"An Around-the-World-Ticket for Two, Please."

Sledging!

Posted by Sarah O'Neill , Friday, 13 May 2011 23:38

So, the next morning we got up bright and early to go sledging! We had not seen or heard of white water sledging before we got to New Zealand, but as we seem to be trying everything out here, it could not be missed! We also got a great deal from Jucy so that helped! We knew a couple from the rafting were also coming sledging, so there would be four of us, and then there was also a group of rafters getting ready. We got suited and booted again, although this time with a wetsuit jacket as well to add another layer! On the bus we had another safety talk, this one even more scarier than the rafting! She basically told us that we had to sledge under and through the waves, not over them, and we would be going under a lot! This terrifed me, I do not like going under water, and I am not the strongest of swimmers, so not really sure why I was doing it, but it was too late to back out!!! They told us the signals they would use, and what to do etc, and then we arrived at our drop off. The bus continued to the drop off for the rafters and left the four of us, with two instructors and our sledges! Our female guide called herself Jedeye, and our guy was called Joel. Jedeye got us to sit on a grassy bank while she showed us what to do if we got tumbled by a rapid. The first rule was NEVER let go of your raft! Bascially we had to extend our arms and roll back out of the water, she made it look easy! Then she showed us plan B, if we had gone under and the raft was on top of us, we had to push it to our feet, wedge it in our bellies, then flip ourselves up and over! At the time I remember thinking I will never remember all this in a panic situation, I am so going to mess this up!!! We climbed down to the waters edge, and she said a Maori prayer before we got into the water. This was when we saw the aftermath of the rafters who had capsized on the river! After they got sorted and on their way, we got in and had to practise our rolls. Just before we got in I felt like crying I was so nervous. I looked at Ben and he knew I was close to tears! However, I took a deep breath and got on with it! We jumped in and had to swim over to an 'eddy' (an area of still water on the side to regroup in!) practising our rolls on our way. I did both of mine right first time, got to the eddy and felt way better about it all!! The other girl struggled with the rolls, so Jedeye kept her close at all times, I must admit I felt good that I was doing ok as it's usually me being supervised! We headed down for the first rapid, staying close together, listening to the instructions, and trying to remember it all! Basically you have to move up the sledge, turn your head to one side and go straight down the middle. I did it all, but the rapid chewed me up and spat me out the other side, it was crazy! I had to employ my rolls to get myself righted, but it is amazing how naturally they come, and although I was terrified I would not remember it all, I did, and managed to get myself sorted! We all headed for the eddy on the right, regrouping and catching our breath! It was mental! On the next one I slid higher up my board and this made a real difference, I managed to stay on top the whole way and did not get churned up by the rapid! It was great! Once we got the hang of it it became much more fun, still scary and thrilling, but fun too! At one rapid they asked if we wanted to go a bit more extreme, which me and the other girl did not, but Ben and the bloke did, so they went down the left side of the rapid instead of the middle! At the bottom Ben got caught up in a whirlpool and strugged to get out and across to the eddy, but he made it in the end! We did a few more rapids which became more and more fun as we became more confident! Then at the last one we had the oportunity to 'surf' the waves, bascially heading up stream against the wave and staying there 'surfing' it for as long as we could! Ben went in first and managed a really good run, staying there for ages before he got flipped out and sent downstream! Then the other guy had a go but was a lot less successful, being churned up and sent packing straight away! He had another go and surfed for a few seconds, but Ben had made it look easier than it was! The other girl did not want to have a go, and I almost chickened out but decided I had to! Jedeye helped me position myself and then let me go, and I surfed it for a good few seconds before it churned me out! Ben went in for a second go, but wasn't so lucky that time! Then it was time to get out and head back. We were absolutely shattered!!! We got back to the base and had to buy the pictures of course!