kaituna river rafting death

} } #carousel-container { In January this year, 58-year-old Turangi woman Catherine Farrington died while on a private sledging trip near Paengaroa. } Others have returned in their own time. Thomas Lynch, who owns an eco-tourism business in the area, felt the culture in the extreme sports fraternity glamorises risk-taking. We offer river rafting trips daily on the Kaituna River(Okere River), and seasonal trips on the Waiora, and Rangitaiki River. width: 200px; He insisted on supplying footage where things have gone wrong. I love nature, I love to get off the beaten path and I like to explore. This can be particularly an issue for the Gnarly section as it is very tight and continuous and there is not any easy option for scouting.. For paddlers of the skill level of Louise, Ryan and Joe Morley, this stretch of water would have been a nice, gentle way to ease themselves into their evening paddle, before they hit the relentless rapids in the lower gorges. font-size: 20px; As far as grade five rivers go, the upper section of the Kaituna is considered the forgiving kind. Youll get kitted out and made to go through the motions of paddling by your guides before you are even allowed near the boat. .footer-1{ When he looked back for a second time, she wasnt there. Morley had already taken another pass through the gorge looking for her. She wasnt the first of Ryans friends killed in the sport; she hasnt been the last. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) VOTED#2 EXPERIENCEINTHEWORLD, #1 EXPERIENCEINNZ, and #1 EXPERIENCEINTHESOUTHPACIFIC.Rotorua Rafting offers spectacular white water rafting adventures on the world-famous Kaituna River, just a 20 minute drive from Rotorua, New Zealand. margin-top: 33px !important; Its as committing as it possibly gets. line-height: 1.1; Depending on the weather conditions during your white water rafting Rotorua trip, you may be given extra spray jackets too most definitely if you are rafting in winter. display: none; padding-bottom: 0 !important; } } As for Ryan, he continues to travel too, last year taking on the Squamish River zone in British Columbia. We are the original Kaituna Rafting company & have been operating since 1991. a.same-logo { She had this knack to get herself into situations, but to get herself out of them as well. text-align:center; background-color: #f7e222; for (var i in e.rl) nl[i] = e.rl[i] .book > a .menu-text { If you are not scared of the water, you and your team can paddle up the rapids into the waterfalls to let the falling water spray into the front of your boat. Working in Rotorua had its benefits, however, with Louise able to take up residence with Lucas at Okere Falls. Best Price Guarantee. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Dont worry about hitting a rock just let the powerful rapids take you for a wet n wild ride. She loved living in Okere with Ryan. width: 200px; Located in the heart of kere Falls, Rotorua Rafting is directly opposite the put in (the start) of the Kaituna River (see map), allowing us to show our knowledge of the surrounding areasBook your spot and find out why Rotorua Rafting was voted #1 Travellers choice experience in New Zealand, #1 in the South Pacific, and in the Top 10 in the world on Trip Advisor 2019 and then again in 2021 sealing the #2 experience in the world! At 26, she had kayaked nearly every continent, paddling remote rivers in Canada, Chile, Argentina, Austria, Norway, the United States and Zambia. Review of: Rotorua Rafting - Kaituna River White Water Rafting Written February 28, 2023 This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Established in 2011, by locally born and bred 4 x World Champion Extreme Kayaker Sam Sutton. Ryan would try to climb to higher ground and walk back to the spot he had last seen her. pw = pw===0 || isNaN(pw) ? } .gallery-shortcode img { Offering the most spectacular white water rafting in Okere Falls, Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a273d8792fdd09b8a47fda5587b80cfd" );document.getElementById("d2f8ec4791").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); We are David & Lina Stock, a married couple from NW Wisconsin who have been traveling together since 2001. } Rafting through the Okere Falls scenic reserve and the world renowned Tutea falls. She was a pretty gutsy wee thing for sure, says Ryan. It is understood the man had a heart attack after being thrown from the raft he was in at Tutea Falls on the Kaituna River. The Kaituna River is most famous for a rapid called Tutea Falls, a seven meter drop that is the highest commercially-rafted waterfall in the world. } But it is also a story Lucas has been reluctant to tell. } top: 7% !important; He was just 20. All you really need to bring with you is a towel and your personal swimming gear. color: #000 !important; He was in a raft guided by a man working for local rafting company Kaitiaki Adventures. font-weight: bold !important; opacity:1; .contact-imb-boxes .elementor-widget-container .the7-box-wrapper{ margin-left: 7px; We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Start at a spot where wild waters meet subtropical rainforests and canyons engraved in the earth. It is here he finds his ultimate joy going places physically and spiritually most people will never experience. .kaituna-button { Snaking through bush-clad canyons, the Kaituna River is a mystical gorge of fast-moving water, steep drops and turbulence. /*Logo*/ .vc_col-sm-6 { The first drop at Okere Falls is simple enough, and you will adjust to the raft and get used to paddling, while still getting very wet. There is no feeling like getting down a big, scary section of whitewater and sitting at the bottom after a successful descent. They knew there was no hope of finding her alive, but the thought of leaving her behind in the rapids was too much to bear. The Kaituna River is home to kere Falls, Kaituna Falls, and the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world 7m Tutea Falls. order: 2 !important; padding: 8px 16px; There is one particularly striking picture taken just after he has gone over the edge of the 30m high Ram Falls in the Canadian Rockies. 33-year-old Emily Fournier of. They know the rapids well and will have dropped over the big waterfall countless times. .transparent .mobile-branding .sticky-mobile-logo-second-switch img { Trailhead coordinates: -37.63345, 176.1747 (37 38 00.42S 176 10 28.92E) View Mount Maunganui in a larger map. margin: 0 15% !important; They knew their daughters chosen pursuit came with unthinkable risks, but it never made them overly anxious. This Kaituna River rafting adventure in the Okere Falls Scenic Reserve promises plenty of thrills! font-size: 12px !important; Thats because it is a pool drop river, meaning every section of rapids is followed by a calm stretch allowing paddlers the opportunity to be reunited with their craft should they come to grief. s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,'script', width: 100%; } While he clings tightly to those conversations he had with Louise and the knowledge she would have wanted him to keep going, he would most likely still be paddling even if they hadnt spoken about it. .footer-1 .widget-title { margin: 0 !important; Since the very beginning Ryans goals have been about the adventure and challenging himself to push his limits. text-align: left !important; According to legend, the caves were also a place of refuge. As she exited, her spray skirt - what paddlers wear to clip them into their kayak - got caught on a branch protruding from the log. It was close to all the things she loved doing, Liz says. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. margin-left:0px; After everyone was dressed for rafting we loaded up in the van and headed to the drop in the area of the Kaituna River to begin our adventure. You dont need to be super fit, but you do need to able to cope with the adrenaline, the high speeds, and the crashing water, while you are paddling. padding: 5px 0 5px 0; 0:00 / 5:25 Kaituna River Rafting, New Zealand - 21ft Waterfall! Theres even a public bus operating between Rotorua and the community of Okere Falls if you dont have your own transport. A man has died after a rafting adventure down the Kaituna River turned to tragedy. They couldnt walk more than 10m without being swamped by competitors, many of whom have stayed at their Otaki home over the years. With the gorge framed by native bush, fallen logs also pose a major hazard for kayakers. Weve visited nearly 100 countries on all 7 continents. background-color: #3A444D !important; z-index: 0 !important; Five minutes later, Louise had talked the woman into allowing her to camp out in the store for the night. } .confirmations{ We were having a really good summer, Ryan says. /*color: #3A444D;*/ Grade 5. Raft past beautiful cascading waterfalls, including the stunning Tutea Falls, and even take the opportunity to do some adventurous cliff diving. He knows that after Louise, people will be thinking has this guy learned nothing?. for (var i in e.rl) if (e.gh[i]===undefined || e.gh[i]===0) e.gh[i] = e.gh[i-1]; Kaituna River Rafting Adventure 5 hours | Tauranga| TRG-500T R G - 5 0 0 Avg Guest RatingAverage Guest Rating Book Now From $169.95 Min. Youll also be in small rafting groups, with other boats around to help if anything does happen, which is unlikely. All you see is the waterfall mist for a slight second while the whole raft is pushed down by the falling water, then you pop out on the bottom to a nice pool of water. Call 0800 772 384 or Book Online. We cant wait to see all of you legends out Rafting the Kaituna with us . The tour companies generally bring along a photographer with them too, to take shots along the river, including when you make the final drop over the adrenaline-inducing Tutea Falls. A GoPro camera fitted to the bow of Ryans kayak facing back towards him was the only witness to Louises final moments. max-width: 100px; @media screen and (max-width: 768px) { Kaituna White-Water Rafting Adventure 500 Reviews Badge of Excellence Rotorua, New Zealand Save to Wishlist Likely to Sell Out From $81.36 Lowest Price Guarantee Select Date and Travelers Check Availability Reserve Now & Pay Later Secure your spot while staying flexible Free cancellation Up to 24 hours in advance. display: flex; e.thumbhide = e.thumbhide===undefined ? As a guide to the level of fitness required, participants should be capable of sprinting 100 metres and recovering reasonably quickly. e.thumbw = e.thumbhide>=pw ? .mobile-branding{ } After all, if youre going to throw yourself off a 20m waterfall in a plastic tub, then youre going want to have some skite footage. padding: 10px 10px; This year it was almost his turn, when a descent of the Tauranga-Taupo Falls near Turangi went horribly wrong. } color: #000; Youll be out of Rotorua for around 2 and a half hours in total. Your safety is our No.1 priority at Kaituna Cascades. z-index:9999 !important; Jump aboard and enjoy the fun with the team at Rotorua Rafting. @media(max-width:1024px) and (min-width:769px){ .light-preset-color.masthead:not(#phantom):not(.sticky-on):not(.sticky-mobile-on) .menu-line:after, .light-preset-color.masthead:not(#phantom):not(.sticky-on):not(.sticky-mobile-on) .menu-line:before { What draws me to this place is not just the river, but the community. Of the 12 deaths reported this year by American Whitewater, four died while rafting with commercial rafting companies. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. A man has died after a rafting adventure down the Kaituna River Louise had written about these risks in a blog posted less than a month before her death. Sitting in the kitchen of the home he and Louise shared over her final months, he shifts in his seat to try to find a comfortable position to confront the memories of that day. The minimum age is 13 years old, so this is an activity thats suitable for teenagers too, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. For clear evidence, you need only to visit his family bach, where a makeshift ramp connects their deck to the jetty at the edge of the lake some 40m below. Join in group. The coronial inquest, held before Dr Wallace Bain, didnt just focus on the hows, but the whys. Its still hard going through there, I have to admit. .book-now { Before the group dropped into the lower gorges, they came together to go over the plan of attack. The remote stretch, which carries the outflow of Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti northwards to Maketu, is isolated by its geography and singular in its sense of destiny for the people that run the rapids. I could see why she really loved it, says Adrian. e.gh = e.el===undefined || e.el==="" || (Array.isArray(e.el) && e.el.length==0)? She had navigated this section of the river without incident numerous times that summer, including just four days earlier. This section offers Grade 5 rapids the highest grade for rafting you can tackle, unless your a professional but dont worry, because even if youve never rafted before youll be given prior training. Against a soundtrack of poppy summer tunes blasting over the loudspeaker at the park, the Julls sat down to talk about their daughters extraordinary life. top: 20px !important; } n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; li#field_1_2 { They had been confronted by death in their network of friends all too often. } } There are three waterfalls in the upper section of the river, the first of which sits alongside the remains of what was one of the first hydroelectric power stations in New Zealand. No need to worry about buying special clothing, as wetsuits, helmets, life jackets, boots, splash jackets, and all necessary equipment is provided. } .vc_row.wpb_row.vc_inner.vc_row-fluid.carousel-container-content.vc_custom_1619577787216.vc_row-has-fill { Companies in Rotorua run trips all throughout the year, with more scheduled departures each day in summer than in winter. Pulled back aboard after a short time in the water, Mr Shah collapsed about 10 minutes later and died at Rotorua Hospital on Thursday. /*a.book-btn.fh-button-true-flat-yellow.fh-fixed--bottom.fh-size--small { #mobile-menu span.menu-item-text { Pretty much all my friends are river people rafters, kayakers, river guides, he says. } position: absolute; Many who testified grappled with the issue of the risks associated with the sport, and at what point those risks become unacceptable. It isnt every day that you get a chance to raft class 5 rapids and negotiate a 7-meter waterfall, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the World. window.RSIW : pw; e.gh : [e.gh]; Take on 14 rapids with world class guides and gear. } These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Remember that this is a Class 5 section of rapids, so you will need to be prepared to get wet and to put in a lot of physical work paddling. } .fh-button-true-flat-yellow.fh-fixed--bottom.fh-size--small{ We are all shaken by his death." 0 : parseInt(e.thumbhide); Tutea Falls is the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, at 7m high. The local guides though will always have final say over the matter when it comes to the weather, and if the rapids are deemed too intense after a heavy storm, then the trip may have to be rescheduled. 0 : parseInt(e.tabw); It features powerful rapids, large drops, abrupt turns, weirs, fast boiling eddies, and numerous obstacles in the main current. It features powerful rapids, large drops, abrupt turns, weirs, fast. You may want either a chest harness or a helmet mount or at the very least a wrist strap with a floatation device. display:block !important; color: #000 !important; If you arent brave enough to take on white water rafting Rotorua, then Tutea Falls and Okere Falls are just a 20-minute drive from the city, and you can watch the rafters on the river as they tumble over the edge instead of tumbling over with them. /*color: #3A444D;*/ You may want to bring a few snacks to enjoy after the rafting, and some water or other refreshments too. color: black !important; 0 : e.thumbh; Rapids water splashing all over while you are crashing thought the water, trying to stay in. Raft the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world! } Our journey for the day started in Rotorua. 2hr30min - 3hrDuration. top: 2.3% !important; Keep kayaking, keep charging.. @media screen and (min-width:768px) { Kaituna River Rafting | Whitewater Rafting Rotorua | Raft the Kaituna River 0800 772 384 KAITUNA RIVER RAFTING $115pp book now enquire now monthly special ROTORUA ZIPLINE + RAFTING COMBO: $224 LOCK IT IN! } This week's death was the third as a result of an incident on the Kaituna River since last August. cursor: pointer; This has fostered a need to take bigger risks, make bolder decisions, and ride narrower margins of safety. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. background-color: #F7E222; Things were starting to get back to normal it felt like, back to those days where we paddled together all the time. by Matthew Martin matthew.martin@dailypost.co.nz A man has died after a rafting adventure down the Kaituna River turned to tragedy. } The Olympic silver medalist is sporting royalty back home in the Czech Republic. } img.ult-align-right { .carousel-container-content h2 { Thats all I had left of her, he says, crying. white-space: nowrap; Located in the heart of kere Falls, Rotorua Rafting is directly opposite the put in (the start) of the Kaituna River (see map), allowing us to show our knowledge of the surrounding areas. } Ryan describes returning home that night without his girlfriend as the most gut-wrenching moment of his life. 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