Jet boating the river of blood
By RV & Motorhome Lifestyle Magazine – January 2011
When we were in Haast recently, we headed to Jackson Bay – as you do when you reach the end of that particular road in your travels. At Hannahs Clearing, we came across signs for the Waiatoto River Safari and Jet Boat tours. A jet boat ride on a glacier river seemed very appealing so we stopped in for a chat.
As luck had it, the company’s owner, Neil Ross, was holding the fort for Susan Miller who is the usual “face” of the business. As we talked, the Rock realised we were taking to a legend in the jet boat industry; Neil has won multiple world and New Zealand titles in Jet boating and is the “father” of jet-boat tourism in Southland.
Neil loaded us in the van and we travelled down to the Waiatoto river mouth where the whitebaiters were manning nets every few metres. (The name Waiatoto means “River of blood”; it refers to the fact that following many maori tribal wars, the unfortunate dead were thrown in the river, making its water flow red.)
Here, the Tasman Sea meets the river-mouth at a beautiful white sandbar, so it was a case of safety gear on, boat in the water, hold on with the camera handy and we were away.
What followed was an amazing trip, as we cruised lazily from one spot to the next, hearing Maori legends of the area, and then zipping across the surface of the pristine glacial water, with trees and rocks just centimetres from the bottom of the boat.
We crossed the Alpine fault line and learnt about the local protected kiwi species, the lifespan of the humble whitebait, snow lines and glacial sediment.
Once we had travelled some way up the river, Neil offered us the opportunity to get out and explore but cautioned up not to go too far away; with a three-day walk to get back out, I wasn’t taking any chances!
It was a fantastic trip, providing us with a wealth of interesting information along with heaps of exhilarating excitement. A journey with Waiaoto River Safari and Jet Boat Tour is absolutely worth doing if you are in Haast or heading to Jackson Bay for a crayfish at the Craypot Café, which is open daily from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
