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On Boxing Day 2012 I moved to Queenstown with my family, just for a year, change of scenery so to speak. As we passed through Wanaka we bumped into a few friends who asked us if we had heard about ‘the wave’. We hadn’t until that point and we were soon asked many times over the New year period more questions about this fast growing legendary wave. Intrigued.

Before I got to the Hawea Wave in the first week of January I’d learned that two artificial play waves had been built as river enhancement, somewhere near Hawea Flat. The word on the water was ‘it’s golden’.

My first impressions of the wave were as powerful as the hundred cumecs flowing through. The whole site at Camphill Bridge was tastefully developed and the waves screamed surf park.

I’d estimate I’ve paddled at the Hawea Wave (aka Camphill Surf Park) for about 50-hours, which is a mere drop in the lake compared to what some of the local boaters have clocked up. I’m in no way an expert play

boater or have any significant knowledge of the waves, I just happen to be someone who has gained a whole lot of enjoyment from the facility, which is free to use.

The park has two drop features. The top wave (hole) is smaller and allows for easy side surfing, spins and other tricks. In general, it’s bouncy and soft, although at some flows has a few sticky bits that longer kayaks can have trouble breaking free from. In the shorter play boats, it’s all pretty much fun and games from my experience.

The bottom wave (hole) is bigger and steeper which means more power. I have found that everything on the bottom wave is faster and bigger giving quite a bouncy ride. The elite boaters tend to go nuts in the bottom wave. I’ve enjoyed some sensational boating on this wave, but it can get tiring and a tad scary, so walking back up to the smaller wave is a nice relief. Both features are designed to be retentive, so they can hold you in a bit longer than you’d probably like at times, but they really are safe (still need to be treated with respect all the same).

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By Nathan Fa’avae

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Trapper

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I started asking around as to how this fantastic feature came to be because I reckon we need more of these in New Zealand. Most of the roads led to Roy Bailey, who himself is a highly accomplished and richly experienced white water kayaker. I managed to chat with Roy about the history of the project.

It all began about 10 -11 years ago and was wrapped up in Contact Energy’s resource management and water rights negotiations. Mixed in was a mitigation package and a few [hundred] documents and discussions later, the water started to flow. Before the site was even selected, an artificial whitewater feature was considered. Research suggested a river enhancement project would be better so a number of sites in Central Otago were surveyed, before the current location was chosen.

Roy describes it as a ‘Big Process’, juggling many different groups, consultations and entities to make it all happen, but thankfully he and his team did see it through for our river pleasure.

A USA company with expertise in such engineering was employed and in 2012 the building began. Given that the green light was turned on in 2005 it was a solid seven years of commitment and hard work to reach the day when Contact Energy reduced the Hawea River flow to 3-cumecs for 3-months so construction could happen.

Since the wave opened in 2013 it can only be said that it is hugely successful. The flow varies almost daily as Contact Energy control lake levels and electricity generation but when it’s on, it’s on!

I have paddled there happily between 30 and 200-cumecs. I heard some people have been on it at 300 and it was still working great. Personally for me, anywhere in the 100’s and I’m a happy paddler. It’s extremely rare to be the only one there. Over summer hundreds

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of people enjoy the waves: kayaks, surf boards, boogie boards and sledges, a whole raft of water craft, even rafts. I have noticed on a hot summer afternoon around 3:30pm, the school kids swarm there, it is so vibrant and energetic. The Hawea and Clutha cycle way goes directly past the site so it’s very common to have tourists and cyclists stopped up on the river bank enjoying the show. It’s a huge community asset and we can be sure the region is going to produce some exceptionally talented paddlers in years to come.

The NZ Freestyle Champs were held there in February and there are other plans in progress for more events. Pete Simpson, the NZ Pyranha importer is based at Hawea Flat and only to happy to meet folks at the wave and trial a boat, I bought one this summer and are considering another for next summer!

I did a lot of whitewater paddling in my 20’s, couldn’t find or make time

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in my 30’s but the Hawea Wave has got me back into the boat and really great times on the river, in my 40’s.

Roy couldn’t say how much the wave actually cost to build. The Otago Daily Times reported it at over $500,000 and I have a friend in the US who also designs surf parks who said to do a grand job 1-million is a nicer budget to work with. That may sound like a lot but I know for sure anyone who has been on the wave for a few minutes will say it’s worth every dollar. Certainly for what it offers it’s a valuable investment into NZ and our way of life. I’m really glad the wave is not near a major population, the traffic (kayak) congestion would be immense.

On behalf of the paddlers who have got wet in the wave, thanks to all those who made it happen.