably a section of river suited to novices who have the ability to confidently ferry and catch small eddies. Beanie isn't quite at that level and found the going hard, especially when I yelled at her to catch a small eddy just before a drop.
I attempted to radio Ken to abort the trip, but he'd left already, so we pressed on. The river flattened out somewhat, but was now sprinkled with shrubs and trees, which meant we had to keep alert to avoid getting pinned. A few more interesting drops, including a longish chute with three options, and we were at the final drop, with a nice little wave.
The run took about an hour and a half and is worth doing with intermediate paddlers when there is substantial water. Beanie acquitted herself very well and I hope she'll join us on more outings.
To cap off the day we drove up Domborembudzi, having first acquired the obligatory amber liquid. The climb was very steep, but the Landy didn't miss a beat (although our hearts did). We took a walk and watched the sunset from near the top (we didn't have time to get all the way to the top, having taken a look at a stream on the east side - which had dried up since Saturday).
We'd thought ahead and carefully planned the way down so we could find it after dark, but the guides were too nervous to allow the Landy near the steep drop we'd passed on the way up, so a new route was scouted while I sat with both feet on the brake pedal, with the Landy in gear and handbrake on. A nerve-wracking half hour of steep inclines followed before we made it back to flat ground, and the main road. All agreed that we need to organise a braai after a paddling session and spend the night on the Dombo - watch this space for details!
Beanie and the Landy on Domborembudzi (I wasn't dopped enough to upload the other one...)
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Mazowe Gorge
12 Mar 11 - About 0.7m or more over Hippo Pools Weir
Expecting a low level, Andy LM and I arrived at Sunugukai to find a very high river. According to the locals it had suddenly come up in the night. With some trepidation we approached the first rapid and had a good look, before running a simple centre line. A very nice standing wave at the end of rapid invited me in, but noticed a very deep hole just after it out of the corner of my eye - and boy was the hole deep!
The second rapid (first big one, where David performed his cliff-hanger) looked more menacing than ever, with several pinning opportunities after the initial drop. We opted for the chicken run on the right, with a 2m portage, before negotiating the last few holes.
The next standing wave looked very good, but requires a lot of effort to get onto (a one-hit wonder with no eddy). We skirted the Hippo's, nervously, and spent a bit of time at the "Castle Rock Twins" - and they were as welcoming as ever. The left of centre part of the upper twin had turned into a very nice standing wave, and the lower Twin was easier to surf.
We didn't scout the second large rapid, opting for the chicken run on the right from the outset. Halfway down we stopped to take a look and it actually looked very runnable - all the holes and pour-overs were flushed out. If I was in a creek-boat I would have gone back and run it....
Andy agreed that the scenery is awesome, and the river has a good mix of waves and rapids to keep it interesting all the way down. We stopped to see Iain at Hippo Pools (but he wasn't in) and then ran the weir (left of centre).
Ken loaded up and we set off on the muddy dirt road (still in good condition). We admired the hills and valleys on the way to Murewa and we were home by 2pm.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Nyagui Mukore Section - Novices and Surfing
5 & 6 Mar 11 - 0.3m over the Mukore Weir
A spectacular evening under the stars, with Rob K discovering his profoundly philosophical side. The Mukore wave was in fine form and the novices made excellent progress.
We arrived at the river around 4pm on Saturday. The water level was perfect. Troy D and I introduced Zia T and Rob K to the basics in a large eddy, and Rob caught on to the hipsnap pretty quickly. I set about showing the novices how not to run the first section, but they ignored me and Rob had an early swim. Troy whisked him to safety and I managed to jam his boat on a rock. Rob decided to swim the narrow channel to his boat, which turned out to be a bad idea - he had a very long and tiring swim right down the guts of the next rapid.
We spent a while working on ferry glides and eddy hopping before Troy and I headed back to the wave for an extended session of surfing.
Ken and Mike had prepared a fine camp by then and Troy set about producing a gourmet meal of roast beef with all the trimmings, including salad (Zia) and a fine red wine (Rob). After dinner the discussion strayed onto topics which should probably normally be avoided in polite circles, much to the amusement of Ken and Mike. Later we wandered down to the still warm granite boulders and lay on our backs admiring the spectacular display of stars, to the music of the river. Rob came up with some profound statements, but unfortunately we can't remember what they were.
A late night with several beers didn't deter us from an early start. After tea and snacks Troy and I were soon on the wave again. Troy entertained us with an early swim, right over the big drop below the wave. We recovered his boat and set off to meet the others below Vespids to run the last easy section to the weir. Arriving at Vespids early we ran the left line, and Troy took another swim.
Rob and his son Nick attempted to body-board to a small wave, but that failed, so we spent another half hour on kayaking basics before setting off again. Rob did extremely well, managing to stay in his boat and waiting for several rescues without swimming, even managing a partial handroll to grab some air. He had one swim, only because no-one was near enough for an eskimo rescue.
Zia also did very well, managing to pick very good lines and staying out of trouble, except for 1 swim.
Ken and Nick collected us at the weir and we headed back to camp for an egg, bacon and boerie breakfast. During breakfast young Nick noticed that one of Rob's tyres was leaking air. The real problem was that Rob didn't have the key for the anti-theft wheel-nuts - so we couldn't change the wheel. Fortunately he had a tubeless puncture repair kit, so disaster was averted.
After his exertions Rob was ready for a beer and a snooze, while Troy and I walked up to the Mukore pump-house weir to run the "Killing Fields". The holes were quite grabby, but we stayed out of trouble, until Troy got tail-looped on the "Z Rapid" and had his third swim for the day. He self-rescued and we spent about an hour surfing and playing the wave, before packing up for the long drive home.
Sadly, the riparian forest is being chopped down at an alarming rate, mostly for firewood to cure tobacco. The local farmer Zurugo says he can't afford coal, and he's hoping that by chopping down the trees near his maize fields he can reduce the crop damage caused by monkeys! I hope the discussion I had with him about spreading his wood-harvesting over a wider area and not destroying the homes of his ancestral spirits, or the future of his children, might make a difference. But he really needs to be shown and alternative way to make an income, and needs to see the value of preserving the natural forests and animals. What responsibility do tobacco companies and smokers bear?
A spectacular evening under the stars, with Rob K discovering his profoundly philosophical side. The Mukore wave was in fine form and the novices made excellent progress.
We arrived at the river around 4pm on Saturday. The water level was perfect. Troy D and I introduced Zia T and Rob K to the basics in a large eddy, and Rob caught on to the hipsnap pretty quickly. I set about showing the novices how not to run the first section, but they ignored me and Rob had an early swim. Troy whisked him to safety and I managed to jam his boat on a rock. Rob decided to swim the narrow channel to his boat, which turned out to be a bad idea - he had a very long and tiring swim right down the guts of the next rapid.
We spent a while working on ferry glides and eddy hopping before Troy and I headed back to the wave for an extended session of surfing.
Ken and Mike had prepared a fine camp by then and Troy set about producing a gourmet meal of roast beef with all the trimmings, including salad (Zia) and a fine red wine (Rob). After dinner the discussion strayed onto topics which should probably normally be avoided in polite circles, much to the amusement of Ken and Mike. Later we wandered down to the still warm granite boulders and lay on our backs admiring the spectacular display of stars, to the music of the river. Rob came up with some profound statements, but unfortunately we can't remember what they were.
A late night with several beers didn't deter us from an early start. After tea and snacks Troy and I were soon on the wave again. Troy entertained us with an early swim, right over the big drop below the wave. We recovered his boat and set off to meet the others below Vespids to run the last easy section to the weir. Arriving at Vespids early we ran the left line, and Troy took another swim.
Rob and his son Nick attempted to body-board to a small wave, but that failed, so we spent another half hour on kayaking basics before setting off again. Rob did extremely well, managing to stay in his boat and waiting for several rescues without swimming, even managing a partial handroll to grab some air. He had one swim, only because no-one was near enough for an eskimo rescue.
Zia also did very well, managing to pick very good lines and staying out of trouble, except for 1 swim.
Ken and Nick collected us at the weir and we headed back to camp for an egg, bacon and boerie breakfast. During breakfast young Nick noticed that one of Rob's tyres was leaking air. The real problem was that Rob didn't have the key for the anti-theft wheel-nuts - so we couldn't change the wheel. Fortunately he had a tubeless puncture repair kit, so disaster was averted.
After his exertions Rob was ready for a beer and a snooze, while Troy and I walked up to the Mukore pump-house weir to run the "Killing Fields". The holes were quite grabby, but we stayed out of trouble, until Troy got tail-looped on the "Z Rapid" and had his third swim for the day. He self-rescued and we spent about an hour surfing and playing the wave, before packing up for the long drive home.
Sadly, the riparian forest is being chopped down at an alarming rate, mostly for firewood to cure tobacco. The local farmer Zurugo says he can't afford coal, and he's hoping that by chopping down the trees near his maize fields he can reduce the crop damage caused by monkeys! I hope the discussion I had with him about spreading his wood-harvesting over a wider area and not destroying the homes of his ancestral spirits, or the future of his children, might make a difference. But he really needs to be shown and alternative way to make an income, and needs to see the value of preserving the natural forests and animals. What responsibility do tobacco companies and smokers bear?
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Shavas Novice Run
1 Mar 11 - 1.0m at Old Rd Bridge
The waves work well and Zia excels.
Zia T, Nick H, Troy D and I completed a quick novice run, as wave at the main road bridge wasn't working. We introduced Zia to the basics and she cottoned on pretty quick, setting a blistering pace on the flat water sections. "Three sisters" is the first challenge, and Zia took a swim, but only after attempting an eskimo rescue - well done!
Zia portaged the "Island Rapid" without mishap, while the rest of us had a couple of surfs each on the wave. Nick managed a very composed roll in a strong current (after I accidentally knocked him over during a cartwheel). The little wave after the "Island Rapid" was excellent and Nick, Troy and I enjoyed 15 minutes of surfing, before pressing on.
Zia ran the last drop in style and Nick took a few photos in the setting sun, while Troy and I enjoyed the wave for about half an hour. The beers at the bottle store were very cold and the regulars were happy to see us (even though it was well after dark).
The waves work well and Zia excels.
Zia T, Nick H, Troy D and I completed a quick novice run, as wave at the main road bridge wasn't working. We introduced Zia to the basics and she cottoned on pretty quick, setting a blistering pace on the flat water sections. "Three sisters" is the first challenge, and Zia took a swim, but only after attempting an eskimo rescue - well done!
Zia portaged the "Island Rapid" without mishap, while the rest of us had a couple of surfs each on the wave. Nick managed a very composed roll in a strong current (after I accidentally knocked him over during a cartwheel). The little wave after the "Island Rapid" was excellent and Nick, Troy and I enjoyed 15 minutes of surfing, before pressing on.
Zia ran the last drop in style and Nick took a few photos in the setting sun, while Troy and I enjoyed the wave for about half an hour. The beers at the bottle store were very cold and the regulars were happy to see us (even though it was well after dark).
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