RI7ER JOURNAL ARCHIVE
Tilbake til Elva 5 - Geitbåtmuseet / Husasnotra - Valsøyafjorden
Etter min omvisning til Drammen & Elverum var jeg i e-post samtale med Jon Bojer Godal som holder til på Geitbåtmuseet / Husasnotra i Valsøyafjørd. Jeg ba om at jeg kunne komme på besøk. Vi ble enige...
Tilbake til Elva 4 - Skogmuseum SJF.00830 & SJF.12056
08h00 - Kaffekrus fylles opp av elva venninne Ella Camilla og drar fra huset hennes i Geithus og drar nord-øst til Elverum. 3 timers kjøring i restene fra dagen førs vinterstorm.
12h00 - Foto...
Tilbake til Elva 3 - Drammens Museum / Fjærholmen Båtbyggeri
Forferdelig vær for kjøring og -12 temp for fotografering og måling (Veldig klok avgjørelse for Jon og Hallvard som må forlate å tar kjøreturen i siste minuttene).
Torsdag - 6 Jan
11h30 - Kjør...
Tilbake til Elva 2 - "Det kan vera ei stor oppgåve du går laus på"
Fra og med 18. desember 2021 er tradisjonen med å bygge klinkerbåter blitt skrevet inn av UNESCO på Representative List of the Imtangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Det er nå krystallklart at...
Tilbake til Elva 1 - Ideen - Nersetter
Det var en gang for kort tid siden (august 2021), jeg ble meldt inn på Hjerleid Håndverkskole i Dovre for å studere og praktisere tradisjonelle byggeteknikker. Mens jeg bladde i bøkene på skolemottaket...
Orange River - The River Guide
Sympathetic, empathetic, observer, debater, natural beauty appreciator, ferry-glider, river reader, confident swimmer, vehicle and trailer packer, long distance driver, all day paddler, helper, sharer,...
SJOA SUPER SUNDAYS 2nd EVENT - Sublime Slalom
Zeptrons Super Six (costume design by Avalancha & Paddlers First), caretakers to the realm of rivers and all sensible things managed to hold off the hordes of neo-kayak-dervish-river-zombies as they...
SJOA SUPER SUNDAYS 1st EVENT - Update news
17HOO meet at Go Rafting - parking available
sign-up/collect bibs/change into river gear/walk to Sjoa Kajakksenter
17H30 Race Brief & Group Photo at Sjoa Kajakksenter
18H00 Race 2 timed laps...
Rob & Armando @ XCreek 2014
The kayak racing season carved a slice off the end of winter and took a bite into summer. First event of the Norwegian Whitewater Cup at the X2 Festivalen.
4th April.
A relaxed sunny afternoon...
SJOA SUPER SUNDAYS - White H20 Race Series 2014
Planet River is going to host a series of 5 races for whitewater kayakers this summer 2014. All will be on a Sunday evening. With an easy-going vibe, rad prizes, free entry on fun sections of the river...
World Rafting Championships in New Zealand
World Rafting Championships in New Zealand, November 2013.
Story by Ine Skjørten Wilson
Norway was represented with a team in the Open Women category in the World Rafting Championship in New Zealand...
Summer Photo-Boaters
The Season:
1 May to 31 September is the season to photo-boat on the Sjoa & Otta Rivers, Norway. Ine and i contract our photography services to Heidal Rafting. May normally starts off nice and gently...
EUROLAND
by Rob Wilson / PLANET RIVER
images by Ine Skjørten Wilson & Rob Wilson
Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland were only lands of passing through on my 7500km journey to and from France & Italy....
SJOA RIVER RAFT RACE - RULES 2013
PLAN:
17H00 : COMPETITORS MEET AT ØYTUN (take-out) FOR LOADING BOATS & SHUTTLE.
17H15 : RACE RULES ON THE BUS RIDE.
17H30 : TEAM CAPTAIN MEETING & DRAWING OF START POSITIONS.
18H00 : MASS...
KAJAKK & SURF SAFARI 2013
We came home two weeks ago, after an 8 week, 8 and a half 1000 kilometre roadtrip. Roadtrippin’ as we like it with a tent, toys and one spoon each for all meals We enjoyed the family gathering for xmas...
XCREEK
EVENT - The Norwegian kayak race scene kicked off this last weekend on the Bygdaelva (a.k.a by the locals as Korsbrekkelva) near the village of Hellesylt on the northern west coast of Norway. Part of...
Orange River - PADDLE THE SENQU !!!
Have you ever considered paddling the Senqu River in Lesotho. Start planning your trip now, because other folks are planning to build dams on it. see the following links for news on DAM building on the...
Sjoa River - PLAY-RUN CLEAN UP
River clean-up successful on the Sjoa Normal/Play run ! The total amount of junk FILLED up the back of Ine´s van.
Wire, cellphone, car parts, carabiner, lots of plastic and 3 paddle blades was just...
Orange River - ORANGE RIVER TRAVELLERS GUIDE BOOK
Our first publishing project is currently in progress.
Senqu Oranje Gariep . A River Travellers Guide to a Southern African River.
Published by: PLANET RIVER ®
Printing & Binding: aitotta
Text:...
Orange River - 1 WEEK - 4000KM - 2 NEW KAYAKS - FIRST DESCENT
Monday 28 February : Depart Cape Town at 1pm in a 1000cc motor car, fortunately only 2 of us in the car. The car is the kind of size where you have to take off your shoes to drive, sounds like another...
PLANET RIVER ® - Registered trademark
PLANET RIVER ®, the name and our logo have been approved as a registered trademark.
Original concept by Rob Wilson.
Ine Skjørten expressed the idea with illustrations.
Final image and font illustrations...
Sjoa & Driva Expedition - BRANCHES
Scott, Ine and Rob successfully descended the full length of the Sjoa and Driva Rivers, this is our first insight to continue documenting these rivers for published guide books.
The branches of folk...
Sjoa & Driva Expeditions - FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, RESPECT & HUMOUR
I have been asked how we did as a group the three of us, are we still friends? I have been asked how Rob and I deal with being boyfriend / girlfriend on a trip like this?
I believe the topic at stage...
DRIVA RIVER - SOURCE TO FJORD
The Driva River has also successfully been descended, returned a few days back and have been working on getting photos, video and stories out to you all. We are happy, tired and have slowly been cleaning...
The Driva Expedition Journal - 15 Days on D´ RIVA
Low, misty clouds, seagulls, an alluminum factory with a mirrored fjørd were our hosts as we floated into our journeys end.
The washroom at last nights camp at Furu Camping had a 3 dimensional, tilted...
The Driva Expedition Journal - The lower valleys
Slow to wake up and get moving, my body felt tired. We arrived at a steep rapid, the volume of the river had increased. Mostly read and run rapids with waterfall after waterfall on either side of us....
The Driva Expedition Journal - Romfo.
The river has more volume now after the confluence with Grøvu. We are traveling through farmed areas, and more waterfalls than i can count. The clouds are low, and mist is moving fast along the mountainsides....
The Driva Expedition Journal - Fishing Path
Avocado, Blue Cheese, Pasta, Fried Veggies, Coffee, Chocolate, Cookies and Fresh Bread .... was a styling dinner on a saturday night whipped up by Scott after stopping at the supermarket in Gjøra.
We...
The Driva Expedition Journal - a slow day filled with smiles
We all woke with big smiles after a restful sleep, morning coffee was spent discussing movies and filled with laughter and sunlight. I trolled upstream to shoot ( Bjornaa –Lianhjell- ) a waterfall tributary....
The Driva Expedition Journal - Ishol to Liahjel, non stop rapids in the gorge.
This is the best! I really enjoy this section of river. Fortunately i was done “popping the oars” the day before. With a solid rock the oarlocks were tightened and the oars stayed in place through drops...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Tough day at the office
Scott was brave getting up this morning, he had a tough night last night. Must have been something he ate that we did not, or picked up a 24hr bug. Poor guy was bent over a few times, his guts were screaming...
The Driva Expedition Journal - The Commercial Section
We rigged the raft and reshuffled gear. Ine was in the raft and myself and Rob in kayaks. We descended down the commercial section of the river, Opplev Oppdal, use for their trips.
After lunch we...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Magalaupet to Granmo, a brutal portage.
A big day for sure with a long and tough portage. Good call from Rob to go with empty boats but lunch and pick up the rest of the gear when getting to Granmo camping where our car was waiting. This section...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Tandsaetra to Skrea Bru
Late start waiting for gear to dry, we were camped in the narrow shaded Drivdalen valley. No rain, but heavy cold dew, camping close to cold moving water also ensures moisture is heavy in the air.
Was...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Cold Nights, clear skies and sunny days
We woke to a very cold morning, frost covered everything and I put on my boating thermals on top of my camp thermals. We warmed up in the morning sun with a hot coffee.
We paddled a great section...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Snøheim to Storbekken, mountain paddling.
What an amazing day! Clear blue skies, clear sight to far away. Mount Snøhetta proudly reaching for the sky. Rested crew. Happy crew! Started the day carrying the backpacks down to Svone confluence....
The Driva Expedition Journal - SNØHEIM
Up at 10:00 am, after deciding the night before to let the weather move through. We got some info from the builders that it would be good weather moving in, the following day.
The day was spent with...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Expeditions are filled with surprises
“Scott, coffee’s ready, bring your mug”, Rob called, over the hissing gas stove.
I flung on my rain gear and moved out into the cold, misty rain. Our 36 hours at Snohetta was as much fun as 36 hours...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Istjønn to Istjønn, a day in the tent.
We needed a resting day, and the weather gave us a hand. Woke up with snow on the tent and it was freezing for paddlers without gloves. Spent the whole and a lovely day in the tent sleeping in warm dry...
The Driva Expedition Journal - ... ding ... ding ..... Round 2
Packed the night before, so this morning was slow and relaxed. Awesome. We are on our way to The Driva River. We dropped Scott at the Otta train station at about 9:00 am. Ine and i were in the loaded...
SJOA RIVER EXPEDITION - SUCCESS
Greetings from the Planet River team !
We have successfully negotiated the Sjoa River, Norway from source in Jotunheimen to the Lågen confluence.
We are currently packing to depart for the Driva...
The Driva Expedition Journal - Shaky my limbs
This is our last day to make final arrangements before we head into the mountains again. I spent some time grinding the last of our incredibly delicious Kinetic coffee and decanting it into zip lock...
The Driva Expedition Journal - @ Home, Packing and socialising.
There are no resting days. There is always a lot to do. We are at home today, doing laundry and packing for the DRIVA Expedition. Packing food takes a lot of time. Fortunately Scott had packed all the...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - A Beer and 3 Cigars
Had a good sleep in the wood cabins at the Heidal Rafting Wilderness camp. When we arrived here yesterday there was a can of beer and 3 cigars on a bench. Co-incidence or what, i don´t know. A big thank-you...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Still Raining
Woke to a grey and gloomy day. The river was high, we stopped at the kayak camp to register for our event, the Sweet Rumble prelims.
We continued to the Heidal Raftings’ Wilderness Camp. Rob and I...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Faukstad to Faukstad, Raft Race
Today was a little different than the other days. With good help of friends in Kongsberg Paddleklubb and Oslo Elvesportsklubb, we organised the annual downriver raft race from Harlaug Bridge to Faukstad....
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - River is up
By the time we went to bed, the river was high, into the tree line and still raining. Was raining whilst packing up this morning at the confluence with the Rinda creek. We are camped at home. We live...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - A great boating day
Spent the morning walking around Ridderspranget collecting images. The river gorge is narrow enough to jump across. A classic Norwegian folklore took place here. A Prince jumped across the river with...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Nedre Sjodalsvatn to Ridderspranget
We are spoilt with very good coffee on this trip. We are now drinking more coffee than water... Had a big cup this morning, and then did the first leg of the portage past the Grinningsdal bridge. It...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Øvre Sjodalsvatn to Griningsdal Bru
Tail wind across the Upper Sjodalsvatn Lake, kept us moving at a swift pace in the morning. Loaded river kayaks are not fun to drift across a lake in steady winds, windcapping the surface. Without a...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Lake crossing, food drop, recharge, boat change
2.30am I heard something large sniffing on the side of my tent. I slowly unzipped the rain cover, peered out and was face to face with a cow. Cow, please don’t stand on my paddle!
I was hoping the...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Gjendebu to Memurubu, surfing the lake.
The Gjende lake is 18 km long. It’s color is clear emerald green. During the summer season the Gjende ferry runs back and forth the length of the lake, and takes tourists to DNT huts and to Norway’s...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Hellerkampen to Gjendebu
the 3 of us pretty quiet packing up.
Day 2 of the expedition and we are feeling our bodies reaction to expedition life. a little stiff in areas and the overdose of fresh air is contagious.
With...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Half baked potatoes with Source
I woke at 4am, poked my head out my tent to check the light, same as yesterday, grey and gloomy. Tried to fall asleep again but couldn’t put my head to rest so decided to go for a walk.
We slid into...
The Sjoa Expedition Journal - Faukstad to Øvre Høgvagltjønnen, the source!
We are at 1600 masl standing next to the glacier river coming out of Høgvagl glacier in Jotunheimen Nationalpark. This is where the furthest away water running into the Sjoa river comes from. The source...
The SENQU.ORANGE.GARIEP expedition - Appreciations
The SENQU.ORANGE.GARIEP expedition, has ended with a descent of the 1st 100km´s of the river in a 9 day mini-expedition. We are currently in Maseru, Lesotho in the search for missing maps and returning...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - As luck,magic or belief would have it ...
Our little cave/shelter had visitors in the early hours of the morning. A man on a horse and his dog. We lay in the tent shallow breathing at the unknown outside. A few sniffs, a touch of the the tent...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - (THE ART OF) WALKING THE BOAT
When pulling the horse coming up to the source of the Senqu the day before yesterday, i remember having an image quickly passing through my mind of pulling a kayak. Little did i know...
When the water...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - River is low...
Day 3 of the tug and pull continued, starting to get used to the deal. Sometimes you get water and you go boating, we had little and the only way to get back ´home´ for us is to drag our gear down the...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - The View
The view from the Ledges Cave is tremendous, the cave is kind of how i expected it to be. More of a ledgy-square-roofed shelter. Great place to be when the weather is good. I am not too sure if i want...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Molumong Lodge
Organised a ride for tomorrow, sponsored a lighter by Noel and Pam, met a hip taxi chic, Ine made an awesome boerie/cheese/toast/sauce with fried eggs for dinner.
Had a chat with Noel at dinner over...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Give me sweeeeets....
Give me sweeeeets ...... getting used to hearing this from just about every kid along the road. Don´t know when this originated in Lesotho. Teachers, missionaries, colonialists or ignorant tourists....
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Little Blue Car
Ma-Tommy told us yesterday, he would meet us at 7 this morning with his taxi(van), and it would take 2 and a half hours to get to Patlong. He was apologetic on arrival, but when he pulled the mattress...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Entering Lesotho
As we are approaching Herschel from Aliwal North, the landscape changes. First you see the mountains at a distance. There is a change of several things when moving from the flat, long, straight roads...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Tussen-die-Riviere Game Farm
Rushed breakfast, after awakening at 6am on this fine day of the 1st of the year. The fellow who made and served us breakfast looked like the breakfast.
Back onto the GPS as we departed at the 4 crossings...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Dankbaar
We departed the Dankbaar farm after a lazy start of writing and coffee on the stoep, visited the few sickly lambs. Lucky looked he was gonna make it. A chatty breakfast with the family, discussing the...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Rolfontein Reserve
On the 29th of December we camped at the Vanderkloof Dam Campsite, so far the most expensive site we’d been too and also a slightly run down place. But we had great view to the dam water where some people...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - ` Vat my bakkie ´
Easy swift waters got us down the 12 km in 2 hours to Hopetown via the Klokhuis, the historic contol post for the railway across the Orange. We had covered a larger 35km the day before through mostly...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Four friends travelling the Orange
How did this come about? i ask Kevin. He had called Rob the night before saying they thought they had seen us passing on the bridge where they were camped for xmas evening. How are the odds... Rob and...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Boegoeberg Dam
Finally moved on from Oranje Rus campsite to Upington; drew cash, filled up with diesel and got a few shots on drive through.
Cruizy day in the car checking out small towns along the N10 motorway,...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Ine-mission, Rob-coffee
With a delay in the vehicle of a day, things happen slowly out here in the Northern Cape heat. Temperatures of 40+ degrees celsius are a part of your day here at this time of the year.
So, Ine dropped...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Good Service
The rear shocks are fucked for sure, confirmed by mechanic @ fitment centre in Kakamas. A quick call from Craig after having Charmaines´ out-the-oven green banana bread with a SweeT chilli tomato jam...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - The Snake Lady
We have pulled into a garage to have the vehicle´s shocks checked in Kakamas. Rob is dealing with the mechanic, and i am hanging out with his helper. She tells me she has lived here for a year, and she...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Surprise Pool, Droeval Channel
Our final day in the Gorge started with a hike up Droeval Channel. This ancient, northern arm of the falls is little known.
An hour and a half and we emerged into Paradise. A football field sized...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - 4 Otters
I am sat by the river on a prominent rock. Its dusk and the shadows are long. I am about to leave when i see something moving in the water. At first glance it looks like a snake. Then i see fours heads...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Augrabies Gorge
Enjoying the canyon wall shade in the morning, we dozed and awakened to our wonderland. Coffee first was the plan, but for some unknown reason the stove refused to work. I spent the next hour cleaning...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - The Descent
We spent all of last night packing for this 3 day river expedition. Packing light was key. We knew we were going to walk, scramble, carry and lower the boats 150 meters from the top of the gorge and...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Richie Falls Gorge, Onseepkans
Misjudged the time and distance from Onseepkans Bridge to the left channel of Richie falls known as the Orange River Gorge, and for a brief moment thought that Ine and I had paddled past it. After a...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - Goodhouse to Onseepkans
Several hours on dirt road from 11h00am-17h30pm got us here in Onseepkans. Rutted and corrugated roads slowed us down to 20/30 km/h. We passed only 3 vehicles between Goodhouse and Pofadder. Very Little...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - ON THE ROAD!
After 2 hectic weeks in Kaapstad we are, Yeah on the road! City life included work for Frixion Adventures, family dining and a good few and repeated visits to different offices to organise operative...
The Senqu Orange Gariep Expedition Journal - THE MOUTH
A 2 km walk up the beach at Alexander Bay brought us to the beginning of our trip. The MOUTH of the Orange River !
Was an absolute pearler of a day to be there. If you know this area, you will be...
THE SENQU.ORANGE.GARIEP EXPEDITION - Press Release
Cape Town, South Africa
`The SENQU.ORANGE.GARIEP Expedition´ is an eight-week fact-finding expedition from the 4th December 2009 till the 25th January 2010 crewed by Rob Wilson(ZA) and Ine Skjørten(NOR)....
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Raspberry Cream Cookies
With only about 2 hours of restless sleep , I sit bolt upright as my alarm screams at 3:30 am . I then have a few cups of tea in bed and a packet of raspberry cream cookies for early breakfast.
My...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Change in scenery, Camp 68
Was a pretty cruizy day with good strong flow , only touched the sandy bottom a few times today with the blades in the wider sections . i still have a river full of water .
The scenery changed considerably...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Getting there ....
Wow , tis all looking good so far , about 100 km’s to go and plan to meet my mom and dad on Friday 17th . Was originally going to be the 18th , but the lure of the end is pulling me in .
Was a freakin...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Commercial madness
Got out the camp of commercial madness before most folk knew they were awake .Dozy rafting guests trying to stuff 40 litres of gear into 20 litre drybags , whilst guides were instructing that less is...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Easter river holidays
Sun on the tent , and a commercial rafting trip getting ready for their 4 day Orange river adventure awoke me.
4 hot-x-buns , bowl of muesli , 3 coffees and a relay of updates to my mom , quick pack...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Waitin for the bus
Ine and i awoke to being soaked by the nights dew . We also had shade in our camp , so had to wait a while to dry gear before departing . An easy mornings paddle with a combination of flat pools , wide...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Breakfast to go
Got up out of the sleeping bag at 6:30 a.m., rushed out of camp - we had little shade this morning.
Into a swift current right away and floated down, eating breakfast of oats, raisins, powders of...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - 2000km
Ine and I worked it today, to get to 2000 clicks ... although I only realised its significance while writing this entry ... I used the number several times throughout the day to calculate distances,...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Rob and Ine
Beer heads crawled out of sleeping bags and moseyed and shuffled around the camp from sun up until about 9 a.m.
The local Gravity rafting crew were at the river to see us off. Brett was looking a...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Brett´s birthday
Cruisy morning - letting Brett choose the time of his wakening - it’s the 39th year of his life.
A double coffee session ... the release of the previous evening’s captured scorpion ... and we immersed...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Friends
Was ready and waiting at the bridge to see Ine and Brett.
They were ready and keen to get on the water. Hugs and kisses ... howzits ... smiles ... happy eyes ...
and YAHOO! - we were on the brown...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Pirates of the Caribbean
It was a long, hot day waiting here at Blouputs for Brett and Ine - spent the morning swimming and moving around as the shade shifted.
At about 2 p.m. I had had enough and walked up to the local village...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Hanging out at Blouputs winkel(shop)
A short paddle today to Blouputs - a little confusion with the map reading - the place has developed a lot since I was last here 11 to 12 years ago. A new tar road, new bridge, a new settlement on river...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - 2 rapids and a snooze
Took it nice and slow this morning - it was pleasant, cool in the shade until about ten. Pumped water, ate breakfast and slowly packed the boat ... enjoying the vista upriver. I knew it was going to...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Inside
Wowsers! I got into the canyon with little difficulty.
Several laps with gear and boat, a short rappel and even in the shade I was sweating bullets. I was spotted by two people at the Ararat lookout...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Camped up top
Up at 5:30 a.m., packed away tent and most of gear and took my boat for a 45 minute walk to the descent point. Quick return, and another load. The descent line has shade until 10 o’clock, so decided...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Scout for descent
Got up early after a good night’s sleep. The weather is dry and cool at night, which is a relief from the heat of plus 35° during the day. I am also noticing a change in the season with cooler evenings,...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - That was full on !
Sjoe! The nerves throughout the day were high strung, but also made me pretty focused. The river surprised me with the nature of its flow - I am always constantly alert to the sound of the river, to...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Decision Time
Well, tis time to get moving again. The river is calling ... the journey must continue. I have been in Upington City for over 2 weeks now. The river flow is still at 900+ cumecs, but is slowly dropping....
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Appreciations
Thank you very much, Baie dankie, Gracias, Shot, Tussen tak, Enkaliborwa
For the support, help, encouragement, new friendships I have received thus far on my trip:
Mom, my website updates,...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Hmmmmmmmm!
Upington has been walks down to the bridge to see if the level painted on the bridge pillar is at 3 and a quarter yet; on the telephone sourcing river info; coffee shop; laps in the pool; giving my website...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - River City, Upington
After several days of covering longer distances and with the river starting to nudge a little at approx. 400 cumecs I arrived here at river city - Upington on the 1st March. On the whole thus far I have...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Weirs
Up early this morning, knowing in the back of my mind that Upington is not far away (70 km). I had originally planned to take 2 days to get here from Grootdrink. The river had risen about 3 foot overnight...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Meer as Genoeg
Fanie and Magda van der Linde have a farm called ‘Meer as Genoeg’ (more than enough).
Kind of sums up the day quite well. There are more than enough ‘miggies‘. Similar to the little black flies in...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Under the bridge
Am camped under the bridge at Groblershoop, cos there is f--k all campsites with the higher water and the ever consistent lining of the rivers steep sandy shoreline with reeds and thorn bush. Could be...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - 320 cumecs
Long soaking rain through the night. Had a running battle packing with the 1 000 000‘s of ants who made camp in my most of my gear. They sense the water is coming up and I just happened to be the highest...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Orange View, camp 35
Woke up early with the dawn of a new adventure day. Had some things to do before departing Prieska: a photo mission at the church and the 1900 British fort on the hill overlooking town. Was pretty sad...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Storm chaser
Started off the day relatively slow to let gear dry. Water level was up a few inches. The day was all flat water except for Class 1 rapids on the bends, and huge reed channels.
Was amazingly lucky...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Chased by atom bomb storms
A shower of rain at five and I thought I would be taking the day off, but it stopped soon after and I was on the water by eight.
Beautiful fun section through Vaalkrans. Huge flocks, 200 plus, of...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Vaal confluence
I got to the confluence at 10 this morning - no wind and the humidity is super high with random storms around, 36°. A great cloudy morning keeping the sun off the body but all to clear later.
I had...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Wild west town
I am camped on a river bend just above a weir and opposite the pump house to Douglas.
It was a cooker today - 37° - I am expecting a lot more of that over the next two weeks - in fact, all the way...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - No rain, no bites!
Departed the ant crazy camp at about 08h30 - heavy dew on the tent. Freaking ants everywhere - crawling all over me while I was waiting for the tent to dry.
Yeah! Awesome boating day. Rapids all the...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Bridges and rapids
Great day on my mom’s birthday - had a chat with her on the river just after departing.
Made a good distance - approximately 50 to 60 kilometres. Great flow all day - river was up in the morning after...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Valentines Day
It was good to wake up and hear raindrops on the tent - I thought I would sleep in and take the day off - but by nine o’clock the sun came out in its full glory and blasted me out of the tent. Yeah!!
Hung...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Big flat H2o
The Big Brown Chocolate Conveyor Belt spat me into the Gariep Dam - South Africa's largest inland water mass.
It was an eventful 2 days crossing the 37 year-old man-made dam.
The first 10kms still...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Big brown chocolate conveyor belt
I travelled for approx. 300 kms on the swollen river. It dropped a little each day but has been absolutely fantastic.
I have seen giant whirlpools with dark chocolate in the centre eye; 10 feet-high...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - A challenge
It started off with a well-executed run down a weir 200m after camp the next morning. The weir was ugly and burly huge, but a wide entrance tongue on far river left rocketed me down a steep chute through...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Flood warning
January 29th I woke up to a stunning sunny morning, got up at about 4 am, after spending 2 days tent-bound. Passing storms would go on for 2 to 3 hours then break off for ten to thirty minutes. Then...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Quthing Monday
I began my journey well stocked with food and provisions. Creeks with pure water kept me hydrated and i had rarely ventured out of the river valley. But it was time to charge all batteries, get some...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Camp 10
Haha! - did not make it to the confluence of the Senqunyane today - ended up being a short one distance-wise.
Left camp at about ten. First section was flowing flat pools with funky rapids and then...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Camp 9
I hear men and women singing in the distance - makes me think that I will be hearing and seeing more people now as I go along.
The river was busy today with several ferry points and weirs. The A3...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Floating Camera
I am 15 foot above the water line on a sandy beach, camped out under a rock overhang, almost a cave. The weather has been threatening. It rained around me this evening - good for the creeks. Water coming...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Dogs and fishes
Started getting into some kind of a routine.Got so many dry bags and have to get them into some kind of order. Got off a little later than I wanted ... but all good.
Got chased by 2 dogs today after...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - How many things?
3am: Alarm bells hit the head - toilet paper, buckets - open both ends!
5am: Get up feeling weak. Where’s the nearest GP?
6am: Pass Ha Seromo, our last two night’s accommodation. But, still another...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - The Source
Three o’clock, wake up to round up some horses and depart 5am. Arrived at source at 4pm and returned to our previous night’s camp site at 7.30pm
At a small village, Tebelong, saw an old Toyota. After...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Coffin Monday
I share a room with Jakob who is having a buttered roll with the pot of supper he has cooked. Oops, just can’t stomach the thought of food, maybe I will get into it
We arrived in the village a few...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - A shepherd, his dog, 5 cows, a lamb and 2 donkeys
Molumong Lodge is where I am at. A 1423km drive from Cape Town over the last few days has landed me at base-camp where I have just spent a relaxing weekend with my family at the Lodge.
They depart...
The Pure Orange Expedition Journal - Anticipation
Party is over kids ! The annual 1 week reunion with friends, family and "bubbly and beer" has come to its end . Am sure you all had a good 1 .
This is the first instalment of my updates for the...