1265 - 1325 Downes Hut
60kms on a river takes a long time. Eventually you look forward to the rapids just so you can stop paddling against the wind a bit. On one of the last sets we went to ford it as it went under trees but then Luke came back and took Ken down through it.
Other than that, the Whanganui continued to roll out incredible vista after incredible vista beginning with the deep green gorge look and changing somewhere above Jerusalem to include more and more farmland.
I would have liked to have stopped at Jerusalem. It was the home of James K Baxter for a long time. I hadn't worked that out before the journey though and it takes two to paddle a canoe. Everybody wants to get to Wanganui as quickly as possible.
Even though it is a Saturday there appears to be little traffic on the river with only a couple of jet boats spotted and I think all but one were working for DOC.
Tomorrow we will continue down to Whanganui as long as the tide and winds are kind. Downes Hut is quite small and already has people in it so we are camped near it in the bush. Very tired and very grumpy.
Hindsight
- Once past Jerusalem the river quietens down a lot.
- Jerusalem looked quite nice. I would have liked to visit.
- Being trapped in a canoe makes me irate.
- Always blame the person steering.
Downes Hut Map
