The Mighty Whanganui

Traveling down the Whanganui River was an adventure set apart from any other experiences in my lifetime. I had never paddled a canoe for seven hours a day, packed all of my belongings for the week in a barrel, or woken up to as beautiful a sunrise as the one over our rain-soaked riverside campsite. This adventure was breathtakingly beautiful, challenging, and utterly unique.

We arrived at the Whanganui without knowing what was ahead. As we drove further into the North Island’s countryside with canoes and barrels in tow, it became clear that we were about to discover some of nature's deep beauty. As we launched our canoes, we waited eagerly to see what lay around the river’s next bend. The grey sky contrasted beautifully with the brilliantly green plant life, and with each stroke of the paddle we propelled forward into the magnificent, largely untouched, landscape. Trees and ferns towered overhead and goats roamed on the surrounding mountainside.

After two days of grey, rain finally came. Canoeing in the rain was a different experience entirely. The flow of the river was more forceful and rushing waterfalls poured into the river from above. , Rain jackets and pants were a must.  Once I accepted being wet as part of the experience, the beauty of it all was easy to appreciate. We sang songs, played games, and linked canoes together to ease the experience. We hiked to the bridge to nowhere, offering a spectacular view of the canyon from above. In the evenings, we cooked together and shared much appreciated space under protection from the rain.

I do not think I have ever experienced a happiness as pure and simple as when I unzipped myself from the the dark tent, felt the surprising warmth of the sun touch my face, and saw golden beams of sunlight gleaming through the clouds, glistening along the river’s surface. Our last day of paddling was a beautiful end to this satisfying adventure.