The Styx

Heading out to the Kokatahi, I thought the river looked good to go. On second opinion, Jess thought it was a little high. On third opinion (Barny and Jordy) it was on the high side of good. The outcome? A better option of walking up the Styx river. 

The Styx river is in the next valley over from the Kokatahi, and it usually takes about an hour to walk to the put in. We were driving up the 4x4 track to the start of the walk and had got most of the way up when our trusty Landcruiser managed to get itself stuck (who would have thought?). We tried for an hour to get it out but the 4x4 wasn't engaging and therefore we weren't going anywhere. Going paddling and leaving the truck where it was (waiting for the sun to dry the mud) seemed like the best idea. 

Well stuck in the mud

(Photo: Jess Matheson)

From the truck we walked the hour to the put in. The track has changed a lot as many of the side creeks have blown out in recent floods, making the track hard to follow. At the river, the flow seemed to be a good medium. Once at the put in I looked around to find Barny and Jordy - they were pulling a tree out of the first rapid to create a clean line. We got changed pretty fast to stop the sandflies from attacking us. From here we had a couple of very clean rapids.

Jess on the first rapid

(Photo: Daan Jimmink)

Barny with Skux in the background

(Photo: Daan Jimmink)

Jess in the good bit

(Photo: Daan Jimmink)

Jess lining up the boof for the camera

(Photo: Daan Jimmink)

Skux in the same spot
(Photo: Daan Jimmink)

 Jordy, wishing he had his Tuna...

(Photo: Daan Jimmink)

 Looking downstream

(Photo: Daan Jimmink)

After the first kilometre the river started to become pretty manky. Recent flooding seemed to have brought down a lot of sediment from the side creeks and filled up the main river. The river felt like it wasn't as steep and some of the great rapids on the run were no longer there. We were disappointed to say the least as the Styx has forever been a bit of a West Coast classic walk-in. Right now? All in all not really worth the run. Maybe in a flood or two... Who knows.

When we got to the truck the mud had dried a bit. Listening to the instructions from the team, I tried again to drive us out. All of a sudden every one was yelling and all I heard was to "drive backwards." Doing as I was told, I drove back and got the truck even more stuck. It was time to get help. Jordy was the chosen one for this task because he is the fastest runner (all that training Jordy). Everyone else enjoyed the cold beer and wine that we had left in the river.

Lining up the tractor

(Photo: Jess Matheson)

Jordy returned with a famers tractor that made light work of getting the truck out. It was now time for more celebrations before the drive to Barny's house.

Celebrating the extraction of the truck

(Photo: Jess Matheson)