Central Te Hoe is as far south as the Whirinaki tracks go. The normal loop would be to head NW through more snow damaged forest to upper Te Hoe. I've no wish to head north or into damaged forest so i hit the riverbed. Its one of the more pleasant river walks in the trip and for once its all downstream.
It starts off like any other, shingle/bolders and easy knee deep crossings. A short gourge requires a waist deep wade, but thats as hard as it gets. Further down it leaves the Whirinaki forest park and the valley sides become private, first podacarp and secondly post logging wasteland. The river opens up into a vast shingle bed and the current is lost in its expanse. The temperature increases as it opens up and im exposed to the Hawks Bay heat. The private Charlies hut and air strip sit on a terrace on the true left, and theres another private hut further down.
The valley narrows again and swimming holes appear, providing a relief from the heat. It enters an impressive bolder garden, some the size of a small house, and its possible to cross the entire flow, jumping from rock to rock. Below this it opens out again to easy shingle. Eventually the pines and few remaining pockets of podocard dissappear and are replaced with Kanuka scrub and parched farmland- welcome to Hawks Bay.
I go as far as the end of 100 acre road. Whilst the river bed would be deemed a public access, its isolated by private land and i get the impression trampers and campers would be less than welcome.
Unfortunately after looking around the only bit of sand suitable for camping is right by the road end. The entrance to the Te Hoe gourge however is worth the 5 min walk. It flows from a sedate braided river into a slot between 400m walls of rock. I've heard people raft this section tho walking it probably wouldn't be much fun.
Very impressive. Would make a good book. Need to learn to spell: Until, Valley, Puketitiri....
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