PASSION4ADVENTURE

Antarctica 2011/12 - Zak Shaw Photography

2012-01-12T23:24:00.000-08:00

Photography from a kayak is a challenge but it also offers a unique perspective.

Image - Borris Kester

King Penguins numbering around 60,000 breeding pairs congregate at Salisbury Plain.

That was the best Antarctic season I've had! Anyone lucky enough to go once doesn't have the privileged position of comparing one visit to the next. My polar environment work is often overwhelmingly stunning and reminders of how good life is are frequent.

Upon returning home I've been considering why this recent visit was so powerful and is having such a profound effect. Images speak louder than words, its in the pictures.

Paddling in brash ice, kind of like sea kayakers candy...
Image - Borris Kester

Cape Disappointment - dramatic lighting bursting through dark storms clouds over South Georgia's most southwest extremity.

Elephant Seal "weaner" In this image I used a Nikon 2.8 17-55mm lense. As much as I could I focused on the seals whiskers with a very shallow depth of field. I wanted the whiskers to stand out and have great definition.

On my first visit into Antarctic sound a katabatic wind kicked up violently and plastered the ship precariously on edge. The pressure driven wind speed peaked at 96 knots/hr. Waves reached heights of 2m and the volcanic rock of "Brown Bluff" added scale to an intense scene.

"I prefer the belly-flop" With patience, predicting the moment and luck I managed to capture this image of an Adelie penguin mid flight.

Night light - Stay up late and get up early. The key to photographing fantastic lighting conditions is to burn the candle at both ends!

Fantastic evening light helped me land this image of a Striated Caracara. I wasn't really interested in the beach behind the bird so I overexposed the image. This burns out the background giving the body good separation from the sand. What I was most stoked about was that the talons are displayed mid-stride.

Switching to monocrome I wanted to show a dark roof over the ocean. The dark areas of the shot close down the viewers perspective of rugged gloomy mountains.

Orca in hunting mode!

Cape Renard panorama.

A very rare sighting - Tale fluke, Southern Right Whale

Lemaire channel mirror reflection

To capture this image I set my camera up early. From a distance of 30m away I paddled silently towards this Imperial Cormorant. The water was so calm that I made no sound. At a distance of 10m I stopped taking strokes and drifted in close. The oil slick texture on the waters surface is interesting with the blue ring of the eye giving the image a bright focal point.

Penguin muncher - why what fine teeth you have!
Distance to leopard seal = 3m

Humpback whale - Gerlache Strait - Antarctica

Imperial Cormorant - New island - West Falklands
I was getting tired of waiting but eventually the Cormorant turned into the light. This was the single best image out of more than fifty attempts.

Bailey Head is the single largest Chinstrap colony in the Antarctic. 100,000 breeding pairs use the surf beach to access their breeding and feeding grounds. Standing on the wave line I leaned heavily on my tripod pushing it down into the sand as the waves rushed in. A deliberate slow shutter speed blurs the waves and birds and gives the image movement.

Slow shutter image of Chinstrap penguins in the surf-zone 1/15 sec at f/29

Cape Renard wind squall. Violent winds ripped down from the surrounding peaks tearing up the surface of the water.

Paparoa National Park - A traverse of its southern range

2011-08-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

Mt Lodge, Paparoa National Park - Image - Zak Shaw
Inland past the popular tourist stopover of Punakaiki's pancake rocks lies the buckled Paparoa Range. The granite and gneiss rocks of the range are some of the countries oldest forming a seemingly impenetrable band of craggy peaks. Beech forest, alpine flora and tussock blankets the slopes of the range and is frequently cloaked by lingering cloud. On average 8000 millimetres of rain falls annually. Towering bluffs, abrasive scrub faces and deeply gouged cirques are the cause of hesitation for the roaming tramper.

Alpine ridge travel - Image - Zak Shaw
Few formed routes exist in this part of the country. Those that exist do so on the park's relative periphery. An adventure into the interior proper requires determination, sound navigational skills, a goat like climbing ability and the confidence to make your own tracks.

During our five day visit we would attempt a traverse of the ranges southern extent. The distance would stretch to around 45km starting near the settlement of Barrytown and finishing at the Bullock Creek road end and the Cave creek submergence.
As part of the Taipotini Polytechnic Leadership and Guiding certificate program I was employed with tutor Keith Riley to educate students in the bush/alpine environment and manage the overall safety of the adventure. The Taipotini students planned the week down to every ration and caloric intake. Chunky pound of butter size energy bricks were dispersed along with precisely measured bags of meals, cookers, pots, tents and maps.

Image - Zak Shaw

The route from sea level near Barrytown climbed 1100m before the tracks burst clear of the bush-line.

Our first contact with snow came with light flakes falling a mere 300m above sea level. Unfazed and confident in the forecasted weather report we continued on over the summit of Mt Ryall and made a left turn onto the Paparoa Range. That evening we camped as night set in below an unnamed trig station. The temperature plummeted when the sun dipped below the ocean and dinner was cooked at a temperature of minus eight degrees.

Day two sunshine and pleasant tussock travel - Image - Zak Shaw
After a brutally cold start things warmed up during our second day. The open beech forest leading to the gradual rollover of Mt Anderson was highly stimulating terrain as the forest floor came to life. An undisturbed canopy sat quiet with shards of light illuminating the supernatural.

Imaginary scenes - Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw
We skirted an escarpment that climbed above the Punakaiki River. Sections of our route dropped away several hundred metres to the valley.

Image - Zak Shaw

Mountain Nei Nei or Dracophyllum - Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw
Open ridge-line travel in dispersed with mature open forest lead our team over the summits of 'Mt Hawera', the 'White Night' and 'Mt Pecksniff' A chilly southerly wind stripped our heat away at every pause in travel. Movement on the lee of the ridge often meant sun, no wind but scrub fighting travel. On the windward side shaded aspects were markedly cooler but flowed well with long uninterrupted sections of clear forest. Travel speeds averaged 1km/hr.

Image - Zak Shaw
After another eight hour day camp three was chosen in haste. From high on the ridge we descended into a creek as the sun set magnificently over the Tasman sea. Despite first impressions with a little work we jammed six tents onto every square cm of useable ground. Although brutally cold it turned out to be one of our best nights sleep.

Image - Zak Shaw

Climbing on positive holds. Image - Zak Shaw

From between 1240m and 1210m spot heights a freezing wind funneled into our camp. We packed as quickly as possible before climbing back to the ridge. The most demanding terrain came at us on day four. Negotiating sections of exposed rock and steep razorback aretes required long spells of concentration and route finding. By 3pm we had climbed under a steep headwall and rounded over a south facing snow covered pass. At 4 we dropped into a sunny camp with fantastic views of Mt Lodge and the extremely rugged massifs of the northern Paparoa's.

Keith Riley chillin out in camp 4

Image - Zak Shaw

Grace Fleming and Adrian Butler enjoy an amazing alpine sunset.
Image - Zak Shaw

Mt Lodge - Paparoa National Park
Image - Zak Shaw
At 6.30am our final day began and we hustled to break camp. The walk along the remainder of the range towards Mt Bovis began at 8am with another clear sunny day in store. Some of the most consequential sections of travel confronted us in this final leg. Steep terrain required sure footing and patience. Nine hours later we dropped out of the bush arriving at the Bullock Creek car park.

Taipotini Polytechnic students at the col between 1236m and 1216m

Foscused - http://www.rapidmag.com/rapidmag_fall11/

2011-08-14T02:44:00.000-07:00

Canada's Rapid Magazine profiles whitewater photographers in a feature titled
"Whitewater's Greatest Lenseman"

Click on the link below to check out the twelve who made the cut!
http://www.rapidmag.com/rapidmag_fall11/

The Grand Canyon! The carnage and rescues!

2011-07-11T02:56:00.000-07:00

As a first time Grand Canyon permit applicant Wayne Parks got lucky. People wait years for a chance to run “The Canyon” An expert Alaskan fisherman by trade Wayne may think like a fish but he certainly isn’t one. A complete river virgin Wayne had never paddled on a river and was missing one key skill, the

ability to swim!

Image - Graham Charles

Image - Zak Shaw

Wayne’s invite list of sixteen filled quickly with people who could rescue him. Close friendships forged in Alaska accounted for seven with the other nine being found in New Zealand, New York and Germany. Stefan the sole German along with the New Zealanders secured a spot by being both a good friend and a person who possessed the river skills necessary to complete the journey. They were the rowers. Others were selected on the basis of beauty and charm!

Our team came together on the 13^th of April and began the 227-mile (446 km) river trip. Containing roughly 200 miles of flat water and 25 miles of rapids the Colorado River from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry is not all about whitewater. The combination of length, dessert hiking, humbling geological formations, isolation and fantastic campsites separates the Grand Canyon from other river trips.

John Wesley Powell along with ten men and four boats set out from Green River in Wyoming on May 24, 1869. Their journey was fraught with hardship and uncertainty. On August 13^th they emerged from the canyon less in number in the two boats they had remaining.

Many of the feelings John Wesley Powell experienced during the first descent are similar to those felt by river runners today. Although every bend, side canyon and riffle has been named, graded and published since then people will always have a sense of dropping into “The great unknown” Around every corner lies adventure and discovery.

Our flow released each day from dam reservoirs upstream accounted for 16,000 cfs. This was a good healthy level creating fluffy grade three rapids and slowly moving calm stretches. April is generally cooler than the summer months and is typically windy. On only two of our twenty one days on the river did we have to fight against a breeze for downstream movement. Storms threatened but never eventuated.

Life was simple. Get up early, get on the water early, get off early, hike, photograph, play the guitar, drink beer, eat dinner and watch the night sky before doing it all again tomorrow!

Although simple our time on the water each day was not uneventful!

Stefan one of the hired river professionals missed the green tongue through “Badger” Possessing a relatively straight forward line from top to bottom “Badger” is graded a five on a 1-10 rapid whitewater grading scale used within the Grand Canyon. A massive river hydraulic cast the raft precariously onto one edge throwing a passenger. Stefan himself was jacked free and swam the majority of the remaining whitewater.

Wayne woke each day determined to run the gauntlet. Coached by others his river reading and rowing progressed quickly to the point where rowing “everything” became the goal.

“Sphincter” rapid was to be his nemesis. Laterals curling and crashing off the river right wall lifted the poorly aligned raft. Sitting side on to ocean like barreling waves it all happened in slow motion. Accepting fate Wayne grasped the rafts perimeter line with his Halibut hauling fingers and stayed with his craft. After stripping the raft of gear and flipping it upright we continued on.

Image - Ben Jackson

We didn’t have long to ponder our carnage.

Image - Dan Kowalski

“Bedrock” rapid presented a new challenge. A raft wrapped mid-stream alerted us to the problems of another party. Two of our party replaced one stranded oarsman sitting atop the raft. For the remainder of the day our team first stripped all of the rafts equipment before attempting to haul it off the rocks with a huge mechanical advantage system. The owner of the prototype foam raft (instead of an inflated floor and pontoons) just happened to be carrying 300ft of brand new static rope still on the coil! Our efforts were not rewarded however and the park service helicopter was called in equipped with a gas-powered winch to complete their rescue.

Image - Dan Kowalski

Image - Graham Charles

“Lava Falls” the Grand Canyons most famous whitewater threat lay waiting.

Upon our arrival another private group in smaller 14 footers were untying their tethered rafts from trees on the river left bank. Our team had decided to scout from a higher vantage point on river right and in seeing the others getting ready for their descent we rushed to watch their lines through. Running to the overlook above Lava we watched the first raft leave the eddy, drag left on a bubble line and hit square on through a series of crashing waves. The first raft clearly missed an enormous ledge hole in the center of the river. What unfolded during the following two minutes is incomprehensible.

Image - Graham Charles

The second raft attempting to follow the first drifted slightly right of the intended left line. Realising the problem the oarsman hauled frantically back to the left clipping the edge of the ledge hole but making it through. Raft number three like a lamb to the slaughter was further right than both boats one and two and appeared completely unaware of its fate. The oars did not move and there seemed to be no plan. Rolling over the final wave crest the occupants of raft three got the shock of their lives. The force of Lava engulfed the raft stopping it in its tracks. Raft number four piled in on top of it and both began a wild cycle of flip and rinse. Its passengers were removed immediately and begun their long swim downstream. Rafts five, six and seven arrived shortly after smacking into the depths of the hole like lemmings. As the last raft was released and send on its way I glanced in the direction of our team members. Tears, crying and expressions of utter shock blanketed peoples faces. There was true concern for the other team. The river was littered with upside down rafts and the heads of swimming people.

Image - Graham Charles

After a quick “meeting” our crews prepared for their own descents. Having witnessed the worst case scenario multiple times our rowers focused hard. Big pillows of water reared above our heads threatening a flip. Our river running expertise shined through with all six rafts hitting the big water line down the river right side with precise angles and strong strokes. Celebrations were short lived as our six rafts gathered together in the flat stretches below. Uncertain of the fate of the other party we continued on in an attempt to help their situation. One stranded swimmer was gathered from river left and two rafts were discovered floating upside down in eddies. Our team re gathered everything we could and set out in chase of the missing people. Five miles downstream we finally reunited with the group.

In surprisingly high spirits and in all in good health we were showered by generosity and thanks. Wine, beer and bourbon were all gifts received in appreciation.

Image - Graham Charles

Twenty-one days in the canyon feels like a real escape from the outside world. Days spent roaming side canyons; floating below towering walls and relaxing in camp remove your mind from things material. “The Grand” strips everything away casting a spell on each visitor. It reminded me of what matters most. Many times I felt a huge appreciation of the natural environment. The size of the landscape overwhelmed me and inspired my thinking. With good people around me my life was alive.

If life ever offers you a chance to go make it happen!

Life is good on the Cal Salmon! Zak Shaw Photography

2011-06-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

Why leave? This is the question, flows in the Salmon River have been incredible.

Maybe I'll stall another day.....

Close up and tight on the action!

Daan Jimmink South Fork Gorge, Salmon River

Image - Zak Shaw

Daan Jimmink lifts over a small boof ledge on the Salmon Rivers north fork run.

Image - Zak Shaw

Ben Jackson makes his move high over a flat ledge in "Cascade"

Salmon River

Image - Zak Shaw

Jess Matheson perfects the "mid air edge change" and gets ready for landing.

Image - Zak Shaw

The South Fork Gorge is one of the premier runs in the Salmon drainage.

With a flow of around 4300cfs the trip is fast paced and fluffy! In action Daan Jimmink busts through a beefy guard wave and sets ups for the bottom hole.

Image - Zak Shaw

Local Paddler and icecream manufacturer - Scott Harding

Image - Zak Shaw

Adventure Sports Journal Grand Canyon. Written by Haven Livingston, photo credit Zak Shaw

2011-06-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

A Grand and Revealing Journey

adventuresportsjournal.com

‎[caption id="attachment_2665" align="alignright" width="300" caption="A mid morning stop at the massive Redwall Cavern. Photo: Zak Shaw"][/caption] Of the many warning signs at Lee’s Ferry put-in for the Grand Canyon, one is missing: Caution! Following this river may c...

Powell's "Great Unknown" Arizona and the Grand Canyon

2011-05-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

"A powerful and inspiring landscape, the Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses through its immense size; 277 river miles (446km) long, up to 18 miles (29km) wide, and a mile (1.6km) deep"

The Grand Canyon should be firmly stamped on any outdoor enthusiasts to do list. Fortunately I did not have to wait ten years for my name to be drawn from the hat. Instead I was invited by Wayne Parks an expert Alaskan fisherman, fastidious beer brewer, whisky connoisseur and greener than green yet river runner who cant swim. Eight months after the invite was accepted I took my first strokes of the oars.

Thanks Wayne for an amazing trip!

Enjoy the images.

If you get a chance to see the Grand drop everything!

Slow shutter release after dark. During our first week beaming moonlit nights made for great images and motion blur. Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw

Contrasting color to burn
Image - Zak Shaw

The Colorado's flow is heavily silted. PK finds a fresh rinse in Clear Creek
Image - Zak Shaw

Mary Harrop drops into "Hermit" and finds some surf. Image Zak Shaw

Jo Parsons with Wayne Parks as ballast hit a monster feature in "Hermit"

Jo Parsons keeps the arms ticking over.
Image Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw

Mary Harrop finds room in Deer Creek
Image - Zak Shaw

Sally Birchall peers around a water carved corner on one of the canyon's fantastic side hikes.
Image - Zak Shaw

Getting up high reveals the immensity of your surroundings.
Image - Zak Shaw

Havasu Creek - Grand Canyon
Image - Zak Shaw

Graham Charles, Havasu Creek
Image - Zak Shaw

Hard work paying off. TL Wayne Parks learning how to take it easy.

Image - Zak Shaw

Ben Jackson buries his cargo. They lived....

Image - Zak Shaw

New Zealand's Mighty Mungo/Upper Hokitika

2011-01-23T21:04:00.000-08:00

The highlight of the summer thus far would have to be our descent of the Mungo. Completed only once or twice in a busy summer the Mungo is one of NZ's most committing river trips. Any descent after flood (the west coast got hammered by a 50 year flood only a month ago) means kayak teams treat every river trip as a first descent with the expectation of major changes.

Inside Mungo Gorge paddler/climber and bush basher Daan Jimmink contemplates his next move and hopes its the right one.....

Image - Zak Shaw

In shot Jordy Searle makes a quick getaway allowing Dando to return for the last of our team.

Location = Southern Alps as far as you can go in the Hokitika catchment.

Image - Zak Shaw

We made good time from our heli drop off point via continuous class four rapids that steepened and progressively got harder. The Mungo River gorge subtly locks you in and before you know it the valley track is nowhere in sight.

Keep your hips loose and roll with it. Jordy Searle agrees it feels best when your boatin.

Mungo Gorge scenic - Zak Shaw

We committed into the top gorge and eddied out above a massive tree jam that we had spied from the air. Barney and Jordy would have run it onsight but I was interested in knowing if the remainder of the canyon was clean. Daan and I set off on river right with the idea of looking into the gorge downstream. Previous reports told us this would reveal nothing, it sounded like a challenge. Steep thick scrub on the verge of the gorge walls provided good hand and foot holds and we found several large tress with which we could hold onto and lean out from. We managed to see some key lines and eddies, enough to convince us to paddle the log drop.

Below Daan and Justin Venable share thoughts on how they think it will go....

Image - Zak Shaw

Timber prevented us from charging right and so left it was. Barney was having a strong day out and charged at the left horizon first. All went to plan and 10 min later our five kayaks cautiously began to piece together the next series of must run moves in the canyon. The crux move (which would be possible to portage using ropes and a tag line on river left) involved weaving above a super steep class six slip rapid into a last chance eddy.

Image - Zak Shaw

After the portage we scouted within the gorge before running three must run drops. 20ft, 8ft, 6ft before we were free.

Image below Barney young continues with form that saw him go big American style this winter.

Image - Zak Shaw

Gateway Gorge will always make a hard and fast day slow down. JV immerses himself in some of the best river scenery in the country.

Image - Zak Shaw

Hey thats Jordy Searle from the 2011 whitewater calendars!

Watch this space - Jordy Searle Mungo/ Upper Hokitika 2012 calendar run!

Image - Zak Shaw

Gateway Gorge (best place ever)

Word for anyone interested Frisco canyon is currently clean. In the past it has held large trees which are generally portaged. (unless your jj or eden) That canyon is far less steep than it used to be.

Sepentine Hut. A safe refuge after six beautiful hours of hard kayaking. 4 bunks, stove and everything else you need for a night comes included. (except your wine and red meat that the helicopter will drop there for you!)

Image - Zak Shaw

The normal day run from Nogo creek out is a fantastic run. On our trip we had a juicy medium river level. This canyon has a low water option of going left. On our run it was to high and we had to sack up and run the falls into the gorge. In shot Barney Young is "givin er"

This says it all. If your kayaking difficult whitewater and making it look good find the best team you can and visit the Upper Hoki! Local beta is invaluable.

until next time - Zak

KOKATAHI SESSION - NEW ZEALAND

2010-12-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

HIGH ARCTIC TRANSIT - SVALBARD, ICELAND GREENLAND, CANADIAN ARCTIC. My journey across the far north 2010. Images Zak Shaw

2010-09-04T01:28:00.000-07:00

Its gone so fast this year. Twenty four hours ago I finished a 45 day work period in the Arctic.

I was lucky this year to be given exactly what voyages I wanted to work, the idea being I wanted to see more of the isolated SE coast of Greenland.

Voyage 2 we departed from Iceland following the movements of the Vikings across to Cape Farewell; Greenland's south cape.

On the south east coast we ventured into Tasillaq, one of the only small Greenlandic settlements in the east. Further south our charts displayed large blank areas of coastline and uncertain depths. One fiord with soundings "Skjoldungen" "Shield for the children" became a highlight of the season. The steep walled fiord with hanging glaciers, waterfalls and dominating peaks was quite overwhelming. Nansen makes special mention of its beauty, I would love to go back.

Nanortalik on Greenlands SW coast was a quick stop before we headed north with the current to Disco Bay. After several landings, kayak trips and amazing scenery we turned west again skirting the sea ice in Baffin Bay. We took to the zodiacs and found bears out on the ice with seals in their posession. The Inuit community of Iqaluit is where our second voyage ended. Fog delayed the plane and high winds and swell made for a challenging day of driving with Gps in hand.

Our final voyage of the season was a two week horseshoe shaped curve commencing along the coastline of southern Baffin Island. We headed north into Gibbs Fiord an extreme arctic version of Yosemite with walls of stone minus the crowds and carparks. Fog capped the 2000ft glaciated fiord. I delivered a kayak trip for eleven amatuers in rolling seas and rebounding winds. All emerged upright when our time ran low.

Our voyage touched some of the historic marks of the central Canadain Arctic. Pond Inlet; the gateway to the legendary northwest passage and of course Beechey Island; the site which has provided a great deal of insight into the disappearance of the Sir James Franklin Expedition.

Devon Island turned on a show with great weather, ice, Polar Bears, Musk Oxen and Caribou. In a remote arm of Starnes Fiord - Ellesmere Island Narwhal and Beluga whales ran alongside the ship and provided us with illusive glimpses. Back into Baffin Bay with the ice now drifted south we made good time back across to the more temperate waters of Greenland. A day at Jakobshavn and the mighty glacier, humpback whales and views of picturesk Greenlandic homes will for ever be lasting memories.

Enjoy some of my images from the season.

zak

Arctic Diaries

2010-08-04T05:23:00.000-07:00

Arctic diaries

Back in the groove, its like I never left! In Svalbard’s main port of Longyearbyen I boarded the Akademik Ioffe and reunited with friends of past seasons. Russians, Pilipino Aussies, Canadians, Americans, Polish, English and Swedish and kiwi staff employed to deliver polar expedition cruises.
This all began in 2006. Unknown to me a friend Graham Charles had put my name forward to an expedition cruising company with the hope that they would need guides to work their northern season.
Calling from Vancouver, Canada Aaron Lawton introduced himself and then offered me twenty-five days work in the high Arctic onboard a Russian vessel called the Akademik Ioffe. My role as part of the fifteen strong staff was to deliver a polar sea-kayaking program. I acted quickly seeking permission for time off from an employer in California before boarding a plane bound for Cornwallis Island twenty-four hours later!

My first voyage involved a transit of the renowned Northwest Passage. We headed south following the routes of famed explorers such as Amundsen, Franklin, and Ross, explorers who sought fame, fortune and a fabled passage that would link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. History and hardship, it seemed the two came as one. Those bold enough to explore this barren wasteland and brave the cold of winter accepted sacrifice, many would not return home. We visited the graves of English sailors on Beechey Island, a desolate windswept landscape shaped by abrasive winds. We paced the thawing tundra of Devon Island, the largest uninhabited island on earth and sat in kayaks below Baffin Island’s eroding bird cliffs. Greenland’s Jacobshavn Glacier held us in awe, its scale, sheer power and beauty simply incomprehensible. At night the black northern abyss captured all passengers under the snaking green spell of the Aurora Borealis.
Before I knew it the Ioffe was docked in the Inuit settlement of Iqualuit and it was time to fly south. I’d had a blast and walked away hopeful of a return to the frozen north.

Now in my 5th Arctic season I have been fortunate enough to have seen many regions of the High Arctic and I return each year looking to discover more.
This season has kicked off with a real bang! Graham and I are working together for the first time in the Arctic and its his style is more in tune with my own.
Our two week voyage commenced in Svalbard. We found a group of bears feasting on a dead whale, kayaked under clouds of Little Auk returning to their nests and had a stunning time in Hamiltonbukta; a heavily glaciated bay and host to thousands of birds that raise their young on the tiny ledges spire topped cliff called Austplana. Two days at sea saw us visit the worlds largest fiord system; Scoresbysund in Eastern Greenland. My visit last year was a full month earlier and we found impenetrable sea ice bands and gigantic glacial bergs jamming the fiord. Many of our landings locations have been new this year, which keeps it fresh and exciting.
During our four day visit temperatures soared the entire time. Ice charts had gradually showed ice clearing out of Scoresbysund twelve days prior to our arrival so our transit of many fiords went largely unhindered by ice. Most days I paddled my kayak wearing cotton shorts and just one thermal top on! Turquoise melt water cascaded from melt bowls the size of hot tubs sitting on the tops of tabular bergs. Calving was constant. Brash ice bobbing around on the surface formed large areas of slushy soup. Millennia aged air cracked and popped as it escaped free having previously been trapped in the Greenland ice cap. This is one of the polar special sounds. All the signs of climate change were obvious everyday and its effect pronounced. Hot days under the midnight sun makes for comfortable days but the glaciers are dying because of it.

The Denmark Strait dividing Eastern Greenland from Iceland is one of the world’s populated areas for whales and we enjoyed some great Humpback whale sightings on our way to Reykjavik.

Gisborne Herald Peru Expedition feature

2010-07-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

This week the Gisborne Herald ran a short article on our Peru adventures. The article has some pretty cheesy lines added by the editorial team that didn't come from me but hey...enjoy the read
http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/article/?id=18530

Big mountain climbed, Big river paddled - Tiki Tour - Peru

2010-07-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

Image - Justin Venable
Our time in Peru was grand! Rewarding and surpassing expectations JV and I left several kilograms lighter. Weight loss indicative of long days and reserves burnt. Is it always worth it? hell yes! Nothing a couple of weeks on a cruise ship wont fix!

Traditional Peru
Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw
Thanks to Tiki Wine, New Zealand who came on board in support of our travels 24 hours before I left NZ! Their sponsorship dollars went a long way in Peru helping us move from one adventure to the next. From home Tiki followed us closely constantly excited about supporting kiwi adventure.
It felt good to have the support of a New Zealand brand and toast to adventurous spirit of kiwis!

May the Tiki Tour continue!

A return to the Apu

2010-06-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

lhama's on route to the Apurimac. Image - Zak Shaw
Upon completing our Paucartambo descent we needed rest and Cola de Mono was the perfect place for it. JV’s shoulder had connected hard with a wall on day two on the Paucartambo and once the pain killers wore off it got worse. (JV will now have his hands on the oars of a cargo raft in the Grand Canyon. I hope his shoulder feels strong)

Back in Cusco a street stall selling bbq meat and potato kebabs forced JV onto a course of Cipro and our remaining days slotted for kayaking began to diminish.

With logistics sorted and food brought at 7am Gian Marco shuttled us thirty minutes out of town to a junction village called Izcuchaka.
Back on a mission it felt good to again be mobile. JV had returned to health and our wagon climbed high out of one valley and into the next headed for the Waipachaka bridge and the Apurimac River.

The entrance rapids on the Apurima's lower "Black Canyon"
Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw

At the put – in our friendly driver quickly turned on us and demanded twice the negotiated fare. Bargaining is standard but we stood our ground on our supposed “deal”
Things got worse and his persistence saw us pay a little more but nothing near double. With bad karma lingering our trip began.

Before leaving NZ a friend had asked me what my top outdoor job had been? It was not a one job answer but my time on the Apurimac seven years prior was high on the list.
As we floated and carved our way down into the canyon lined orange that time returned.It was better than I remembered! Big rock, gold pillars, vertical walls, cactus and good whitewater.

Image - Zak Shaw

The lines came in memory and travel was uninterrupted. We arrived at Pocutorio in the early afternoon. Massive smooth boulder and piles of wood was camp in the canyons tightest spot. The night passed too quick Pocutorio is a place you could spend days.

Justin in camp at "Pocutorio"

Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Justin Venable

Day two we hit the water early hopeful of catching a raft company and a ride home to Cusco.
The rivers bedrock sides gradually waned and for two hours the river rolled into large volume rapids. My memory of things continued to hold fast as we passed the camp of “La Mesa” Condor circled overhead soaring above us with wings like branches.
Soon we were above “Dola de Muelas” a powerful class five test-piece. We dropped in and felt the shove off the first horizon. I was looking for proof of improvement having run the rapid many times in 2003 but arrived at the bottom feeling like I’d been punched!

Our finish came in perfect time. Our friends at Mayuc rafting had just served lunch in the shade. Steak, chicken, roast potatoes, salad with cake and ice-cream for dessert!
Well fed the bus took off Cusco bound with our kayaks on the roof.

PERU - Paucartambo Primed. Good times, 150km of whitewater, jungle fruit, big canyon, coffee riverside, soup for the soul...

2010-06-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

A great mixture of amazing whitewater, isolation and mountain to lowland jungle environment variation makes the Paucartambo journey an absolute classic.

Paucartambo – 3000m, Put in = 2800m (guess), Take out - Penetracion – 600m (guess)

River km – 150 (ish)

Here is how we found it.

We left Cusco after market shopping and drove for five hours to attempt a descent of Peru’s premier multiday whitewater kayak run. Hernando our heckling taxi driver didn’t really know what sort of a day he had signed up for, but then neither did we.

The drive to the town of Paucartambo and onward to the Puente (bridge) Pilco took longer than expected before Hernando turned and drove back to Cusco in the rain and darkness.

Paucartambo market colors - Image Zak Shaw

Travelling as light as possible we were without a stove and sturdy shelter. As the rain fell and we looked for dry ground under trees it felt like an ominous beginning.An hour later our luck changed when a family accepted our request for shelter and took us in.Using their fire our night passed under their slapped together shack.

Our hospitable family - Image Zak Shaw

Peruvian music blared late into the night, dogs barked, chickens pecked our kayaks and at 5am the roosters started but we were dry and ready to start early!

In their kitchen we forced down oatmeal (my least favourite food, but its light, so...) before sliding into the river at 8.30am.

Team shot before we hit the river . Image Zak Shaw

Justin Venable probes into the entrance rapids of Orange Canyon. Image - Zak Shaw

Alpine melt water flowing from the summit slopes of Nevado Auzangate (6372m) carried us for 7.5 hours on day one and at a guess we paddled 40km. The action slowly built throughout the day. Orange Canyon named so becuase of its distinctive orange polished boulders held some standout class 4+ kayaking.

This 3m falls was one of the best clean falls in Orang canyon - Image Justin Venable.

JV and I moved quickly reading and running rapids all day and passed under the bridge of Sahuay shortly before 4pm. A slightly overhanging boulder 500m past the bridge became camp and before dark at 5.30pm we had rigged our plastic tarp and gathered a huge pile of driftwood. An up-valley breeze was blocked off by building a stone wall. As the light faded the sky darkened as storm clouds moved into position above us. Rain tested our shelter and attempted to extinguish our method of cooking. With hot soup in pot we waited the passing of the rain and by 8pm were eating dinner outside.

Dinner = Mushroom soup, rice, lentils, oregano, veg stock, cilantro.

Camp one below the Sahuay Bridge. Image Zak Shaw

Our last seen weather forecast for the region had indicated a big front approaching bringing more rain. From our reading we knew the lower gorges contained must run whitewater, portages and vertical walls so our plan was to try and push through the committing sections in the first three days. This would require big days and efficient travel.

Cool canyon - Image - Zak Shaw.

On day two we began at 8am and paddled for 6.5 hours. The river dropped into a series of bedrock gorges but rarely held more than rapids above class 4. As a small team of two we watched each other close and pushed as far as possible into rapids to get the information we needed without having to get out and look.

Image - Zak Shaw

The vegetation had started to transform and beside the river were crazy trees that I called ghost trees. Their small limbs covered in a white feather like cloth that waved aroud in the breeze. They looked quite spooky.

Mid afternoon we stopped to meet a family processing the coffee beans growing on their river side property. Initially we though the operation consisted of one solitary man but his family soon gathered and all told numbered around fifteen. We were given fruit (Chireimoya). JV and I didn’t appreciate the gift as much as we should have as we exchanged looks concerened more about the weight of our already laden kayaks. Later that night I felt bad about my lack of reaction.

Coffee processing, how do they get the beans to the market...

Our camp for the night of day two was on a massive sand beach on river right. Again we ate well and a warm breeze rolling up from the jungle dried all our gear.

JV suggested we eat our heavy fruit. It turned out to be the best fruit we’ve tasted. Chireimoya chopped up combined with Manjar – caramelised condensed milk and shaved chocolate sealed the deal on a super day! High living in camp 2!

Image - Zak Shaw

Our third day was expected to be the crux. We knew we were camped above a long steep section that dropped at 50m/km and the commiting gorges were within reach. We put on the water at 7.45am after a 5.45am wake up and immediately encountered class five whitewater which pushed us around. I got shoved offline and tailstood out of control by a large hole. My kayak finally levelled out enough for me to see the next move and we charged right above a horizon.

Image - Justin Venable.

A short portage on mid-stream boulders linked us back into more big water moves avoiding holes. The gradient gradually backed off to class four and the rapids became more dispersed. After 2.5 hours of great kayaking we arrived at the rivers most famed portage.

Image Zak Shaw - Justin Venable must move high above a section of class 6 whitewater to the safety of runnable whitewater below.

It was much easier than expected and we climbed over boulders a short distance on river right before paddling the final drop of the portage. 150m downstream the walls stood vertical and landslide rubble choked the gorge creating a crashing steep mess of partial channels and suspect options. We had worked hard to get to this place on the river before the flow-boosting rains and upon inspection knew we would pass without the extra stress of brown charging flood water. Lunch was sultanas, bars, peanuts, dry noodles and biscuits.

We entered the canyon at 12.15 and paddled up onto rocks on river left that sat under a precarious overhanging cliff. We could see most of what we needed to paddle to escape. From mid-stream boulders we easily linked a move down the hard left of the flow with a few small drops before the rapids flattened and the job was done.

A real jungle feel had crept into the day with big changes in vegetation and small hot water creeks entering the river. We paddled another two hours on the look out for a bathable hot pool before choosing a camp on a spread out gravel bar.

Image - Justin Venable

Day four – “Leisurely start” We started much later on our fourth day knowing that if the rains came it would only speed our cause. Light showers had passed in the night and by 9am the sun shone through low cloud. Late morning we paddled parts of a gigantic landslide rapid. Littered with horrendous hydraulics we walked the first 100m before having a go at the fast paced action below. Easy whitewater followed for the rest of the day. At 1pm the skies opened and the predicted frontal system hit. It felt normal to paddle in the jungle in a heavy rain storm! Lush jungle plants absorbed the moisture easily and the whitewater returned. As the rain pelted down our final hour hour on the river was amongst cool wave strewn rapids and mist. The rain extinguished our ideas of finding dry wood or a protected camp so at 3.30pm we climbed a bank below the swinging footbridge of Penetracion. At the school we met a father and son who confimed where we were (we had no idea really) They sat on top of sacks full of coffee beans ready for transport out of the valley. In the small town we found chicken and beer! Up until our arrival in Pentracion we hadn’t really heard the word ‘tranquillo’ used much and it wasn’t a surprise to see nothing really happened there. We were in the jungle and were therefore on jungle time which happens later! A local helped us find a bed in a shed, which we shared surrounded by tools. The village was friendly but full of trash and drunk locals. Poor people living in make-shift boarded shacks. The place we were staying was run by Gerrado who also worked a restaurant/bar and we ate dinner with him and his boy Kevin. It was great to get out of wet gear finally and once again the soup was top end.

Penetracion - Patience required, home to great locally grown coffee, friendly locals and a mucho tranquillo vibe.

Day five

Our breakfast joint was full of drunks who although not aggressive fell off their chairs and staggered about. The morning coffee was great and we secured a big feed of huevos, arroz and papas fritas. Every person we met offered different advice and alternative solutions to us as to how to go about leaving the valley.

Our predicament was that we had 40-50km of mostly flatwater river between us and the Rio Urrubamba confluence. From there we had planned on catching the dugout river taxi upriver to the road termination before linking with trucks to get back to Quillabamba. But being a Friday we expected to have a wait of at least two full days whilst being eaten by bugs until the river taxi arrived at 5am on Monday. This would be followed by a 2.5 hour boat ride, a ten hour truck leg and a 3.5 hour van segment before we could say we were close to Cola de Mono.

On a Friday morning we sat and waited for a truck. Without a detailed map and broken spanish we had no real idea of place names around us and what route exactly we needed to take. At 12 we finally convinced a truckie to take us to San Martin which we thought was onroute to Quillabamba eight hours away.

Image - Zak Shaw

As it turned out San Martin is not on route and cost us five hours, one hours drive and four hours waiting to go back the way we had come! All said the same truck did deliver us to Quillabamba at 11pm that night.

Image - Justin Venable.

On the streets we ate a great meal from a roadside stall and carried our gear to a taxi stand. Expecting things to work more in our favour from this point on we parked up and I promtly fell asleep on top on my kayak on the footpath. (Dont tell JV as I was supposed to be watching our gear while he went to look for a ride) At 3.30am the police escourted us out of the “pelegroso” area and loaded our kayaks on the back of their truck. In the main plaza at 4am we met a man who would get us out of town to Santa Maria. We arrived in Cola de Mono at 11.30am in time for lunch and a long afternoon nap!

Mission complete!

Zak Shaw

PERUÇ Paucartambo Primed. Perus Rio Paucartambo, good times, 150km of whitewater, jungle fruit, big canyon, coffee riverside, soup for the soul...

2010-06-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

Upper Apurimac, Salkantay with kayaks and the second full descent of Peru´s Rio Santa Teresa!

2010-05-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

What an incredible week! Our legs are still suffering, cut by jungle thorns and beaten by heavy loads but it’s a good pain!
During the last seven days JV and I have made sure our time in Peru has been well spent.

Justin launches clear of a fluffy mound in the Upper Apurimac. Image - Zak Shaw
From Cusco we visted a class five run in the upper Apurimac canyon. Climbing over cactus lands above the river we passed through Paccaritampo: a small village to be situated in the area of the Inka uprising.
The section held fantastic whitewater but unfortunately our Peruvian paddling friend Diego Ibanez flipped in a major rapid and damaged his shoulder.

Big country - Image Justin Venable
Back in Cusco we found food for four days and packed ready to leave the following morning. In Mollepata our attempts to recruit burros, muels or men fell flat on its face. We connected with the village horsemen who shook their heads at the prospect of carrying our kayaks over the 4600m summit pass of Mt Salkantay (6264m – 20671ft)

Thomas tests our load in Soraypampa. Image - Zak Shaw
Our car scrambled up the track a further 1.5 hours to Soraypampa; a cowboy camp staged on the path of Peru´s alternative Inka trail. Two Quechua women with young children greeted us beside a rough shack. Tree limbs toped by corrugated iron sheets. We were traveling as light as possible and it was great to be offered the shack to sleep in.

At 6.30am we met with several horseman who were setting their horses up to transport tourist packs, tents and cooking gear to Ccolpapampa. Thomas the one horseman we managed to recruit lifted my kayak a laughed at the idea of taking it over the mountains.
By 7.30am we had our horse loaded with our gear and JV and I had begun the journey with our kayaks.
Soraypampa sits at an elevation of 3800m so we felt the effects of the thin air immediately.

“One day we want to be like Keith Riley”- Image Zak Shaw

Image - Justin Venable
Steep switchbacks guided us towards the base of Salkantay. Loose rock and the heat of the day already upon us made for slow plodding. With lungs inefficient we plodded. Plodding is the way forward.

Loaded, our horse. Image Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw
After three hours the gradient aback off slightly and we crested the saddle at 4600m. The spectacular face of Salkantay stood immediately above our heads. Bulging ceracs of ice hung precariously in the thin air. We had the big mission feel. Standing and starring at the sculptured ice ridge was without doubt an odd place to be with a kayak. No flowing water was in sight. It was big country, striking and a landscape with definition.

Image - Zak Shaw
Over the pass the valley wound its way down. We dropped 1850m during a six hour shoulder destroying descent.

On the downhill we moved much faster passing thatched huts, hydrating when we could until we reached the village of Ccolpapampa.
Darkness fell at 5.30pm and we were invited into a local wowmens home to cook our dinner. Peruvian music sounded from a small transistor radio on the dirt floor and smoke passed out through a purposely unfinished section of wall. Eight local workers joined us for dinner, drinking cup upon cup of local coffee. They were truly impressed by out nine hour day.

Image - Justin Venable

We began kayaking where the Quebrada and Rio Tortora joined the Santa Teresa at 2750m. Within 200m of our start we eddied out above a steep rapid. I felt insufficiently warmed up and with a fully loaded kayak didn’t want to run a 3m falls over a backed pocket in a wall. We could not portage on foot or seal launch unassisted so JV attached a nine to the stern of my kayak and with me in it belayed out 20 feet of rope until I reached the water. After much deliberation JV ran the drop unscathed. Two hours of eddyless non stop class four followed. It was fast paced, no rest kayaking.

Bedrock walls heralded a change of scene and our creek confined before dropping away. Vertical rock and jungle on our right dictated travel on river left above the canyon. Landslides threatened to fail and send us into the gorge. Looking at a 100m section of snaking blind corners we found seven must make moves. Eventually we agreed to do battle. JV went first and I gave him a minute before I followed. We both emerged upright downstream!
The following rapids were a mix of sharp junk. On slick rock we portaged at water level, lowered kayaks on ropes and jumped into eddies. Back in the jungle I brushed through some thick vegetation before being stung by a huge spear covered caterpillar. 5pm rolled on and finally the gorge relented. We found a tiny patch of sand to camp on. Wood was in good supply so we stayed warm and ate well. Lightening bugs lit up the forest canopy pulsing for hours in an electric show. At 12pm JV woke me and said a massive storm is brewing. Streaks of lightening boomed one valley over and in the dark we rigged a plastic tarp for shelter. The storm did not hit us and thankfully the river remained flowing clear!

In camp, dry, warm, golden, for now....

Image - Zak Shaw
River day 2.Class four out of camp then the gradient subdued and we thought it was all over! It was not to be! The class five returned and stayed constant for a further three hours.

Zak Shaw amongst it - Image - Justin Venable

Classic unrelenting kayaking where mistakes would be punished. All the moves required both finesse and power sapping our energy reserves.

Image - Zak Shaw

At 3pm I hit the wall. I had to eat more. We paused briefly but were also wondering how far we had to go and the day was running late.

Image - Zak Shaw

After another 45 minutes our take out bridge came into view.

Image - Zak Shaw

In the last eddy we hung over our kayaks truly exhausted. Man it felt good to finish! Cola de Mono and cold beer was just twenty minutes away.

Zak Shaw

Peru Travels. Our journey thus far. Images Zak Shaw

2010-05-14T05:55:00.001-07:00

Plaza de Armas - Cusco, Peru

Cusco´s central Plaza.

Evidence of Peru´s Inca history are clearly evident in many streets with talented stone work forming some walls and streets.

Market produce... yummy

Its great to be back! In 2003 I worked for a rafting company and lived here in Cusco for two months. At 3300m Cusco and the surrounding sacred valley of Peru is a stunning place. I managed to get out and photograph the amazing architecture of town before Justin Venable landed here on the 10th. Having endured the long haul from NZ Justin was in surprisingly good shape. We instantly caught a bus out of town headed over the Urrubamba River, past Mt Victoria a 6000m+ snow capped peak on route to Santa Teresa.

Our bus climbed over a 4000m+ saddle with Mt Victoria looming above. Descending over the other side were hit by thick jungle mist and switchbacks stacked upon each other. The mist obscured our view over the edge... a good thing!
After a ten hour day (JV has still not had a proper sleep) our final stage ended on the banks of the Sacsara River. Our friend Gian Marco Vellutino runs Peru´s only zip-line canopy tour here and his camp has become our home.

JV outside ¨Colo de Mono¨the canopy zip line camp.

Colo de Mono. Our first few days have gone well. We are living in paradise! Its been great to hit the ground running with time spent descending some of the local runs. May brings stable (ish) flows and weather and so most days are clear and warm. The kayaking is world class. Many creeks flow in this area as well as the Urrubamba itself which on both of our descents felt like a charging big volume Himalayan beast. Some of the moves had me thinking we had returned to the Parlung Tsangpo in Tibet! Ive been scared lots.. Each day we continue to plan the next move... will it be the Paucartambo? we certainly hope so!

More images of the whitewater to come!

Stay tuned
zak

2010-05-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

Peru Whitewater Expedition - follow it here!

2010-05-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

In 25 minutes I leave for the airport.... so this will be quick!
In 2003 along with a good team of kiwi mates we kayaked, climbed and worked in Bolivia and Peru. This trip marks a return to the Andes and a 4 week kayaking expedition.
On the 10th of May I meet Justin Venable in Cusco, Peru. An ER doctor and talented paddler Justin will have my back covered. We will meet Peruvian kayakers; the Vellutino brothers at that time and hit the road!
Stay tuned! Big canyons and adventure is in store...

Womens Adventure Magazine - Rachel Moore interview - Image Zak Shaw

2010-04-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Kiwi girl in action! Recently the US based Womens Adventure Magazine published this short feature on Rachel Moore. A longtime talent in the NZ outdoor scene its great to see Rach not only being noticed but also endorsing presence of women in outdoor ed and tourism related jobs. Todays surge of active, capable and skilled women coming out of NZ training is directly related to women like Rach and the path she has forged.
www.womensadventuremagazine.com

LIFEBLOOD OF A NATION - surfaces in Antarctica

2010-04-02T23:09:00.000-07:00

On the back of several shows this Antarctic season I will be presenting in Matawai (where??) April 9th at 7pm.

DESTINATION = THE SOUTHERN OCEAN ANTARCTICA - ZAK SHAW PHOTOGRAPHY

2010-03-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Orca - Bransfield straight - South Shetland Islands - Antarctica

The Antarctic is beyond description. On so many levels it is incomparable to any other place on earth. Its a place of overwhelming influence. Those who visit leave privileged and memory rich.
I am one of them.

Sunset on ice - Petermann Island
Lungs wide open - Gentoo penguin

The wild southern ocean - Antarctica

Gentoo Penguin - Petermann Island
Humpback show - Lemaire Channel - Antarctica
End of season light! and dramatic landscapes!

Reflections in Paradise - Paradise Harbour - Antarctica.
Mirror image - Paradise Harbour
Congested ice fields - Neko Harbour
South Georgia show - Salisbury Plains.
King Penguins
Young scruff - South Georgia
King patterns
Kings at Salisbury
Youth....
The ever glamorous albatross
Striated Caracara - West Point island - Falkland Islands
Slow shutter at Bailey Head - Deception Island.
Kayaking in Antarctica - words are inadequate!
Constant predation - Skua vs Penguin
Survival - Skua laughs victoriously

Turkey vulture

Werner Paddles Blog - Lifeblood of the Nation

2010-02-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

http://www.wernerpaddlesblog.com/blog/2010/02/hillary-expedition-grant-awarded-to-nz-paddlers.html

http://www.sparc.co.nz/hiliary-expedition-update-lifeblood-of-the-nation

2010-02-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

Check out this latest Lifeblood of the Nation update on the SPARC website
http://www.sparc.co.nz/hiliary-expedition-update-lifeblood-of-the-nation

Thanks for checking in
Zak Shaw
Image Zak Shaw
Paddler - Barny Young, Whitcombe River, New Zealand

Rider of the year. Whitewater Photographer of the year awards.

2010-02-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

Check out
www.rideroftheyear.org

New Zealands Perth River, Lifeblood of the Nation - Images Zak Shaw

2010-02-03T17:20:00.000-08:00

NZ's Southern Alps provide an incredible mountain backdrop on route to the Perth Rivers headwaters.
Image - Zak Shaw
Keith Riley takes time to enjoy the scene at the Scone /Perth River confluence.
Image - Zak Shaw

The Perth river boats some of NZ's most classy whitewater. Keith Riley grips into some class V action.
Image - Zak Shaw

Perth River valley
Image - Zak Shaw

Much of the Perth river flow originates in the "Garden of Eden" Blue glaciated water defines west coast kayaking.
Paddler - Dylan Thomson
Image - Zak Shaw

The lower Perth Gorge supplies an intense and incredibly stunning day out for those capable of paddling class 3/4 whitewater. Go there!
Paddler - Keith Riley
Image - Zak Shaw

LIFEBLOOD OF A NATION - Zak Shaw Photography. Wild Rivers images summer 09/10

2010-01-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

This NZ spring and summer I've been active with camera in hand photographing rivers.
I hope my river images stimulate memories and experiences surrounding rivers.
Wild rivers are New Zealand’s Lifeblood. The SPARC Lifeblood of the Nation expedition is aimed at raising public consciousness about New Zealand’s rivers and the threats many of them currently face. Lifeblood is aimed at highlighting what we have and what we stand to lose.
For an indepth write up on whats happening check out this backdated link
http://passion4adventure.blogspot.com/2009/10/lifeblood-of-nation.html

Many New Zealanders have emotional ties to standout places. The value of some of them is in question...What value do you place on knowing that these places will be there the next time you visit?
enjoy!
Zak

Sally Birchall crossing the Owen River, Kahurangi National Park.

Rafting the Mokihinui River, Kahurangi National Park.

Murchison's Matakitaki River

First descent of River X, Aorere tributary, Kahurangi National Park.

Churn Gorge - Burke River, South Westland.

Lesley River - Kahurangi National Park.
On this trip we hiked for two days over the Mt Arthur tablelands before spending three days traveling down the Karamea River to the ocean.

Hollyford River, Fiordland National Park

"Sabine Shadow" Sabine River, Nelson Lakes National Park.

Southlands Waikaia River.

D'Urvillie River - Nelson Lakes National Park.

Sabine River, Nelson Lakes National Park.

Kayaker Keith Riley. Prices River, West Coast.

The Burke Gorge, South Westland.

"Deep and swift" Kawatiri, NZ's Buller River.

Home run, Ruakituri River, Hawkes Bay

Southland Times. Interview Lifeblood of the Nation. "Rivers are the lifeblood of our nation and hopefully people will realise that."

2009-12-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

This hot off the press! Story below the link.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/features/3149710/What-a-rush

Southland times interviewed Keith Riley and myself upon our completion of the East Waikaia descent. Keith Riley grew up in the deep south and his connection to the Waikaia valley is strong.

We were interviewed by Mark Hotton an Invercargill journalist. I attempted to influence the story by highlighting that the speed at which the Wild Rivers campaign was launched was due to the fact that although NZ has many different user groups and people involved in the river environment that ultimately NZers immerse themselves in the environment for similar reasons. On the surface it would seem that jetboaters, fisherman and kayakers would struggle to agree and make fast campaign headway due to the nature of each sport. However with threats to NZ's river environments mounting campaign members relised that regardless of craft or activity that many different groups choose to recreate and appreciate the river environement for similar reasons.

I left the interview feeling like I had left a clear message. The message being that the Lifeblood of a Nation expedition is not just about a group of kayakers trying to protect their favourite rapids nor is the expedition entirely focused on paddling full on whitewater. A deeper message underlies what we are doing. If more people in NZ were aware of whats out there and develop a greater affinity for our remaining wild river environments then NZers will relise that the types of people fighting to keep our rivers wild are actually everyday Kiwis. The Wild Rivers campaign members are an accurate cross section of the NZ public.

"Rivers are the lifeblood of our nation and hopefully people will realise that."

Enjoy the story below - Zak

A remote and rugged stretch of Southland river has been kayaked for the first time. Mark Hotton talks to a former Invercargill man about his involvement.
He sits above a mass of tumbling whitewater, a three metre drop from the edge of a waterfall to safe water below.
His helmet strap is tight, but it gets another quick tug just to be sure, before the lifejacket is readjusted again. He takes a deep breath.
A thin layer of plastic sits between him and the dozens of rocks that create the whitewater he is about to tackle.
He disregards everything but the line the tiny kayak must take to negotiate the rapid.
He has walked the river up and down, backwards and forwards, and can picture precisely where he needs to paddle, where he needs to twist to manoeuvre a tight spot and where he can pause to let the water flow do the work and get him through safely.
Most people would be shaking in their seat at the prospect of launching themselves into a grade five rapid in a rugged back country river.
But former Invercargill man Keith Riley has spent 15 years kayaking New Zealand rivers, gathering the skills and experience necessary to take on such a challenge. And he will nail it.
Mr Riley returned to Southland last month with two friends to kayak what is believed to be a previously undescended section of the stunningly beautiful and remote east branch of the Waikaia river.
He and two friends, Zak Shaw and Dylan Thomson, flew by helicopter to the start of the river and spent three days kayaking the 16km of river that drops 600m.
They describe it as one of the top three kayakable rivers in New Zealand, with Mr Riley describing it as the pinnacle of his kayaking career.
"I've never encountered a river of that steepness and difficulty where apart from two tiny sections there was a kayakable line through it.
"Mentally it was super draining because we'd scout long sections and have to remember long convoluted lines – you wanted to write the lines on the front of the boat so you didn't forget them on the way through.
"Physically we were rooted. The kayaking is quite physical but then you're moving up and down over boulders and difficult terrain, lifting boats and that all accumulates."
He paddled the west branch of the river about 10 years ago and the trio have chosen to tackle its twin as part of a series of expeditions, Lifeblood of a Nation, to support a Wild Rivers campaign and raise awareness of New Zealand rivers.
"It feels like the East Waikaia finally appeared on the radar in the realm of what's possible in a kayak only in the last three or four years," Mr Riley said.
"With the evolution of kayaking and the equipment we've been able to explore steeper and steeper rivers."
The river is in one of the most remote parts of Southland, north of Waikaia in the Old Woman Range. It is that far north the closest town is Alexandra, as the crow flies.
They worked out it could potentially be kayaked without seeing it in person by looking at the gradient of the terrain, and estimating the flow amount and size and taking a punt.
A punt that paid off for the trio.
"We've flown in all wide eyed and have been blown away by the quality and quantity of whitewater," Mr Riley said.
"The pictures make it look super extreme and make us look like full on loose bastards.
"But what they don't show is the amount of time we spent moving up and down the river, discussing consequences and putting different safety in place.
"We don't paddle any of that without total confidence that we're going to hit the line as we planned."
The years spent kayaking and understanding how to put safety systems in place has made those types of extreme rapids more manageable, he said.
Mr Riley, an outdoor recreation tutor at Tai Poutini Polytechnic in Greymouth, said the Waikaia River below the Canton Bridge down was an iconic whitewater kayaking trip but the upper part had the potential to become an even more significant trip.
"It's under-appreciated and most of the population wouldn't know about it. I'd regard that as one of the most stunning and spectacular places in the country."
The Waikaia River has a special affinity for Mr Riley. It was where he learned to paddle and it is those types of connection that link the Lifeblood of a Nation expedition and the Wild Rivers campaign.
The Wild Rivers campaign was created by groups – including Forest and Bird, Whitewater NZ, Federated Mountain Clubs and Fish and Game – concerned about the rising threat to wild rivers.
Mr Shaw said the Life Blood of a Nation expedition was a Sparc funded initiative to link in to that campaign while highlighting the threats many New Zealand rivers faced and what could potentially be lost to hydro-electricity projects.
The Lifeblood team is a mix of three of New Zealand's most well-known kayakers Mick Hopkinson, Graham Charles and Mr Shaw, who have teamed up for an adventure that aims to profile New Zealand's wild rivers. They plan to photograph threatened rivers while exploring new and demanding kayak runs.
"The underlying theme was to support the Wild Rivers campaign (wildrivers.org.nz) which aims to raise the consciousness of the New Zealand public and remind Kiwis of the importance of rivers and the part they play in everyday life so they're not taken for granted," Mr Shaw said.
"It's not about firing off big drops and getting scared and being extreme."
The aim was to profile river journeys – both family trips and classic New Zealand river trips and raise greater awareness and appreciation of the role that New Zealand rivers play.
"The rivers are under threat from privatisation when they're owned by the people.
"Ultimately these things are irreversible. Hydro isn't a renewable source – it has huge impact on a river environment.
"At the moment it seems we have this free open season where anyone can look at a river and go through the resource consent process and eventually come away with a fairly sizeable scheme that is going to produce some significant returns.
"But they don't own the river. I think a lot of New Zealanders are realising that maybe we do need more electricity but maybe we need some sort of futuristic outlook where we look at which rivers are stunning and particularly scenic and look at preserving them." Footage and photographs off the trips were being collated with the possibility of a book and possibly a documentary being created.
"If we can get more people passionate about what's on our back doorstep and getting them thinking about what happens when you mess with the environment, then that's a good thing.
"Rivers are the lifeblood of our nation and hopefully people will realise that."
To follow the expedition visit http://www.passion4adventure.blogspot.com/

Nevis River Highlands. SPARC - Lifeblood of the Nation

2009-11-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

"The Nevis River drains the Hector and Garvie mountain ranges, flowing north towards the Kawarau River. The valley is at first a wide open expanse and was the scene of prolific goldmining during the late 1800's. Many historic relics remain in the upper valley as a testament to the industry that was there" - http://www.wildrivers.org.nz/river/nevis-river
Image above - Zak Shaw

Keith Riley, Ants Longman and myself recently spent a day in the Upper Nevis Valley. The flow below the Nevis Crossing road bridge was on deemed too high and so we continued up river. The area we visited would be inundated should the Pioneer Generation dam scheme go ahead.
Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw
Spaniard grass and unique landscape. Nevis Valley - Image - Zak Shaw

The Upper Nevis gorge - Image - Zak Shaw

Paddler Keith Riley
Image - Zak Shaw

Paddler Antz Longman
Image - Zak Shaw

Paddler - Keith Riley

Wild Rivers - Lifeblood of the Nation

2009-11-19T14:55:00.001-08:00

Kokatahi River - West Coast
Wild rivers are New Zealand’s Lifeblood. The Lifeblood of the Nation expedition is aimed at raising public consciousness about New Zealand’s rivers and the threats many of them currently face. Lifeblood is aimed at highlighting what we have and what we stand to lose.
For an indepth write up on whats happening check out this backdated link
http://passion4adventure.blogspot.com/2009/10/lifeblood-of-nation.html

Waikaia River - Southland

Waikaia Revisited. "Adventure stories may constitute the original definition of what is worth talking about" Paul Zweig

2009-11-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

The crucial junction. Dont miss this one. Make a false move and you'll end up in Gore.....
Image - Zak Shaw
This week we rallied for a second time into the Waikaia River valley. A hail storm pelted the van and ominous southerly driven clouds hung over the hills. The cold snap had locked up the remaining snow pack on the Old Man and Garvie Range and the Waikaia flow had diminished.

Optimistic that we would still have enough to float Keith and I recruited our man at High Country Heli and the job was on.

Image - Zak Shaw
West meets East. Our flight took us over the West Waikaia River. It looked low but manageable so our pilot released the strop holding the kayaks airborne over the tussock.
It was great to be back in the heads of the Waikaia! Surrounded by stunning alpine scenery and with time on our side we chilled out for an hour or so and walked up towards the Garvie snow slopes. Our belief was that the west Waikaia would be a solid day trip but after our first 500m of river travel we called it quits. Several sieves, portages and trickle of water to move around on had us revising our day out and the West meets East Waikaia trip was born.

Open tussock travel with a kayak is in relative terms quite easy. We climbed at first avoiding Spaniard grass spears and after an hour we had broken the back on the climb and began our sliding, dragging descent into the East branch.
Image - Zak Shaw

Our hike over positioned us a long way up the East and at 3pm we began what a week before had taken three days. By 7pm Keith and I had bombed the day one section, abandoned the kayaks and begun our 2hr hike out.

Image - Zak Shaw
Day two - Dylan showed up with a 4wd and we got back into our gear without much effort.
We remembered the river well. Most of the rapids were still on and throughout the day we ticked off a few drops and moves that had been too full on a week prior. Regardless of good memory day two still required 8 solid hours of kayaking. We linked the East Waikaia with the West and continued on out to Canton.

Image - Zak Shaw

Keith Riley looking good on a drop that a week before had been a fast paced headhunter. (The rock jutting out from the right)

Image - Zak Shaw
After the trip I looked at the Southland Council website for the flows -
http://www.es.govt.nz/river-rainfall/index.aspx?data=flow

For this second run we were in there at rock bottom levels that ranged from 11 - 9 cumecs!
I'd expect the flow range for the East Waikaia to sit between 30 and 12 cumecs at Piano Flat
The first descent flows were 29 peak - 16 lowest. (over the three days)
First Descent daily flows - Day 1 - 24 - 18, Day 2 - 29 - 20, Day 3 - 22 - 16

Fiordland and a fantastic ride in a boat! River research Lake Te Anau

2009-11-19T13:58:00.000-08:00

Image - Zak Shaw
The concept is good. The potential story has potential. If only I had a larger story to share.
Lake Te Anau, small power boat, food, maps, rifles, whitewater kayaks with carry systems and the idea that Fiordland still has rivers that have not been kayaked....
The excitement surrounding this mix of ingredients was in good supply but the river fruit was not found.

The crucial link for the Fiordland plan came in the form of Karl Boomsma (pictured below and left) Booms the boat owner came to the party just a week in advance agreeing to shuttle Keith and myself around the shores of Lake Te Anau. Loaded craft is a massive understatement. When all the gear (essential stuff) was loaded the boat concerningly sat low in the water but hey..."it will be fine"
Fuel comsumption was a major player heading into the second half. We picked the most distant arm of the lake to head to and that took three hours. (Big lemon) Severely under powered we chewed through a significant amount of fuel. Upon arrival at the Worsley River mouth we were met by sandflies (a given) and the relisation that our fuel tank was a little lighter than we would have liked.
To cut a long story short that night we played cards and drank beer with an old school mate of Keith's who was easily persuaded to hand over some of his gas.
The kayaking....Didn't happen. We left the creekers on the beach and headed up the Worsley with our gear and guns and went hunting for the day. In an attempt to get two birds stoned at once we scouted the Castle creek and stalked the rivers terraces at the same time.
The day was spent observing a river with little gradient and low water or in the case of the Castle River a steep creek with no water.
We still had a grand time and the boat made it back up the lake in a large swell to the boat ramp!

LIFEBLOOD OF A NATION - First Descent of the East Waikaia. One of the most sustained and mentally demanding river trips in NZ

2009-11-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

To gain some perspective of what its like to stand beside the East Waikaia River one needs to consider this.
A relentless barrage of whitewater flowing through alpine tussock highlands. A medieval landscape of craggy backcountry and subtle contours. A world colored honey and blue. An archaic scene, a place seldom travelled, horses, carts, spaniard grass and the constant roar of water....
When the attack came it did so for three days. Stonking class five, so damn good!
Those who kayak will appreciate some comparison between rivers. To understand the unrelenting nature of the East Waikaia multiply the Nevis Rivers length by four and its gradient by two. The stats pour onto the paper something like this.
Put in elevation - 1000m, Drop in elevation - 600m, Length - 16km.
For the bulk of the run it drops at an average of 60-80m/km with around 10 cumecs at the put - in and around 18cumecs at the East/ West Waikaia rivers confluence.

Local Southland boy and trip mastermind Keith Reiley confirms the plan.
Image - Zak Shaw
Andrew Gunn based in Waikaia jumped at the chance to help us out with access. It didn't take long for the landowners to be contacted and for permission to be gained. On the day Andrew from High Country Helicopters showed up in his number ones poised and ready to get the job done.
Image - Zak Shaw

Once loaded our flight began with immediate interest. Lots of whitewater, lots of drops. It never let up. Eddies were few. The lower river lay hidden under a canopy of Beech forest but as we climbed further tussock blanketed the hills exposing the river and what lay in store.
Keith and Dylan Thompson couldn't beleive their eyes. From my seat I gained rare views of the river below. Expressions on Keith's face were my only source of information. Like an excited child wriggling in his seat the windows were not big enough! Serious, raised eyebrows, stern, yes, yes, holy shit, ok, maybe, hell yeah, thats big, not sure, thats bigger, 50/50, yes, golden. I'm in!
Keith Reiley on route.
Image - Zak Shaw

Our team for the day stretched to three. (Andrew flies in three loads)
Keith, Dillon Thompson and myself.

Image credit - Keith Reiley.
Dylan Thompson arrived on the back of Keith's encouraging phone call the night before.
"You want to be here Dillon" "Whatever plans you have Dylan" I understand that Dylon but"
"I'll apologise to your girlfriend for ya mate"
Dylon drove three hours to meet us above the Canton Bridge and the day began.

Dylan and Keith at the rivers put in. The Waikaia catchment is also home to many historical sites including stone huts, cave dwellings, wooden barrels, pots and dirt sleeping pads.
Image - Zak Shaw
Things kicked off easy with five hundred metres of class two before all hell broke loose.
The environment was unlike anywhere I'd been before. Golden tussock, primeval stone pillars and big blue skies.
Image - Zak Shaw

Dylon stamped our mark early. A paddler who sees a line and whats possible in kayaking more often than most. This came apparent as hard moves and intricate lines with high objective danger came thick and fast. Image above Dylan keeps the nose up half way through a long (they are all long) hard and steep rapid early on.
Image - Zak Shaw

Our pace downriver was slow. The common thread with each rapid was "what's downstream of this" because sure enough around the next bend lay the next thing to catch our attention.
Stacked one after the other we found respite in small one boat eddies. Scouting required 200-300m long distances often from both sides in order to get the right information.
Image above Keith links it all together, staying composed and focused.
Image - Zak Shaw
The Southland high country. Mid way through day one things went into another gear. We were all paddling at the top of our game and deliberated for over an hour above a 400m section of relentless carnage. Limited eddies were the deciding factor and we opted for the "smart" decision to move overland. Time = 4pm. On day one we pushed through until 6pm. The whitewater had just begun to change character slightly. Landing in an eddy Keith's paddle suffered a crack in one blade. Rather than push on with our breakdown paddles we glanced over the map and came to the relisation that we had travelled downstream to within 500m of an established farm track that would lead us out to the van. We had always planned on hiking out with the days remaining daylight and so if you can call breaking a paddle good, it came at the right time. The hike back to the van took two hours on a 4wd road.
Image above - Zak Shaw

Day two we portaged a short section because of a tree jam. Rounding the next corner the intensity of day one came looking for us again. The scout for the following 200m of whitewater accounted for two hours of our day as we had to move up and down the bank to provide safety for each other. We all emerged unscathed from the bottom of this drop which was the accululation of several must make moves. In the above image Dylan Thompson probes and boosts confidence in Keith and myself.

Image above - Keith Reiley is online. After this drop we paused for a short lunch break.
Glancing back upriver the gradient of our previous drops run was remarkable. "Look at that, we're a loose pack of barstards aren't we" Keith Reiley...
Image - Zak Shaw

More of the same. Not to give viewers the impression we were starting to get bored. Every move required constant focus. Its been a long time since Ive paddled a river that has required such a sustained level of mental focus. The East Waiakaia is not about isolated hard moves.
Image - Zak Shaw - note we did not run the top part of the above rapid.

Image - Zak Shaw
Our intention with the East Waikaia had always been to push through in two days. Day two dragged on and on and on. After eight hours (we began kayaking at 10.30am after a two hour walk back to the river) our light in the gorge began to fade. Our energy levels began to drop off but we were sure the confluence with the West Waikaia was not far off.

Image - Zak Shaw
Dylan launches off another clean drop. This drop marked the entrance into another 300m long section. I opted to hike over the left bank and avoid making testing moves above a certain portage. Both Dylan and Keith greased the entrance drops and scampered quickly back for the last chance eddy.

Image - Zak Shaw
Stern expressions....tired...how far to go? At 8.30pm the world dropped away extinguishing our hopes of making it out before dark. We were tired and not in good enough shape to consider firing up this 30ft drop.
On the lip of the falls is a terrible sieve and none of us felt any motivation towards running it after such a draining day out. For the second time we abandoned the gear and pushed through the broom to the ridgeline. The scrub tore skin from our hands scratching us to bits and made our escape a brutal exercise.

Image - Zak Shaw.
Feeling the burn we commenced day three. Being a little smarter in our approach we made good time back via open farmland and an airstrip. Linking grass clearings our descent back to the kayaks was easy. Then came time to resume the kayaking...

Image - Zak Shaw
Keith was the bold one and paddled first. Determined in his belief that the dangerous entrance move would be relatively straight forward leading up to the main event.
Keith moved past the sieve and set sail off the drop in fine form.

Dylan Thompson poised with the crucial stroke.
Image - Zak Shaw
Image - Zak Shaw
My turn came third. Nervous about consequence I welcomed a quick check in with Keith on my way to my kayak. My line went well. I arrived with speed at the edge and landed flat in the aerated pool.

After the first move of day three we celebrated success!

Keith Reiley picks up the camera!
Paddler - Zak Shaw

Job done! Keith and Dylan roll through the East/West Waikaia River confluence.
Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw
Keith and Dylan both carried HD cameras and have come away with some great footage.
Looking forward to seeing that on the big screen!

Thanks for checking in - Zak

First blood, Burke River scout, climb, abseil, paddle, freedom. Lifeblood of the Nation.

2009-11-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

Lifeblood of a Nation - please see below for the background on this project.

cheers - Zak Shaw

Image - Cover shot! Eye candy and the heart of the Burke Rivers "Churn Gorge"

Image - Zak Shaw

The Burke River was first descended thirteen years ago. As a three day adventure spearheaded by Keith Reiley a team discovered another stunning river trip in South Westland. Late on day two darkness fell as the paddlers arrived the "Churn Gorge" the rivers last attack. Poor light and a gorge reminiscent of the legendary Clarksfork of the Yellowstone's "Box canyon" forced an unexpected third night out.

Our day began at Haast beach.

Image Zak Shaw
For years both Keith and myself had planned on returning to the Churn Gorge to inspect the whitewater that Keith had managed to catch a glimpse of. Memories of teacup drops in a seriously committing canyon provided the lure and encouraged us back.

Image above - We set out by crossing the Haast River loaded with ropes, harnesses and a rough optimistic plan.

Image - Zak Shaw
Heading upriver we paddled into the Burke Gorge from the bottom up before the gradient began. The Burke gorge is an amazing sight. Stunning water color, trout every metre and glistening side creek waterfalls.

Image - Zak Shaw
The Churn Gorge!!! an amazing place to be.

Image - Zak Shaw

After half an hour of paddling we left the kayaks and set off with the packs. Climbing out of the gorge via a steep gully we moved quickly through open rainforest following deer trails. We managed to gain several views of the gorge below and felt good about paddling the whitewater. Once in the gorge at water level we had to be sure we could get out as the canyon walls were carved bedrock making every drop a must run.

At 2pm we returned to the kayaks having seen the whole gorge. Access would require a 60m abseil onto a slopping ledge. A 40ft cauldron style waterfall flowing directly into another big committing drop has us peering out of the bush from 100m up with high interest.

Both drops are at the very extent of what's possible in whitewater. After the second drop we lost sight of the river before it charged around a bend into a certain portage that we were 80% wasn't possible. We then headed back to the kayaks having shot some great pics, but happy to be walking away.

A short abseil into the gorge below the crux Churn drops put us in place for some full on kayaking.

Image - Keith fires off the first drop

Zak Shaw.
5pm and about time to get wet. Inside the gorge we paddled several testing drops and everything was much harder than expected. One horizon line we paddled at blind but emerged unscathed.

The Burke Rivers box canyon. - Approaching from the bottom its flat-water until you get to here. Anyone with a paddle can make their way inside the Burke Gorge. I highly recommend it!

Image - Zak Shaw
"Lifeblood of the Nation" is a SPARC funded initiative. Its focus is towards raising the profile of New Zealand's wild rivers. Rivers that all NZers can enjoy, should appreciate and are privileged to have. Check out www.wildrivers.org.nz

Image - Zak Shaw

LIFEBLOOD OF A NATION

2009-10-25T01:51:00.000-07:00

Lifeblood of the Nation - an Adventure Philosophy driven initiative.

What is Lifeblood? – Wild rivers are New Zealand’s Lifeblood. The Lifeblood of the Nation expedition is aimed at raising public consciousness about New Zealand’s rivers and the threats many of them currently face. Lifeblood is aimed at highlighting what we have and what we stand to lose.
Motu, Kaituna, Whakapapanui, Ruakituri, Mohikinui, Toaroha, Hurunui, Waitaha, Taipo, Matakitaki, Matiri, Nevis, Arahura, Glenroy, Mokau, Manuherikia….where next???
The ideas behind Lifeblood

1. How many incredible rivers we have.
2. How lucky we are to not have neighbouring countries to compete for them – they are ours!
3. How fast we are losing them to hydro power and effects of pollutants
4. How many unexplored kayak runs and other adventures still exist
5. How much of our culture, sense of adventure and stories have their roots in, or bought about by our rivers.
6. How little the average Kiwi knows about what is going on with them.
7. How little publication space has been dedicated to them in the last 10 years.

Lifeblood represents New Zealand’s wild rivers and the integral part they play in New Zealand society. Rivers and access to water are the lifeblood for New Zealanders not just for industry, energy and tourism but for our very sense of self.
The Lifeblood team is a generational mix of three of New Zealand’s most successful kayak industry adventurers, photographers, writers and teachers.
Mick Hopkinson, Graham Charles and myself funded by SPARC and its Hillary Expedition Scholarship will team up for a tour de force adventure on our key waterways, explore new and demanding kayak runs and refresh publicity.

The Lifeblood team

Graham Charles – One of NZ’s most well known adventurers, adventure advocates and photographer/writers. Over 25 years experience in all facets of the outdoors, author (NZ Whitewater. The Frozen Coast, The Unclaimed Coast), Founder of Adventure Philosophy and completed 4 international mutli-disciplined expeditions, 3 world first journeys, 3 internationally acclaimed documentaries.

Mick Hopkinson – recently inducted in the Kayaking Hall of Fame in the UK. 1st descents in many countries around the world, paddling for nearly 50 years. Mick is NZ’s ‘kayaking icon’ in the realm of Hillary and Blake. He has inspired generations of paddlers and continues to do so while fighting hard for our access to and, preservation of the lifeblood of the nation.

Zak Shaw – Outdoor instructor, guide, writer and adventure photographer. Representing the next generation of kiwi adventurers Zak was the first recipient of the Adventure Philosophy “Good for Life” scholarship in 2003, assisted Adventure Philosophy’s successful “Around South Georgia” expedition in 2005 and in 2006 went on to complete the first descent of Tibet’s Parlung Tsangpo river. Zak has kayaked extensively internationally and is one of NZ’s best up and coming adventurers and role models for our youth.

Lifeblood - Associated people

Keith Riley – Keith is working with us for some of the adventure, Keith is adventure personified, enormously talented and is one of NZ’s little known but most active adventurers. He tutors and role models numerous students at Tai Poutini Polytechnic and is keeping the true adventure ethic alive in and for young Kiwi’s.

The Price is right! First Descent of the New Zealand's Prices River

2009-10-23T23:41:00.000-07:00

The Prices River descent is linked to "Lifeblood of a Nation"

What is Lifeblood? – Wild rivers are New Zealand’s Lifeblood. The Lifeblood of the Nation expedition is aimed at raising public consciousness about New Zealand’s rivers and the threats many of them currently face. Lifeblood is aimed at highlighting what we have and what we stand to lose.

Paddler - Justin Venable probes a fast paced left line on the trips most prominent drop.
Image - Zak Shaw

Paddler - Zak Shaw
Image - Graham Charles - www.imagematters.co.nz

Our day started at 6.30am. Rain overnight lingered over the foothills and as a result Bruce Dando delayed our flight into Prices. Shannon was busy shoveling food into himself when the call was made and welcomed the extra half hour of feeding time!

Keith Reiley cant believe his eyes on route to Prices River.
Image - Zak Shaw
Heading into the unknown. Last summer Keith and I flew into the Prices drainage to check it out. Equipped with all our gear Bruce Dando refrained from landing not prepared to touch down on a landslide high above the river. Through the winter months Bruce went on recconaissance to discover a safe helipad. On the first flight of the morning Bruce dropped me at the Prices flats opting to have less weight on-board for touchdown.
Image - Zak Shaw

One by one we found ourselves hovering over the Toitoi whilst Bruce executed the landing.
Getting to the river required a short bush bash off the end of the slip then it was all go!
Image -Zak Shaw

Paddlers - Sam Hughes, Keith Reiley and Justin Venable moving about some of the Prices scenic sections.
Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Justin Venable
Image - Graham Charles - www.imagematters.co.nz

The enormously talented Keith Reiley shows up again!
Image - Zak Shaw
Top shot
Thats gold! Keith Reiley cashing in - Prices River
Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Graham Charles - www.imagematters.co.nz

Wild and incredibly scenic the Prices River is a must see for paddlers this season.
KR finds time to take a peak at another 3m drop.
Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Shannon Mast
Image - Zak Shaw

Werner Paddles Blog

2009-09-24T03:17:00.000-07:00

Werner Paddles Blog Link - http://www.wernerpaddlesblog.com/blog/2009/02/werner-team-member-zak-shaw-is-multitalented.html

The Arctic - where kayaking began. Images from my third voyage - Iceland, Southern Greenland and across into the Canadian High Arctic.

2009-08-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

A week ago I was sitting on the shores of Beechey Island in the center of the Canadian High Arctic. Before us was a South Georgia like scene of activity. Over a hundred Beluga whales, masses of seals and clouds of feeding birds congesting a horseshoe shaped bay. We just sat back and watched.
Beechey was a fantastic last stop on day fifteen of our passage linking Iceland with the tiny Canadian outpost of Resolute. To say the least my time in the far north has been incredible! Enjoy the images!

Dating back over 4000 years kayaking began in Greenland.
Traditional Greenland - Nanortalik settlement, Southern Greenland

Brash and bergs! Kayaking along Greenland's West coast and the Jacobshavn Glacier. Its the worlds most active advancing 24m per day.

Uumannaq - West Greenland

Humpback whale show! East Greenland coast.

Ship reflection. Calm seas in the Davis Straight meant I could shoot this image as slow as I wanted. 1/3 sec @f22 The white specs are blocks of brash ice racing towards the ships bow.

At 11pm we pushed through a dense fog bank and entered into a side arm of Prince Christian Sund a navigable fiord system in Southern Greenland.

Sea Kayaking/Alpine rock expedition 2010! Who wants to come? Greenland's own untouched/probably unclimbed Yosemite.

Humpback whale playing of the coast of Tasillaq, East Greenland.

The dream run contines... Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland - Zak Shaw Photography

2009-07-19T03:21:00.000-07:00

Polar Bear, Raudfjorden, Svalbard
Raudfjorden, Svalbard - Image Graham White.
Scoresbysund, East Greenland
Scoresbysund, East Greenland
Heimaey Island, Iceland
Orca, Westmann Islands, Iceland
Scoresbysund, East Greenland
Greenlandic community, East Greenland

Svalbard, Arctic season 2009

2009-07-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

Image - John Rodstead

Image -Zak Shaw
Image -Zak Shaw

Image -Zak Shaw
Image -Zak Shaw
Image -Zak Shaw

CUMEC MAGAZINE ISSUE 8

2009-06-20T23:07:00.000-07:00

Its at the printers!

Dropping treats, coming in hot, routing the goods and stomping the stoutness - Zak Shaw California Spring Tour

2009-06-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

"Dropping treats, coming in hot and stomping the stoutness"
I'm pretty sure we're still talking kayaking here....The whitewater in Cali keeps me on my toes enough as it is without trying to keep up with the jargon/smack.
Image below Zak Shaw
Ben Jackson fires off plastic surgery, South Silver.

After some time on the Cal Salmon we rolled south. I had a week of freedom before heading to Portugal and ultimately the Norwegian Arctic.
Phil Boyer and Rachel Moore were on a similar program so we headed south to the Kaweah River.
After a long drive on 99 south we arrived in "Three rivers" and quickly dressed for the Hospital rock run.
Image Zak Shaw
stout adj = possessing or showing courage and determination.
Stoutness - Big and intimidating rapids that hand out punishment if they are not stomped.
Rachel Moore stomping the sections first move.

The following day Phil and I set shuttle with Charlie and Ben for the East fork run! Its a top quality run and with a pushy flow we had was a tense day out.

Image Zak Shaw
Charlie watches Phil Boyer dial in a must run drop early on.
The third day Charlie and I joined a team of 4 others and rallied to a section higher up in the Kaweah drainage.

Image Zak Shaw
Paddler - Taylor Robertson, Upper East Fork Kaweah.

Image - Zak Shaw
Charlie Center, Upper East Fork Kaweah

Ben Jackson - Racing strips makes it faster to find treats....

"Dropping a treat" yeah boy - Kiwi stud Jamie Garrod get's it done, South Silver
Image - Zak Shaw

Autobarn - South Silver
Image - Zak Shaw

Clavey and Gravy..ClaveyGravyClaveyGravyClaveyGravyClavey and Gravy

2009-05-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

Image - Ben Jackson
This week I arrived back in California. The transition this year from sleet and snow back home in New Zealand to heat waves and endless sunshine in California was an easy one.
In our first week back we fired some new fuel into the Suby, jumped the battery and rolled out.
Golden gate was our first test and having paddled the run several times we made fast time. Not without drama though. An Irish friend swam above one of the main rapids out of his boat and Ben Jackson cut his eyebrow.

Ben Jackson prior to being ducktaped.

Image above - Ben Jackson Clavey River.
With Coloma as our base we then headed south on 49 to the Upper Clavey road bridge and camped near the put in.

Image Zak Shaw.

Image above - Zak Shaw
Our first day started early. We had camped at the put in bridge in order to get going early.
We made great time through the top 8 miles before lunch.
Below lower Clavey bridge things beefed up and we moved slower.

Image above - Zak Shaw rolls over a big ledge with speed and eyes the hole/pool below.

Image - Shannon Mast leads the charge in the Lower Clavey. Time and time again we found continuous grade four whitewater and very rarely had to get out to scout. If we had asked prior I'm sure someone would have mentioned the severe lack of camp sites in the bottom canyon and so at 6pm with the bedrock continuing to hold us in we pushed further looking for small patch of sand to spend the night.

Image - Shot by Ben Jackson - Zak launching clear of a river wide hole.

Day two - image Zak Shaw.
Shannon Mast airborne and looking good part way through a cool ledge drop.

Image above - Ben Jackson
Zak lines up a pair of ledge holes.

The last move on the Clavey. Shannon Mast fires up.
Image - Zak Shaw

"When all is said and done, we're trying the best we can to play"

2009-04-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

I'm unsure as to who said it. It was a line sung in "Chasing the White Demon" a DVD produced by the "No Big Names" crew a few years back. Its a good one. Image above - Scuba Steve and Dean Arthur about to touch down, Prices Flat, Whitcombe River.
Well we're another summer down. They seem to race by. Before packing the van I managed to swing some time on the coast in the company of Keith Reiley. Moving under the radar Keith maintains a low profile on the NZ creeking scene but is one of the countries top adventure paddlers.
Image below - Keith Reiley inside Prices gorge. This section of river is walked more often than its paddled. Even if you walk every rapid its better to be riverside than busting your gut to get up and around. Try it!

Keith Reiley dropping into a fast chicane drop that comes at you before you know it.
Kokatahi River.
Image - "the man drop" As I watched Steve and Keith complete the portage I was struck by a contrast in size.

The Bliss-stick Mystick a design thats right at home on NZ's West Coast. Fast, responsive and predictable. Keith Reiley finds a launch pad in the Kokatahi.

Image - Lower Kokatahi Gorge. How many kiwi's appreciate the undisturbed natural beauty of our wild rivers?
Image - Dean Arthur, Whitcombe River.

2 day Hoki, Southern Alps, NZ

2009-03-22T01:23:00.000-07:00

If you asked me which section of river was highest on my list this week I'd yell "The Mungo"
Last weekend everything worked out. Eden Sinclair was home in NZ taking a break from life at sea as a geologist doing seismic work of the coast of Angola. JJ Shepherd was on hand with one week left of his NZ summer stay and Dave Kwant gained clearance to go with baby number on the horizon line.
To be in the Mungo with a team of anything less would make the days longer and compound the uncertainty associated with each must run drop. Its a stand out trip and one of the countries most demanding. Locked in by polished gorges the Hoki feels more committing than any other coast river Ive been on.
Image below - High in the Hokitika the river drops into several spectacular gorges. In shot Eden Sinclair sits below the falls plumming spray happy to be on his home run.

My day started at 4.30am.
I drove out of Christchurch city over Arthur' s pass in time to fly at 10am. JJ, Dave, Eden and I had not paddled collectively since our Tibet Expedition in 2006.
Coffee, hot cross buns, a sandwich and banana's got us to the chopper pick up point on time and we set off on the longest flight.
Image below - Eden Sinclair lines up a table top ledge early day one in the Mungo.

We flew past the regular day run put in and then Bruce just seemed content to keep flying. Below us whitewater raged constantly downstream and we peered into a number of gorges. After a couple of minutes it became a joke, there was so much steep whitewater below us that I gave up trying to memorize lines and looked at JJ in disbelief.
Image below - JJ fly's out and away from another classic drop within the first two hours.

Image below - That man again, from ship to steep creek who would notice!
Controlling the inside of the turn Eden Sinclair on the verge of another feel good drop.

Day one took us 7 hours. Frisco canyon proved to be the crux of the day where our team was faced with two options. Run a drop filled with timber of throw your gear in and swim. JJ probed first and broke his regular pattern of accuracy falling off the drop into a retentive pocket in the base of a drop. He got hammered briefly but resurfaced in good shape within Dave's grasp.
Eden fired through second and made the line clean.
Not excited about boofing a drop with a log in it Dave and I teamed up to provide safety for each other. We threw the boats into the flow then jumped to swim around a short undercut corner. Drama....
Serpentine Hut, a kayakers paradise.
Dave Kwant runs from Dando. The chopper's blades did some tree pruning upon arrival!
Ben Jackson and porno Pete joined us early for day two. Bruce then flew our overnight gear out for us, Bonus!!

"Almost golden"

2009-03-18T01:40:00.001-07:00

Image above - Golden Bay at sunrise. Beautiful to wake up to, not good for kayaking.
NZ's ever reliable weather forecasters spread the warning. "80mm of rain to fall west of the Takaka hill" Thats what Golden Bay needs in order for it to transform from a sunny white sand paradise into a steep creek rain induced kayaking meca.
In the Murchison pub our plan was confirmed and we headed north after work the following day.
We knew we would arrive late on the banks of our target the Parapara river so I packed a spotlight. At 10pm the flow looked good at the takeout but the rain had stopped. We remained hopeful that it would rain throughout the night.
Nine years previous I'd spent an unplanned night spooning two of my good friends, freezing within the Parapara gorge. Fatal mistake - we picked the shortest day of the year to do it.
It got dark at 5pm so we made a shelter out of ferns, kayaks and lifejackets.
Some nights just go forever....
Keen to set the record straight on round two we got an early start and drove back to the rivers take out.
Disappointed the flow had dropped to almost half we had to fall back on paddling the Upper Takaka river.
With the bare minimum flow we still found some good action but lost alot of plastic in the process.

Shannon Mast - Walking into the Upper Takaka river.

Irish Graham gets it done on a cool 6m drop mid way through our day.

Shannon Mast finds his gold in Golden bay.

Teva Buller Fest, Paddlers hit the Matakitaki River head on!

2009-03-18T00:59:00.000-07:00

This years Teva Bullerfest went off in Murchison earlier this month.
Here's a few images from the Matakitaki boatercross race.
Brad Lauder cleaned up for the second year in a row in the men's open.
Image below - Brad Lauder makes a clean break through gate 2.

Lead paddler Yohann Rozenburg fighting for first in one of his heats.
Paddler - A focused Josh Neilson

A super day in the Kokatahi, NZ

2009-02-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

Image above - Graham Charles www.imagematters.clear.net.nz

Finding a way! Tight moves is just how it is in the Kokatahi.

Sam Hughes on hand to spot Graham's landing.

"Its all good down there" Hokitika River NZ, Zak Shaw - photoshoot

2009-02-23T00:19:00.000-08:00

Image above - Jess Brown makes ready to fly on route into the Hokitika.
Last week was a good one! After my 65 day stint in the southern ocean I was hanging out to go creeking! The transition from sea kayak to creek boat is always a good one! Things happen fast, the moves feel good and drops get the blood flowing.

Shannon Mast gets it up on "Viagra falls" a rapid that like many on the West Coast changes regularly.
As close as we get to Cherry Bomb! Shannon Mast launches off the wall and back into the breakthrough gorge.
A visit to the gates is a standout experience, one that will keep you going for weeks! Jess Brown and Shannon Mast hanging out at the "Gates of Argonath"

Passing through the gates. Graham and Jess soaking up the rewards of NZ heli kayaking.

Torres Del Paine, Chile.

2009-02-16T16:21:00.000-08:00

Image above - Entrance to the Valle del Frances.

Having not used my legs for anything other than walking to and from the dessert buffet on the ship I decided to head off for a week of hiking in Chile. In the process I walked the Torres Del Paine circuit in Chile (93km) over 7 days.
The following images were shot late evening in the Valle del Frances, at dawn from below the Torre spires "mirador" and overlooking the third largest icefield outside of Antarctica - Patagonia's "Grey Glacier"
Enjoy!

Image - Cerro Forteleza
Amazing evening light blankets the towers standing above the French Valley.
Torres Central reaches 2800m
Patagonia and the 17km long Glacier Grey.
Evening light over the icefield.

Kayaking in the Southern Ocean, Antarctica - Photo display

2009-02-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

My Antarctic season of 08/09 finished exceptionally well. Plagued by foul weather and more snow than the norm through early spring the Antarctic summer took its time to arrive.
When the sun break through so to did the whales. From both ship and kayak I managed to capture this selection of images.

My favourite image of the season! Unreal! 20feet of Minke Whale 30cm under your seat.... Val Lubrick (kayaker pictured screamed every time)

Orca
Image - Zak Shaw
Elephant seal in the surf zone, South Georgia
Image - Zak Shaw

Some days are colder than others. Cold water, cold air = time to paddle!
Image - Tor Johnson

This is why I earn the big bucks! Sea kayak guiding South Georgia style.
Note the image background (King penguin chicks numbering 60,000 on the one beach!)
Image - Kevin Sampson
Gold Harbour, absolutely standout.
Image - Zak Shaw

Blackbrowed Albatross, West Point Island, Falkland Islands.
Image - Zak Shaw
Humpback Whales - Neumayer Channel, Antarctic Penninsula
Image - Zak Shaw

Paddling amongst fantastic ice sculptures.
Image - Zak Shaw

Kayaking in Antarctica, the 08/09 summer season.

2009-01-03T07:58:00.000-08:00

Image supplied by - Tor Johnson Photography, check out - www.tjhawaii.com
Paddler - Zak Shaw

The Lemaire Channel
Image Zak Shaw
Val Lubrick - Antarctic Peninsula
Image - Zak Shaw
Wilhelmina Bay - Antarctica
Image - Zak Shaw
Danco island
Image - Zak Shaw
Ice towers, Cuverville Island
Image - Zak Shaw
Brash Ice fields, Andvord Bay, Antarctica
Image - Zak Shaw

Spring session

2008-12-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

Following our stellar week of kayaking in the Upper Ruakituri the clock started.
I had two months of NZ spring before heading back to the Southern Ocean. The following are images from a few cool missions in the hills and Mick Hopkinton’s 60th birthday.
Ben Jackson - Arahura River
Image – Zak Shaw
Ben Jackson drops into the Arahura’s Cesspit
Image – Zak Shaw
60! Birthday boy Mick Hopkinson runs from the chopper, Arahura River
Image – Zak Shaw
Breakfast before climbing the Lyell Range and the Rocky Thor.
Image – Zak Shaw

5am Lyell Range
Image – Zak Shaw
Evening light on the Thousand Acre Plateau. Sally Birchall heading for camp.
Image – Zak Shaw

Currently I’m back onboard my second home completing a two month work stint around the coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.

January 2009 - HAYLEY SHEPHARD (New Zealand) will attempt to be the first person to sea kayak around South Georgia SOLO!
This remote Antarctic island has been circumnavigated three times previously by teams of paddlers, the first being New Zealand’s Adventure Philosophy team.
Hayley will face isolation, frigid seas and howling storms in her bid to fulfill a livelong dream. Hayley has spent the last two years intensively preparing herself for this unparalleled challenge.
Passionate about her natural world Hayley’s aims to raise the awareness of long ling fishing practices in the Southern Ocean. Fishing currently claims more Albatross lives than any other threat they face.

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power
and magic in it”.–Goethe

I’ll be there for that in the capacity of yacht crew, photographer and token sick guy!

Stay tuned, more to come as January 20th 2009 draws closer!
zak

The Munamuna rapids, smooth papa and East Coast quality! quality....

2008-09-16T02:27:00.000-07:00

"The Albatross has landed" Paddler - Elby Shaw, Where?? how many people would like to know that!

Ben Jackson is a talented man. He runs a blog and keeps me honest. http://www.jacksonoutdoors.blogspot.com/
Take a look at his most recent post “East Coast Representing”

Point 1 - My navigation is flawless. Lost - Never... just not 100% on current location.
Point 2 - Sometimes in order to lure your paddling mates into carrying their kayaks through mud, blackberry, in heavy rain, on slippery clay uphill for three hours you have to "sell it" well and leave out detail.
Something thats certain - Greg McKinnon (farmer who hooked us up with the shearing palace) is an absolute legend.
Point 3 - It is flat in the gorge for about 30m. But it is a pool then its class 4-5 again.
Point 4 - After a day like that driving 1.5 hours for liquor is mandatory.

Ben Jackson doing the hard yards during our recent mission into the "Upper Rooks"

Image - Zak Shaw

Bens post represents our recent week of kayaking and springtime exploration. It sheds light on our adventures out east, my middle of the road brilliance and images of whitewater unlike anything else in New Zealand.

Going back a few years now.... 1994 - I held on with my toes. Smooth papa stone underneath my bare feet gave me grip as I edged forward and peared over the waterfall. I was thirteen and the waterfall seventy-five metres tall. That day we jumped for over an hour into a teacup, a deep Californian look alike teacup on the verge of a massive falls.

Time then passed until three years ago. Based on my teenage teacup memory my father and I walked four hours and re visited the papa cauldron’s and the secret "Munamuna rapids" No longer thirteen and looking through the eyes of a kayaker I saw amazing drops, not aged granite but smooth East Coast papa!

Elby and Ben take a break from mud and blackberry.

Image - Zak Shaw

On Sunday Ben and I finished running a river safety course, picked up my brother Elby and made tracks. I’d been watching the river levels and weather forecast for weeks to ensure our timing was perfect. We spent two days enjoying the juicy flows in the Ruakituri’s Papunui station section before heading deeper into the Urewera National Park. We walked with our boats for three hours before arriving at the base of our secret falls.

Wedawhakrwei?? Matawai boy Elby Shaw having an adventure close to home.

Image - Zak Shaw

How cool is that! yep its NZ, slides, drops. East Coast represent! Elby finds the line.

Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Ben Jackson

Image - Zak Shaw

No mission is complete without at least two flat tyres. Ben and Elby deal to puncture number two. Location = Somewhere on the 95km section of gravel near Lake Waikaremoana, Urewera's. Time to mechanic or tyre repair shop = two days walk.

The following images were taken on the Ruakituri's Papuni section.

Paddler - Ben Jackson
Image - Zak ShawPaddler - Elby Shaw
Image - Zak Shaw

High water Ruakituri, possibly the highest level its been run. Ben Jackson comleting the final gorge move.
Image - Zak Shaw

New to slides, Elby finds out what all the rave is about.
Image - Zak Shaw

Team "Upper Rooks"

Wyoming, USA Clarksfork of the Yellowstone "The Box" = big, deep, nasty, committing river gorge

2008-08-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Paddler - Zak Shaw - Deliberation Corner, thanks for the image Scott!
Image - Scott Doherty - www.worldclassacademy.com
Cover shot. This how it is. After seeing this image at least paddlers believe there's a way out! . Henry Munter sets himself free of constraint.
Image - Zak Shaw

Day one began. David Maurier and I having made the massive drive from California through Nevada (fantastic state, definitely receives a full and honest endorsement from me) On our way north we passed thousands of desert acres, countless casino's and trucker relief establishments. One in particular the "sleek kitten" kept our eyes awkwardly low and motivated us to leave the truck locked at 75 miles per hour.
After a nine hour haul we arrived at the Payette's world renowned north fork.

Image - Zak Shaw
We met two paddlers from West Virginia. Concerned looks on their faces was the result of my introduction. It included my experience as a sea kayaker with no mention of any river time. Davey assured them "he has a really solid roll before we set off! We spent four days avoiding the savagely sharp boulders and coincidently met a team headed east into Yellowstone National Park.
Day one - Clarkfork. We joined US paddlers Henry Munter, Brian Fletcher, Ryan Casey and Scott Doherty who had done the river several times before. This took out some of the rivers sting. They knew where to portage and who had supposedly been under which rocks. Mick Hopkinson in his typically thorough fashion had not held back on the drama of previous mishaps. Before the trip I'd walked from his house feeling Id be better off wearing pink fluro scuba gear. Seeing a Clarksfork sieve as I understood it was just part and parcel of each descent.

Finding out why - Zak Shaw takes a closer look into the "green monster" and the first major portage.
Image - David Maurier
As we got into our work the stories faded and I learned it was just more important than usual to be on line. For around six hours we paddled and climbed our way downstream into the canyons heart.
Scott Doherty prepares freshly caught fish for dinner.
Image - Zak Shaw
Our view from camp upstream of the rising domes and craggy vertical walls that stand imposing and forming the box canyon.
Image - Zak Shaw
Henry Munter - Classically Clarksfork. Through the entire section the canyon is stunning and the moves are equally as good.
As we dropped further into the gorge endless valleys of exposed stone climbed above us. I drifted through deep pools and imagined that at any moment dusty outlaws could reveal themselves from dark caves and and open fire. Did anyone see the TV add where the Sheriff flushes out a hundred crooks by opening a box of crunchy nut cornflakes?

Day two was a big day with most of the rivers intensity coming at us early. Brian Fletcher times it well and makes it look good through "Dilworth"
Image - Zak Shaw
Once your in your in!
Image - Zak Shaw
"Deliberation Corner" Scott Doherty amongst the meat of the rapid with no time to deliberate.
Image - Zak Shaw

Having completed the "leap of faith" one of two drops that is difficult to inspect we again portaged high above a series of boulder jammed un-runnable drops.
Beyond here the canyon walls relaxed and we were home free!
Image - David Maurier.

"The cold edge" Back to Svalbard

2008-07-09T03:19:00.000-07:00

Norways Voss Extreme week came and went in a flash. In a mad rush I flew back into the Arctic to rejoin my Rusian friends onboard the Vavilov. The past ten days have been an absolute wildlife frenzy, daily encounters with fat bears miles from the coastline, at home on the ice.
Images below - Zak Shaw

Early Explorers - the people I work with!

JJ boof sequence, Voss extreme week downriver race, Norway

2008-07-09T02:38:00.000-07:00

Norway, Voss Extreme week.

2008-06-29T02:26:00.001-07:00

Perfect. I was not needed on the ship this last week and had the chance to see some of Norway, catch up with mates and paddle a few rivers.
Around ten kiwis competed in kayaking events as part of the Voss Extreme Week.
We had a blast paddling rivers during the day and meeting people from all over the world. Active, crazy, loose and daring competitors raced, flew, jumped, paddled and danced from cliffs, planes, mountain roads and down rapids for seven days straight..

Image – Zak Shaw
Kiwi Mike Dawson stoked with his win and some Norwegian TV airtime .

A good time was had by all at the downriver race on the Brandseth River. Young stud Mike Dawson dominated in the men’s race finishing his two descents of the racecourse four and five seconds faster than his nearest rival.
It was classic to watch all the kiwi boys surround him on mass and excitedly discuss how much of Mikes race winnings they would be drinking that night!
Top effort bro!

Image - Zak Shaw
Mike Dawson sets up to boof the last drop and land fast.

Image – Zak Shaw
Mike Dawson, tequila time.

Image - Jason Shepherd
Paddler - Zak Shaw first rapid in Norway, Upper Branseth

Exploring Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic

2008-06-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Images - Zak Shaw
The last leg of the journey. Flying into Longyearbyen a settlement situated at 78 degrees north on the island of Svalbard.

I"m back! New terrain, new adventures.
Having worked the previous two northern hemisphere summers in the Canadian Arctic Ive this year jumped ship. Onboard the Akademik Sergey Vavilov I'm part of a team delivering polar cruises. My role is that of kayak guide.
These are a few images from the first 12 day voyage.

Image credit unknown.

South Branch Middle Feather, California. Images thanks to David Maurier.

2008-05-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

The best week. Ever. Golden gate, Sth Merced, 7 Falls South Branch Middle Feather

2008-05-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

Personal adventures took a back seat for a short period as our NZ kayak school teaching season came to a close. Bad weather shut down an attempt to climb the Lyell Range in April, pluming cloud rolled in and restricted our view of the "Rocky Tor" and views of the Mokihinui river catchment.
Image above - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Trent Garnham - Cheery Bomb Falls 2005.
May soon arrived and the commencement of my annual Californian kayaking season. This previous week has been incredible. A combination of cool temperatures and motivated kayakers has ensured an action packed week! and some.... steeeeep steeeeeep creeking!!
Golden gate an all time classic class 5 run close to homebase got the blood flowing and some much needed time in a kayak.
Young stud kiwi paddler Sandy enjoying California's granite, sunshine and a narrow snaking drop called the Rose.
Image - Zak Shaw

Image - Zak Shaw, Yosemite - Home to El Capitan, Half Dome and the nearby South Merced river.
Sandy along with his fresh faced sidekick Simon fresh out of NZ's Taipotini Polytechnic then agreed to head south and attempt the South Merced a multi day river trip of exceptional quality that ranks highly with any class 5 run in the world.
My knowledge of this run was extensive.... well in the first four miles! In 2006 our team put in with water levels excessively high (1500cfs at put in) and within the first two hours had suffered one head shot and bleeding face and a swim from a massive hole. We camped and the following day hiked out for 6 hours to the road 4000 ft above. EPIC
In 2006 Ben Jackson and myself went in search of some redemption. With a team of "out east cowboys" who were confident and "so fired up to just put on and run the shit", "I don't care if its to high", "Ive been paddling class 5 for ten years and I always hit my lines"
These quotes still live on by the way.. To cut a short story shorter cowboy 1 took a swim early. Cowboy 2 the guy who one minute was prepared to set fire to everything and brave all got worked and then surfaced screaming the words "I'm done, Its to high, I'm hiking out" he was promtly pulled to the side on a throwbag. Two actually Ben's then my own.
With a team in pieces and 14 miles of relentless whitewater ahead we all made tracks for the road. It was ok as I knew which way to hike out! Temperatures reached over 100f that day and fluids were in seriously short supply! Time to improvise....

Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Simon "This is the biggest whitewater Ive seen and we are running it"!

Cheers! So everything went fine, we always hit out lines and reached the take out after a ten hour second day. For the price of a couple of knocks, three years in the waiting, 12 hiking hours with a 25kg kayak and at least 16 paddling hours we celebrated to it being well worth it.

The work week then ended for the B team and more whitewater lay instore. I got an invite into this selective crew who survive on cheese sticks, mojo mix and packet humus.
The two days that followed are (I'm going to lay it down here) were quite possibly the best days of kayaking Ive ever had.
The following images are a selection of our two days on the south branch of the middle Feather. A creek that through one section drops 600ft in a quarter mile/ 113m/km. Most of the run you feel like your falling!

Image - Taylor Cavin
Paddler - Zak Shaw
Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - David Maurier at the sections take out above a series of massive waterfalls. A place known as the seven falls.

Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - David Maurier in position to tuck and plug one of the first waterfalls of the run.

Image - Taylor Cavin
Paddler - David Maurier flies away and clear from a massive launch pad, 7 falls run.

Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - David Maurier

Image - Taylor Cavin
Padder - Zak Shaw. This drop lands in a pool that slowly flows off a 50 foot drop that has only been run three times. Before you run the line its hard to shake the thought that the line off this drop more than any other is a must make!Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Taylor Cavin gets his air and deals with necessity.
Image - David Maurier
One of the final moves has paddlers eddy out on the lip of a 150ft water fall. Catching the eddy is easy but the drop (image below) must be run first.Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Carlton Goold

We rigged two lines and lowered the boats down to the base of the falls.
Perched on a ledge 15 feet from a pool where the 150ft waterfall all comes crashing down paddlers launch off the wall and paddle through the blasting spray to safety.

The final drop is the most perfect big waterfall you will see.

Image - David Maurier
Paddler - Zak Shaw

The day before Taylor had snapped his paddle on the landing. Round two...
Image - Zak Shaw
Paddler - Taylor Cavin

Image - David Maurier
7 falls, a cool place to chill out before the hike out and uphill grind to the road.

Dropping into Harwoods Hole!

2008-04-03T20:43:00.000-07:00

Image - Zak Shaw
A wild place; Mick Hopkinson and Ben Jackson near the end of their 180m abseil into Harwoods Hole and the Starlight Cave system. Our NZ Kayak School instructional team recently got off the water and underground!

Antarctica!!!!! The 7th Continent

2008-02-28T06:46:00.001-08:00

My first sighting of continental Antarctica
Image - Zak Shaw

Links - Hayley Shephard - www.kayakingtosavealbatross.com - First solo attempt to sea kayak around South Georgia January 2009. Funds raised will go to the save the albatross fund and continue to educate commercial fisheries in the southern ocean.
Image Zak Shaw - A Wandering Albatross enjoying the unimpeded winds south of Cape Horn. These latitudes are home to many Albatross and famous for their violent storms that circulate the globe completely un-interupted by landmass.
Robert Swan - www.2041.com - The first person to walk to both poles and leader of project 2041 the year the Antarctic treaty comes up for renewal.

Image - Stephen Curtain

Again I found myself standing on the top deck of the ship wondering how the hell I managed to get myself there! Looking out over the town of Ushuaia it finally set in, where I was about to go!
Image Zak Shaw - Onboard the Akedemik Sergey Vavilov - Crossing the legendary Drake Passage. The Drake is either referred to as the "Drake lake" or you experience the "Drake shake" All season I waited with anticipation for gail-force winds and massive seas. Things got big but a true southern ocean storm never really arrived.

Sea Kayak Guiding, image taken in Neumayer Channel, Antarctic Peninsula

Onboard the "Northhanger" in 2005 after the successful Adventure Philosophy teams "Around South Georgia" expedition we had sailed painfully slow past Isla de los Estados and up into the Beagal Channel of Tierra Del Fuego. Dogged by wind we limped towards Puerto Williams, we were running late and I had a flight to catch!
I'd seen more of South Georgia than most and probably thrown up more than most during our brutal nine day crossing back across the South Atlantic to the Falkland Islands.
As we entered the Beagal Channel I remember looking south and wondering when I may next be at sea and traveling south of Cape Horn.
My chance has come through Peregrine Adventures and my work as a sea kayak guide both in the High Arctic and now in the southern ocean surrounding Antarctica.

In Whilhelmina Bay (Whalehelmina) we didn't even bother getting in the kayaks, Humpback Whales came to us! Incredible, Unreal.
Image - Mark Fitzsimmons, Australia www.blueskyhelicopters.com

Sea kayak guiding in fog and heavy snow storms. Where's the ship? Location Neko Harbour. GPS in hand Goto waypoint = the next massive ice-berg, hot showers and more dessert!
Image - Jorge Ordonez

Cuverville island the temporary home to hundreds of breeding Gentoo Penguins.
Image - Zak Shaw

Everywhere you look Antarctica is impressive.
Image Zak Shaw - Lemaire Channel

Image - Eric Pekar
That's a big whale and thats a small kayak! Ranging between 13 and 15m in length Humpback Whales weigh between 25 to 40 tons (22,680-36,287 kg). They breach and exhale wind gust like plumes of showering spray and bad breath. Ultimately thats alot of blubber breaching and fluking beside you. All I know is that when one is this close to you is thats its quite possibly one of the most amazing experiences ever.

How cool is that! Paddling along the shores of Cuverville Island five massive Humpback Whales surfaced around us for an hour! High times in Antarctica!
Image - Eric Pekar

Image - Zak Shaw

I return to New Zealand this week on the backside of one months work off the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.