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Clutha Descent
I have done some big descents back in the uk (Spey and Tay) in canadian canoes
just wondering if there is a good source of info on paddling the clutha source to sea?
stuff regarding to camping locations perhaps, or info on locations of main rapids and portages.
i know its mostly grade 1 or 2 from what i have found word of mouth.
looking to do it around october time when snow melt kicks in to boost the flow up.
also being english not sure on laws for camping out etc. in scotland we have to use specific camp sites and stuff.
cheers
Paul
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good amount of info. thanks very much!!!
i'm hoping it would take about 5/6 days in good flow from wanaka all the way down.
cheers for the heads up on the portages, rope will be fine, got some old abseiling stuff which is plenty strong enough!
im sure I'll be back with more questions nearer the time, just wanted to do some basic homework now before we seriously start planning it. were gonna have to hire boats, paddles, barrels etc
reckon its a goer from the sounds of things. gonna scope the route out a bit more than last time i did one of these as i didn't enjoy eating soy dinners towards the end, looking like we pass close enough to towns to pick up meat and more importantly beer.
only other thing i ask is rules about having fires aside the river? shouldnt be fire bans october time of year so we should be okay? there is a lot of water there to extinguish one with.
cheers.
i think with "queens chain" technicly your aloud to camp any where providing your within 8? metres of the river bank, but farmers would get pretty peaved if you were camping their,
any questions happy to answer them for you.
cheers
Antz
i have come in from lake dunstan and paddles to the sea.
-the clyde dam is a hard portage, i would recomend taking rope so you can lower your boat down, and be prepaired to lift it over a pipe that is above head hight (go true right).
-roxborough dam is much easier to portage.(boat ramp on true left)
possible camping sights from lake dunstan down.
-closer to clyde dam their is some good camping sights on the true right, even a small cottage you could stay in.
-we stayed just below the clyde dam on a grass patch but i wouldnt recomend it as its a public reserve and the locals might not injoy it.
-between Alexandra and lake roxbrough their is a some old cottages and even a desertided gold mining settlement (worth exploring)
-on the final bend of lake roxbrough (true left)
- one of the islands on lake roxbrough has a small sancturary on it that is worth a look and could probably camp their.
-no camping inbetween roxbrough dam and millers flat, their are some spotts for camping closer to beaumont on the true left, they have tracks down to them form the millenium track and might be hard to spot from the river, their they are only a couple of bends up stream from the beaumont brigde.
-after belclutha TURN RIGHT if you go left you will take a much slower winding route down to the sea.
a few bends up stream from beaumont bridge their is big wurly rapid, aviod the large wirl pool on river right as it might give you some issues especially if your in a canoe
cheers
Antz
i have come in from lake dunstan and paddles to the sea.
-the clyde dam is a hard portage, i would recomend taking rope so you can lower your boat down, and be prepaired to lift it over a pipe that is above head hight (go true right).
-roxborough dam is much easier to portage.(boat ramp on true left)
possible camping sights from lake dunstan down.
-closer to clyde dam their is some good camping sights on the true right, even a small cottage you could stay in.
-we stayed just below the clyde dam on a grass patch but i wouldnt recomend it as its a public reserve and the locals might not injoy it.
-between Alexandra and lake roxbrough their is a some old cottages and even a desertided gold mining settlement (worth exploring)
-on the final bend of lake roxbrough (true left)
- one of the islands on lake roxbrough has a small sancturary on it that is worth a look and could probably camp their.
-no camping inbetween roxbrough dam and millers flat, their are some spotts for camping closer to beaumont on the true left, they have tracks down to them form the millenium track and might be hard to spot from the river, their they are only a couple of bends up stream from the beaumont brigde.
-after belclutha TURN RIGHT if you go left you will take a much slower winding route down to the sea.
a few bends up stream from beaumont bridge their is big wurly rapid, aviod the large wirl pool on river right as it might give you some issues especially if your in a canoe
cheers
Antz