LEARNING THE RIVER: Rafting New Zealand Luke Boddington (second from right) points out the alternative route to trainee Nicola Kahukura Maranui Chase (right).
It's been a highlight of his 21-year career as a river guide.
Rafting New Zealand co-owner and river guide Luke Boddington says training 10 young rangatahi to become river guides was a life-changing experience, not only for the students but also for him and his wife and business co-owner Pianika Boddington.
"I did not realise at the start that I would be a counsellor as well as a technical instructor," Mr Boddington said.
He credits wife Pianika's support.
"Without her, some of the students wouldn't have made it."
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A small crowd of local dignitaries and students' family members gathered at Rafting New Zealand for the rafting student's graduation ceremony.
The Tūrangi-based rafting business received $500,000 investment from the Provincial Growth Fund's Te Ara Mahi skills and employment programme to enable it to run a training course for the river rafting guides.
Present were Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau, Waiariki MP Tamati Coffey, Taupō district mayor David Trewavas, kaumātua Te Kanawa and Kataraina Pitiroi, and representatives from Ngāti Tūrangitukua, Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust, New Zealand Police and Skills Active Aotearoa.
Mr Tabuteau said the Tongariro River holds huge significance to Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and said what had been achieved was something to celebrate.
In praising the students' achievements, Luke said they had done something worthwhile and overcome adversity. The 16-week course involved learning many new things, such as tying knots, making river anchors and river throw-bags. It included a five-day outdoor emergency first aid course, and a five-day river rescue course.
Top trainees were Nicola Kahukura Maranui Chase, 20, and Nigel Brooks, 19. Both are of Ngāti Tūwharetoa descent and achieved their grade three river guiding qualification.
Nicola was encouraged to apply for the course by her nan, after an injury put an end to a budding rugby career and she decided to put her studies on hold.
"I had never touched a river before. My Nan asked me to come and do this."
Nicola currently is employed by Rafting New Zealand, but is heading to Taumarunui soon to become a river guide in a new rafting venture, a five-day trip from Taumarunui to Whanganui. She says it hasn't been possible to offer the five-day trip until now due to the lack of qualified river rafting guides.
She said the course was mentally tough, particularly when you fall out in the rapids and have to make hard decisions.
"You have people's lives in your hands. That's the hardest bit.
"I would say to someone thinking about doing this course, you can do it, it's just taking that first step."
'Mr Sunshine', aka Nigel Brooks, said he had never been on a raft before joining the training programme. Since leaving school, Nigel has worked on a dairy farm, done a bit of building and most recently worked in a ski rental shop. He qualified as a river guide last week and now is on the Rafting New Zealand payroll.
"I am a very shy person. Having this job, I am getting more confident by the day."
He says at first the training was tough, but it started to come naturally as the course progressed.
"The fitness training was hard. You need to be fit to get back on the raft if it flips."
Nigel says part of the course was doing big runs on the Tongariro River Trail and the students were given a free gym membership, with a schedule to follow.
"Mentally it was also a challenge. It's hard to get in the cold water in the morning, I just had to think I liked it until I did."
He plans on staying in Tūrangi, working on the river in the summer and hopes to get a de-icing job up the mountain in the winter. Nigel says his family are really proud of him, and he and Nicola both wanted to thank the Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust, Pianika and Luke Boddington for all their help, and the entire Rafting New Zealand team.
Quoting Winston Churchill, Mr Boddington said success is not final and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.
"You did the mahi, and this qualification enables you to start down a new path. We will aways be there to support you as long as you have the courage to continue."