CANOEING PIONEERS

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 10 December 1952, Page 1

CANOEING PIONEERS

STUDENTS AT THE HUKA FALLS AND ARATIATIA RAPIDS Organised by Mr D. J. Mason ("Jim'' to his fellow students of Auckland University College), a party of 29, equipped with six rubber dinghies and one folding canoe han an interesting time on Saturday last trying out the possibilities of the upper reaches of the Waikato River below the Lake for canoeing. The majority of the party travelled from Auckland by a "Green Line,, bus, and were hospitably permitted the use of the Taupo Fire Brigade Station for their sleeping quarters. The idea was to send one of the crafts olf towards the Huka Falls from below the concrete river bridge with a straw dummy as passenger. This was duly put into action. Unfortunately for the full test of the experiment the closing of the gates at the bridge had shut off about 50 per cent. of the volume of water over the Falls, with the resu.lt that the angle of "drop" over the edge was considerahly reduced. However, the dinghy was duly launched from the bridge and drifted off down-stream. Part of the way down it encountered some shallow rapids above the Falls, and stuck theie fcr quite a while until the eddymg W3ter fj/mliy swung it clear. It tben drifted over towards the left bank of the river, and finally shot over the Faiis, where it capsized, to be recaptured further down later on. "Did the experiment prove anything?" Mr Douglas was asked. "Had the dinghy been under human control could the shooting of the Falls been possibJe?" Mr Douglas replied that he thought so, if the volume of water at the Falls were at full flow. A good canoeist could do it, by skilful paddling. No attempt was made to shoot the mile-long Aratiatia Rapids. The plan at that stage was to spend Saturday night in Taupo, and proceed on Sunday down-river through the Forest Road past the Rapids, and latmeh the dinghies in the more navigable waters below the point. Hence, the explorers intended to proceed by stages first to Whakamaru, then to Maraetai, having a look at the rock drawings at Mangakino at the same time. From that stage the journey by water is to be completed on into the Waikato district. Expl oratory plans are also in view for trying out the Wanganui River for canoeing. This river, of course, has already been tried out for canoeing. The general idea is to popularise the sport of canoeing and shooting rapids, and fixing portage points at impassible reaches in various New Zealand Rivers.