There are currently many club members who are excited about white water kayaking but are relatively beginner. This trip proposes attending 1-2 courses with the New Zealand Kayak School ( https://www.nzkayakschool.com/) – an internationally renowned school for whitewater kayaking – supplemented with recreational kayak trips, hiking and rest days for the rest of the trip.
ANUMC Have kindly granted the trip $500 per person for 6 people to go on this trip. Participants will be selected based on merit of application, considering experience and the value of the trip to their experience, their efforts in contributing to the club, general participation in club events, and their commitment to pass on knowledge and contribute the EPIC Maganzine.
The courses proposed are the river rescue courses 1 & 2, providing club members with valuable rescue skills that will improve the safety of trips back in Australia. The recommendation for the river rescue course is that participants are at an intermediate level. Many club members currently involved in whitewater are at a low-intermediate level, and there is potential for these club members to attend the intermediate kayaking course prior to the river rescue one. More advanced participants could choose to participate in an advanced course, or kayak recreationally while low-intermediate members undertook the intermediate course.
We will be running trips throughout the year in the lead up to try and centre our skills and prepare for this trip to get the most out of it.
Itinerary (16 days):
- Flight/travel/rest (1 day)
- River rescue course 1 (2 days)
- Intermediate course for low-intermediate members & advanced course / recreational kayaking for advanced members (4 day course)
- Rest/hike/recreational kayaking (6 days)
- River rescue course 2 (2 days)
- Flight/travel (1 day)
Note that not both River rescue 1 and 2 need to be done (could potentially just do river rescue 1). The itinerary is also flexible depending on how much recreational kayaking / resting / hiking members want to do.
Proposed Dates: The NZ kayaking school is open from September to April each year. This proposal is for the later part of 2025 – suggesting dates in October, November or December pending availability. We are thinking November after the end of the semester might be best, but the dates ARE NOT CONFIRMED. NZ kayak school also provide custom courses for group sizes 2+ and could potentially do a combination of intermediate paddling and river rescue.
Participants:
Min number of participants: 4, Max 6.
Eligibility: Have committed to at least 3 club river whitewater trips OR 2 club river whitewater trips PLUS 2 pool rolling sessions
Required skills: Must be able to demonstrate a wet exit, t-rescue, be in the process of developing a roll, and be able to paddle Grade II rivers.
Cost Breakdown per person (excluding food and drinks)
Intermediate course: $1260 AUD
River rescue 1: $385 AUD
River rescue 2: $385 AUD
Accommodation during courses: Included plus the night before
Accommodation between courses: depends on where we want to go and how many participants. Could include camping (free), hostels or AirBnb (approx $50 per night), or friends we make/find.
Car hire for 6 days between courses: approx $500 per car for 6 days – assuming 3-4 people per car approx $150 per person
Gear hire*: $23 AUD per day for 14 days = $322 AUD
Return flights to/from Syd and Christchurch: approx $600 AUD
Total with both River rescue 1 & 2 and intermediate course and assuming camping accommodation for the 5 nights in between courses: $3102
Total with just River rescue 1 & 2 and assuming camping accommodation: $1842
*Would need to double check with NZ kayak school if we could hire the gear for the 6 days between the two courses.