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Wilderness Canoeing Adventure
Imagine this... we paddle downstream to a place only accessible by canoe, our senses heightened as we distance ourselves from the hectic pace of modern society. The bird song, and the rapid tinkle of water rushing through rocks nearby, fills our ears, as the fresh air lightens our lungs. Communing by the fire-side at night, we reflect on the day ' s adventure, and celebrate the way these friends have woven their way through our lives, much like a river does a landscape.
Being in canoes creates a platform for a much more intimate understanding of yourself and of the water. It is not like the gun-ho, guided experience of a rafting adventure. Instead boats are paddled in pairs, facilitating an opportunity for you to actively develop trust, communication and understanding, as well as experiencing first hand the outcome of your paddling decisions. The Clarence & Nymboida rivers have a safe, drop-pool style, so capsizes and mistakes are harmless fun, with ample room to collect our wits and process our experiences in the calm pools below. The excitement of the rapids is well complemented by the peaceful, pristine, natural gorges that engulf us as we venture further downstream. Wilderness campsites far from civilisation provide the backdrop for impressive stargazing opportunities as we commune around the campfire by night.
What to expect?
During the journey we will spend time living and moving together as a community, connecting with all of life – our surroundings, ourselves and others to tangibly experience our interdependence. We will travel downstream as a tribe, carrying everything we need to survive and thrive in our canoes, and all contributing to cooking and camp creation.
The Details
Duration: 6 days
Date: February 14 - 19, 2022
Location: Clarence River, NSW.
Group size: 16
Host: Meg
Cost: $2150 (See below for early bird discount!)
Book before 14th of December for the
Early Bird Discount
- $1999 -
Information
Included:
● An introduction to canoeing skills, followed by a 5 day whitewater
journey in canoes
● Wilderness campsites, with more than 5 stars
● All equipment for activities, including canoes, lifejackets, helmets & cooking
equipment
● Nutritious delicious fresh food for your entire stay, featuring local sustainable
produce and accommodating all allergies and dietary requirements
● Fully stocked Wilderness First Aid Kits, satellite communication devices and
safety gear
What if I haven’t paddled a canoe much/ever?
If your canoe experience is limited, don’t stress: no paddling experience is required and beginners are welcome! We will teach everyone the skills, features and safety tips needed to give whitewater canoeing a go. An open-minded, positive outlook and sense of adventure, will be all you need to bring. This section of river is perfect for developing canoeing skills, as there are easier grade 1 and 2 rapids for the first few days, allowing time for solid skill development, and little consequence for mistakes. As the journey continues and your skills improve we will approach some more challenging rapids and depending on the river level, we may need to portage (walk around) some of the big ones. A great progression in physical challenge will be equally matched by a journey deeper into our understanding of ourselves and the way we can effectively communicate, trust and collaborate with each other. An embodied practice of learning and experiencing simultaneously, which ripples through your lives in the future, as memories and experiences that shape you as you move forwards with a renewed sense of connection and understanding.
Do I need to be super fit?
We believe your attitude is valuable, so with a good one of those, it is amazing what your body is capable of. To get the most out of the adventure though, It is preferred that you have a moderate level of upper body/core strength and that you are comfortably able to sit for 4-6hours of day paddling, as well as prepared for the possibility of falling out of your canoe and floating down a rapid. It is helpful if you are able to walk on uneven, slippery surfaces at times, sometimes dragging or pushing a canoe with other team members, if a portage (walking around a rapid) is required. The Wilderness is a beautiful platform for developing new skills, friendships and exploring new places, both in the world and our relationships with others. During our holistic adventures we encourage participants to accompany the physical aspects of self powered travel by welcoming a multi-faceted transformational journey. After all, away from technology, and immersed in reality, it is a great place for some reflection and introspection. We are excited that you could JOIN US on such a unique opportunity!
Where is it? How do I get there?
We will be canoeing on the Clarence & Nymboida river system, which is in North East New South Wales. If you live locally in NSW or QLD, you can self-drive to the meeting location at the river where we will embark on our adventure. After the trip is over we will get a shuttle from our finish point back up to our cars.
Alternatively, if you live interstate and will be flying to the region, Wild Women Journeys will organise a shuttle bus from Gold Coast (Coolangatta) Airport to the riverside meeting location. If you will be flying into the airport and would to join the shuttle bus please send us an email to let us know.
Both of these rivers are free-flowing, wild rivers that are greatly influenced by recent rainfall; it means that we need to be fluid with our journey locations in response to emerging weather conditions. We will provide accurate meeting point information within a fortnight of our journey commencing. At all locations we will provide a safe place for you to park your car and a shuttle back to this point at the end of the journey. Our guides are trained and familiar with all sections of the river system, and we reconnaissance them again after any significant flood event, to ensure they are still safe and accessible. We thoroughly enjoy adapting to the recent conditions and embrace the seasonal variations that this natural environment provides.
When do we meet?
We will be meeting at the river location at midday (NSW time) on the 14th of February and finishing on the 19th of February, mid afternoon.
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