Outdoor Education: Term 1 Update
Kayaking on the river is underway! Both Year 11 classes and the combined Year 12 & 13 class have recently spent some time on the Rakaia River in 3 seperate overnight trips. The weather was great for all trips and it's awesome to explore our local river (especially without the Norwester!). Between the different classes, students have paddled from Donald Stream on the upper Rakaia, down through the gorge and all the way to Lowes Cutting. We're incredibly lucky to have been supported by a variety of families in regards to shuttle driving to help the class and also through allowing camping/access at various sections of the river. A big shout out to the Bowmar, Bruces and Davey family for your ongoing support over the years!
With the lower flow on the river, some new features have been available (our lowest flow was down to 74 cumecs instead of the more common 110 - 150). The students have made great progress with their new and/or refined river skills including;
- Ferry gliding
- Entering and exiting eddys
- River reading skills
- River safety
- Kayak rolling
After watching students cruise down Grade 2 rapids at the end of each journey, it's hard to think that it was only a few weeks ago where the majority were entering a whitewater boat for the first time. Watching their progress has been awesome and they should be really proud of their achievements - especially those who being on the river was a big step outside their comfort zone. It has also been fascinating to witness the variety of skills/experience in the camping component. For 2025, we have said goodbye to de-hydrated meals and hello to group cooking. Some great life lessons have occured in this regard.
A final thanks to John Hooker for his ongoing lead role in the kayaking program - we are privileged to have one of the local legends passing on his skills and knowledge to our students. Also thanks to Jess Lange and Todd Houston who have been big supporters in the latest river trips. As we approach the end of our paddling season, we are excited to continue in the pool and get more students rolling (thanks Methven Community Pool for allowing shared access!). We have a few more river trips to go before we start looking at our Mountain Biking and Tramping Units with the changing of the seasons.
