Canoe Parties’ Progress Down Wanganui River

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28162, 28 December 1956, Page 9

Canoe Parties’ Progress Down Wanganui River

(New Zealand Press Association)

r WANGANUI, December 27. A camera and £26 in a white plastic bag, lost in the upper reaches of the Wanganui river, were found later by the canoeist pwners. further downstream. On their first day on the river. Xr and Mrs G. Krumins, of Moir street. Wellington, and two friends suffered a mishap to one of their craft at Black Rock, where the river divides into two channels, five and a half miles downstream from Taumarunui. One of the channels leads to Black Rock, standing alone, and numbers of parties have come to grief there. When the quartet spent Christmas Day at Te Whakarae, Mr C. E- S. Davies told them to watch the river carefully further downstream, for the string on the bag was pulled tightly (plastic bags) will float indefinitely if they float ©pen end down). Early this morning, Mr Davies received a telephone call saying the party had found the bag. Only one accident befel the party from the Auckland University Canoe Club. A kayak was holed and four other ’ kayak paddlers in the group pulled ashore to mend the craft. The main party reached Te Whakarae in high spirits about 2 p.m., and the later group arrived about 4 p.m. Last night the whole party camped at Okupae, about 11 miles downstream from Taumarunui.

Light but steady rain fell over the whole Taumarunui district from before dawn today and it is possible that the group will stay “holed up” at Okupae until the rain lifts, since the camp is already snug. The next contact, by telephone, will probably be at a point a little over 30 miles from Taumarunui. From there the canoe parties face a run to Wade’s Landing, at the

Retaruke river junction with the the Wanganui. 'Hie next length goes right into uninhabitated, virgin country and there will be no further contact with civilisation until Tangahoe is reached, 18 miles above Pipiriki, after a 30-mile stretch which is regarded as including the really magnificent river scenery. The river boats run to Tangahoe from Pipiriki. Meantime, two scout groups are ahead of the canoe club party.