Land of the Long White Cloud: Kaituna River Plung

The water swirls in a counter clockwise fashion , the Southern Cross blazes the sky at night, Orion stand on his head at the pit of night, and the air reeks of sulfur? What does that matter when I am in Rotorua and there is a 21 foot waterfall that I can raft over.

The Kaituna River squeezes its way through a small channel surrounded by Rotorua jungle laden with palm trees and indigenous NZ ferns. It swirls and it flows gently as if were hiding a secret.

I joined a tour group in Rotarua, two Swedes, a Korean who could not swim, an Irishman, myself, and our Kiwi river rat guide. What a crew! The first major secret of the Kaituna revealed itself in the form of a 8 foot waterfall. Certainly one of the under cards to the main event. Eight feet, should anyone get concerned?

After the opening act, we meandered down the river winding through the most beautiful jungle of Rotorua. We only stopped for a few moments to insult the Irishman and to scare the Korean girl. By the way, that is me with the paddle high in the air. The second of the Kaituna's surprises was taken in stride. A slight 11 foot fall throwing us into a calm lagoon. Paddle hard, paddle hard......

As I look back on things, I see my experience on the Kaituna as a reflection of the power of water, and never question that power. We settled into a nice ride down the river after the last rapid. Our river guide, witty and blunt, gave us the hint that the Kaituna was about to give up her secret soon by asking the Korean if she thought that the life jacket was secure enough. What was to come was only heard about by my new friends in the raft, and foreshadowed by our guide. The Kaituna River gave up it's secret in the form of a 21 foot waterfall that squeezed its way through a narrow patch in the canyon. Twenty one feet, and here we go..... Time lapse....