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This just could be the life for me.  Sleeping in till 9:30am in my little hut in the holiday campground.

Getting up and finding out what the morning run will be.  Today it was the Buller Earthquake run.

Afterwards, get back to camp for lunch a small rest then find out what the second run of the day will be.  Today it was the middle Matakitaki.  Then come back to camp to warm up and have dinner.  Onion and cheese sandwiches tonight.  That has been the itinerary each day this past week here at the Buller Fest in Murchison.

Tomorrow I am leaving here for a bit for a drive back up to Picton to pick up Justin for some sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman national park.  It is supposed to be some beautiful scenery up there.  This weekend will be Justin’s birthday so it should shape up to be a good one for him.

One remarkable thing about being here is that I have no sense of time.  I don’t have a watch, so I rarely know the time of day.  I usually don’t even know what day it is.  There is no rush to get any where or do anything.  I can take as long as I want to drive down some dirt road and see what is at the end of it.

I can stay out on the river all afternoon and be late for nothing.  It is great.  I love being able to take my time as I go.

Yesterday I made a video for some of the guys I am boating with.  I promised them I would put it up on the web so you guys can check it out as well.  The rapid featured in this bit is the main rapid on the lower Matakitaki earthquake run.  I ran this section the past Sunday.  I swam it in two different sections.  I think I could run it no problem next time.

(updated 2/21/2006)
I am trying to recall the exact runs I made this day.

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Section paddled:
Buller Earthquake Section

Date:
March 10th

Flow:
The flow for the area was medium low about this time.

Difficulty:
Class III
Gunslinger, Steve guided through the sneak route today.
I paddled a Bliss-Stick Huka that I borrowed from the Hamilton guys

Who with?
Hamilton kayak club, Pierre Pechon, Steve Venton
Waikato Kayak Club (was Hamilton CC) PO Box 9497, Hamilton

Murchison Video
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Section paddled
Matakitaki River – Middle Section

Date
March 10th

Flow
The flow for the area was medium low about this time.

Difficulty
Class II+
Playful stretch of river.

Who with?
Don’t remember, but I’m sure Pierre was one of them.