Foxton Loop Paddle

Big visit to Levin in the weekend to See Mum in law Bev, and as you do..........go for a paddle in Foxton............... "The Foxtown" as indicated on the local signage.
The Foxton Loop is a pretty special waterway and in the good old days it was used by the Traders to bring their wares from the Ocean and up in land via the Manawatu River to various Trading Posts.
There is a main section of the Loop that clearly runs nice and wide from the Manawatu River and there is the narrower section of the loop (east of the wide loop section) which is hard to find, and it's narrowness making it difficult to navigate (blocks up) at lower tides and times of the year.............until a big flood comes through and smokes all the weed and silt through to open things up again.
The floods also bring trees and branches which also clog it up as well, making it unpassable..............always work to be done.
The "Save the River Trust" stuffed it up a bit, a few years ago (though they are well meaning) when they put in an illegal tidal gate in by a farmers access bridge. It is now well and truly clogged up, though not helped by nature, as a good flood usually clears all the pathways again, having none in the last two years has not helped anyone.
It will however clear again with a flood and future proofing, in the form of proposed new channel work that will appear.............like everything.................. in time I guess.

Anyhow did 17 km out the main section of the Foxton loop (behind the Foxton shops) to the Whirokino (State highway 1) bridge with Mike Tate and John Taylor on a couple of Think Evo, and a Fenn Mako 6 surf skis. High tide warm paddling conditions, great company, good hour and 3/4 of paddling.

The Annual Foxton Loop race is on Sunday August 22, 2010 and is run by the Ruahine White Water Club, the race info is on the links section on the right of the page.

Other Events coming up:

Aug 8 MKRC stage race
Aug 15 Race 4 W1 Harbour Series

I'll be at both of these races because I'm still as unfit as anything and need a few races to wake me out of my post holiday slumber...........getting there.........