Every day during the peak holiday period TRM try to help encourage and guide fishos and tourists and bikers and trampers etc. in a multitude of activities.

Today it was the turn for our version of a Tongariro River rafting trip. The photos tell the story. The rafts are usually booked up by fishy inmates who use them to sneak into some of the more difficult-to-access pools.

While we were waiting on Red Hut Bridge in the photo below we made time to inspect the Tongariro glow worm grotto in daylight, in preparation for their return after dark.

This week TRM are hosting these two delightful Americans who have returned again. They organised an extensive tiki tour around the South Island and back up to Auckland during December to check out many other regions and towns to decide on their future retirement plans. Tourists should note their wise decision to stay in Turangi for their last week as this region, halfway to everywhere, offers so much variety for excursions and holiday activities. That says something about the variety of choices available from Turangi. So TRM will try to keep you up to date with the rest of their touring activities.

The photos show the start at Blue Pool and after half an hour they reached the Red Hut Pool and were keen to carry on to the finish of the 7 km trip at the Island Pool. In total they spent about one and a half hours paddling. In truth, it was a leisurely cruise with minimal paddling as the river flowing at just over 25 cumecs carried them all the way.

Another important consideration was rafting was planned for today as the weather forecasters again predicted rain. Rafters usually get wet anyway from the many riffles and rapids. From previous soggy experience we warned them they may need to portage the rafts around the big pressure wave below Waddells Pool but they took no notice and floated over the rapid easily.

But then complacency sneaked in. In return for disobeying TRM’s instructions, they got dumped out a little further downriver on the riffly approach to Duchess Pool. They reported many other packed rafts on the river organised by guiding companies, but there is nothing quite like the thrill of individually piloting oneself in TRM’s water-strider rafts.