The Chasm & Cold Plunging

After lunch, our group and another group walked to the other side through the trees to a still inlet of water. Our kayaks were now there waiting for us. The water is clear and turquoise, a beautiful lagoon swimming area with the floor bed lined with beautiful jade rock. Jade stones are everywhere here.

Beyond the "lagoon" is an opening in the rock, called the chasm. We got in our kayaks and rowed through the rocks to the other side. At one spot the space in the rocks was only about one foot wider than our kayak. I was now in the back of a kayak with one of the struggling couples. My job was to steer their messy kayaking and instruct them as to which side to paddle on. Every time I stopped to get a picture, we ended up almost sideways. I wish I had a gopro on my forehead.

Circling on the other side of the chasm and then returning the same way, we came back to the shore and had the opportunity to swim. Elizabeth and I took off our fleece shirts and jumped in. I wanted to take a wetsuit off, but was thinking I would never get it back on. The water was cold, probably low 40's. I stayed in about 3 minutes. Then returned a second time for photos. Getting out in a wetsuit is different. It makes it feel colder because the cold water was still on my skin. I couldn't feel the warm air and sunshine, just cold water running inside the suit and boots.

We rafted back at first with all three of our kayaks tied together because of turbulent water in one spot. Then we stopped and untied the boats and finished the journey. The bus was waiting for us, but we had to deflate the rafts and roll them up first.

The bus ride back to Glenorchy was about 25 minutes and a lot of it was off road. I couldn't believe that the big bus was crossing streams and going through that terrain.

Changing back into my dry clothes was much welcomed and walked down the street to Mrs. Glen's to grab a coffee for the rest of the journey back to Queenstown.Læs mere