Below parys
From BluWiki
Contents |
[edit] General Classification
A channely wide river, navigation is an issue. Good for crocs/kayaks. Can raft at higher level (above 100cumecs)
[edit] Put-in
Parys
[edit] Take-out
Stonehenge Conference Facility, River Right (R10pp) pay at reception. Turn right at the traffic lights in town (on the main road) cross the Vaal and turn immediately left, travel about 7km along this tarred road - you can't miss it.
Alternatively: for longer stretch, Dimalachite Campsite on River Left. To get there drive straight through Parys and turn right onto a dirt road (basically the first turning as you leave Parys). 7-10 km to Dimalachite.
[edit] Distance
+-10km
[edit] Access, Escape Routes and Emergency Facilities
Farms and houses along the river on both sides. A tar road run on river right.
[edit] Water levels
Controlled by Vaal dam and vaal Barrage. Can be run all year round. Water levels from DWAF website ("Goosebay Canyon" is the closest upstream station)
[edit] River Description
[edit] Big Daddy
On a right hand bend, just after a left hand bend and a private bridge across the river. Powerlines about 500m upstream provide a good marker. Scout from left bank unless you know the rapid well. Can get bony at low levels (watch out for hidden submerged rock on the (fast) line on the extreme right). At high levels becomes a big wave-train, stay left above the rapid to go down the main channel. A big steel bridge marks the beginning of approx. 3km of flat water.
[edit] Navigation
After a long flat stretch take a 90 degree turn left into the left-most channel which goes past some river-houses before dropping into a group of 3 relatively easy rapids.
[edit] Paradise
On a sort of s-bend, nice wave(s) at some levels, washed out at high (above 200ish) levels. Nice spot for lunch. After this there are some channelly rapids, stay in the main flow and when the gradient picks up a bit stay in the middle channel and dog-leg right into the right channel half way down.
[edit] Little Niagra
At the end of the right channel - set of two drops amongst some big boulders, can be a little tricky for beginner kayakers. At high level some bad pourovers form on either side of the central line.
[edit] Theatre
The longest rapid (200m) and very wide. Follow the flow at low level, can be very bony - especially if you miss the line. At high levels leads straight into Gatsien and is full of pourovers and big waves. At low to medium levels there is a short pool before Gatsien.
[edit] Gatsien
All the channels flow into one by now, at low levels is fairly easy to navigate - run the "chute" on river right and then cut left to go through the Gatsien Wave for fun. At high levels the Gatsien Wave should be avoided. Walk up the right bank to Stonehenge, at high levels (above 250-300) this is not easy and sometimes impossible, so take out before Gatsien by hugging the right bank at the top of Theatre.
[edit] Little Knuckle-crusher
This is in the far left channel after Gatsien (90 degree left turn) and is only runnable at higher levels (above 60?). Can scout from left bank by walking down the road a little. Basically a short steep boulder garden with smallish boulders. A few small rapids after this until the channels join again in a large pool. Keep left and take out at a convenient spot at Dimalachite
[edit] Big/main Knuckle-crusher
This is the next channel to the right. This channel goes straight when the left one turns 90 degrees. This is the only option when the water is low, but the line is not straight and it is easy to broach kayaks and wrap crocs here. The rapid ends in a similar boulder garden to little-crusher. Rather do little knuckle-crusher if the level is up.
