Stage 5: Lake Roxburgh
Landing at Alexandra
The morning of March 9th was hot and calm, beneath a flawless sky. Lake Roxburgh would have a current most of the way, so with both Fred and Ruth aboard, we rigged the mast, reefed the sail on the spar for later, hoisted the spar, lashed the provisions to the centre-deck, and shoved off. For some 15km, we glided on peaceful waters, confined within a barren landscape of rocks and tussock-coloured earth, baked by the sun, jagged against the deep sky.
Roxburgh Gorge
Peaceful waters
This artificial lake was formed behind the Roxburgh dam in 1956, drowning the largest rapids in New Zealand; the Golden Falls at Island Basin, and the Molynuex Falls and others further along. It was odd to contemplate those giant rapids beneath us, mothballed in silt, waiting for a time in the distant future when the old dam would be decommissioned – when the gorge would be re-born.Near mid-afternoon, as the lake widened, a breeze rose at our backs. Soon, we set the sail. The wind became steady and strong, and the raft steered easily, sometimes tacking, always running with headway.
We set the sail
The wind became steady and strong
Landing at the Roxburgh dam boat ramp
