D57- Pakaratahi river to Pakaratahi headwaters

I wasn't expecting today to be easy. Heading upstream i immediately encounter a gourge, it's way to cold to swim this early so i climb around on tge the true right. Once back in the river, its reasonable going for the next few kms, some open shingle, some bush flats and some wading. When flowing its actually quite a small river but for most of its flow its still, almost stagnant, creating deep pools. Most of these were siddleable but getting back into the river prooved quite tricky.  One gourge i got too committed and ended up with a short swim.
Further upstream the sides become steeper and harder to siddle, small falls and logjams appear making very slow progress. Its much reminiscent of the Rakumaras, just much colder.
A 3m fall prooves unpassable and requires a steep climb over a knob to the east. I end up siddleing a flat terrace for some time to keep out of the water, it finally becomes too steep and im faced with a slippery descent back to the river. Im not exactly sure what happened next, only im falling, then im on the rocks below, followed by a shower of forest floor litter. Quick checkover- nothing broken, just a bruised knee, ripped pants(again), and quite shaken. It could of been much worse, looking back ive slid about 3m with the last 1 being vertical.
It would be nice to stop and rest, only there's been no where flat enough to pitch the bivvi the whole way, leaving no choice but to keep going. Upstream the river begins to fork, the flow can't be much more than a good hose, however it still manages to be deeper than me in places. Waterfall and log jams become more frequent, each requiring climbing in the flow. Eventually i end up at the last major forks, splitting SW, SE, with an obvious spur rising to baw bab saddle.
As promised there's a flat spot in the bush between the forks, the remains of a ground sheet suggest im not the first to use it. Perfect would be an overstatement, as would flat, but after that day, at almost dusk im very pleased to see it. Priorities- shelter, fire, food, sleep. #2 being the hardest and #4 the easiest.