Dear Reader,
This post will be interesting for these, who wants to explore the beauty of Christchurch. One of the amazing and at the same time affordable (in terms of time and money) activity in Christchurch is the kayak riding through Avon River in Hagley Park.
Our journey began on a crisp, clear morning as Sofia and I nestled into a double kayak on the Avon River, ready to explore the stretch through Hagley Park. We rented the boat from Antigua Boat Shed and as we pushed off, the gentle rhythm of our paddles set the pace, creating a soothing counterpoint to the serene surroundings.
Hagley Park, a lush vibrant heart within Christchurch, embraced us with its tranquility. The river wound gently through the park, offering a perfect escape. For two seasoned travelers like us, this ride was a chance to reconnect with nature and each other in the urban oasis.
Navigating the gentle bends, we were treated to glimpses of the park’s beauty—a blend of open lawns, mature trees, and bridges arching gracefully overhead. Each paddle stroke was a shared rhythm, echoing the joy of partnership and discovery. As we have been told at the boat shed, we had one hour of payed time and shouldn’t go beyond the 4th bridge. To be clear, the bridges placed along the river, so, it is relatively easy to count them when you are coming through. Easy, but not fun, is it?
As we glided along, the banks of the river unveiled a vibrant tapestry of native flora. Friendly ducks paddled alongside us, their peaceful presence a reminder of life’s simple pleasures. We managed to approach to them quite close, you can see it on the pictures. The water in Avon River is crystal clear all the times and Sofia managed to take some pictures underwater, using her waterproof Iphone.
The trees arched overhead, forming a canopy that filtered sunlight into a dappled mosaic of light and shadow on the water, that was the most evident when we decided to divert from the main river flow and turn into a tiny water path to nowhere…
To be honest with you, we are not really sure if it is allowed to turn there, as the bottom of the channel was full of big rocks which could be dangerous for the kayak, however, this place was within the ‘four bridges limit’ and no one told us to stay clear of it. This way was very tight for the double kayak, however, we managed to move through it for some distance, until our bow touched the bottom, we couldn’t go any further, as it was not deep enough anymore, hence, we had to reverse back to the main river watercourse.
There was relatively limited traffic through the river today, so, it didn’t feel too crowded, however, there were some other boats moving along. Nevertheless, we had enough time to feel the full harmony with the nature. The river flow is quite strong, therefore, our way back was much faster. The flow is always pushing the boat back to the point of start, so, sooner or later we will be back there anyway.
For everyone, who wishes to hire a kayak here, it is good idea to consider the outfit, as you will be wet during you ride, the paddles and wind make it nearly not possible to stay completely dry. Some water will be on the bottom of the boat as well, so, a simple sport wear will be the best choice for the ride.
Our ride through Hagley Park was over all too soon, yet the magic lingered. We lined up with the pier then checked out at the Antigua Boat Shed. They kept our stuff in a locker while we were enjoying the ride. If you have something with you, it is better to leave it on the ground, as kayak is not a big boat.
There are several coffee shops and restaurants around, where you can have a good meal for a reasonable price. The most half of them located in Riverside Market area, which is just about 400m away from the shed.
We had our lunch at Original Sin Italian restaurant and then gone back home through the Hagley Park.
The good thing about kayak riding in City Center is that you can explore the beautiful Hagley Park and ride a kayak on the same day, I would assume that 5 to 6 hours will be good enough to ride through the river, have a meal and explore the park.
As videographer, Sofia is going to create a short video about our Kayak riding, it will be available on our Facebook page shortly. If you have any idea what other places in New Zealand we can show you in our blog – contact us at hello@eventshub.co.nz.
Best regards, Alex and Sofia,
EventsHub team.