Valley of the gods

Rocky ascent: High water levels force the team to undertake the high portage at Thunder Rush, moving all equipment and rafts about 800m over steep cliffs. The low portage is preferred, but was unachievable in high waters. Photo by Pte Grant Millgate

White water: Raft 2 tackles the exhilarating Descension Gorge on the upper Franklin River. Photo by Pte Grant Millgate

Wild thing: A sequence of photos of the approach to the Cauldron, a set of rapids that presented a real challenge. Photos by Ashley Kaar

Wild thing: A sequence of photos of the approach to the Cauldron, a set of rapids that presented a real challenge. Photos by Ashley Kaar

Shook up: One of the rafts moves through the rapids. Photo by Ashley Kaar

Rock climbing and white water rafting ensured an active start to the year for Pte Grant Millgate.

Drawn by the promise of challenge and adventure, 10 members of the Army White Water Association (AWWA) gathered in Hobart for Exercise Franklin Wilderness ’05, to tackle the Franklin River in Tasmania’s Wild Rivers National Park.

We were to travel 120km in 10 days along some of the most exhilarating river in Australia. Expectations varied with experience levels, and members of the Adventure Training Wing (ATW) and our two Unit Adventurous Training Leaders under assessment, Josh Wiles and Maj Paul Middleton, imparted volumes of knowledge about the complex business of expedition rafting.

Any notions of a swan trip were soon dismissed as our swim test and training got under way on a fast section of the Derwent River.

While we swam repeatedly through rapids in the correct feet-fi rst fl oating position and performed rescues, the novices among us discovered the rafting game was not as easy as it looked.

It was particularly telling that the experienced guides missed their target eddies (havens of still water) and were washed some distance down stream.

Everyone proved up to the tests though, and armed with a new knowledge of river signals and emergency drills, the anticipation of the real thing mounted.

Day 1

A five-hour coaster trip delivered us to our insertion point where a large sign declared: “Warning : This is NOT the place to learn White Water skills”.

The mood had dampened, as we were reminded of the several lives the Franklin River had claimed in its brief rafting history.

Our first reactions to the Franklin were of awe and wonder. Driftwood lodged impossibly high in the trees and the large boulders that lay strewn like playthings of the gods, suggested unimaginable volumes of water passed down its length in times of flooding.

I quickly discovered the intricacies of white water when I made an unplanned departure from the raft during a rapid. The freezing water and six-pack penalty made it a mistake I was less than eager to repeat.

A low water level meant we needed to do a lot of diving from one side of the raft to the other to reduce our drag on the many rocks.

And despite our guides’ assurance that the water was at a good level, we novices silently prayed for torrential rain.

We arrived at the naturally sheltered campsite of Angel Rain Cavern, where several sleeping places were precariously close to the edge of a substantial drop. I learned it is quite diffi cult to sleep soundly while worried you may never awaken.

Day 2

The barks of “forward hard” and “dig it in” suddenly fell silent. Despite furious paddling we were heading straight towards a large rock that promised to wrap (pin with water pressure) the raft for hours.

A glance backwards revealed we were travelling sans guide, but Josh made a swift re-entry to take the situation in hand.

He recovered well, calling a myriad of strokes to ensure we bounced our way through a wild ride in an unconventional but successful line.

We arrived at the Irenabyss camp where we encountered a departing group of civilians, whom we became quietly competitive with for the remainder of the trip.

Day 3

We awoke to the startling sight of creek water within six inches of our elevated campsite, and rising fast. The river had risen several metres overnight and was at a level previously unknown to anyone present.

Fortunately, Josh had the foresight to move the equipment to higher ground during the night, else there might have been an unplanned diving activity to recover it.

With the river moving too fast to raft safely, we spent the day marvelling at our transformed surroundings and discovering new ways to prepare gourmet dishes in the field.

Day 4

With a day lost we were desperate to make up time as we sought to complete two days’ paddling in one. Ironically though, we spent much time back-paddling as we battled the fast-moving high water, which sought to propel us too quickly into danger zones.

We arrived at the thundering Corriscades campsite, the ever-present rumble reminding us that a challenging piece of water awaited us the next morning.

Day 5

Rising early, we were confronted with “the Great Ravine”. The chasm proved impassible to early explorers and brought an escalation of intensity to our trip.

Once entered, we were committed with no escape. A sudden increase in water, such as we had just witnessed, would prove extremely dangerous within this vulnerable stretch.

After lining one raft through a particularly daunting series of rapids, we decided to attempt to “shoot” them in the second raft.

We were making good progress when a slightly off approach, combined with uneven weighting, disposed of the occupants and inverted the raft. True to our drills, we each clung to our paddles and attempted to stay with the boat.

As we attempted to swim the raft into an eddie we had numbered off, it was discovered the fi fth man was absent. Maj Marcel Muller was taken for what he described as the “swim of his life”, as he was swept 80m downstream through unrelenting white water, losing a sandal along the way.

We recovered well and carried on, only to have the guides’ fears realised at the Thunder Rush rapids. The rapid was always too dangerous to run, but the usually passable portage route was well underwater.

Our prayers for rain had returned to haunt us as we accepted our fate and with trepidation, and set off on the higher portage.

The guidebook described the path as only slightly less dangerous than running the rapid, and it proved worthy of its reputation.

As we hauled 10-days worth of provisions, the defl ated rafts and a full toilet barrel up the cliffs, we were truly tested. It was an odd sight to watch men dressed in wet suits and buoyancy vests climbing rock faces, and many admitted later that it was as unnerving as anything experienced in the water. Back on the water, our intended campsite was unachievable, so we camped at Eagles Nest.

Day 6

After much consideration of the Cauldron rapid, it was decided that we would attempt the infamous “Wild Thing” manoeuvre, which involved sliding the raft sideways through crack in the rock and into the raging water below. As water gushed over us we received last minute instructions before our securing line was cut and we were propelled into the tumultuous rapid. We paddled wildly to avoid a large sloping wall to our front, which promised to fl ip the raft if our effort was found lacking.

People had died here in the past and the OIC watched from high above to coordinate the activity.

After a day of running some of the most thrilling rapids of the trip, we arrived at the serenity of Newlands Cascades.

Day 7

We enjoyed a programmed rest day; some wild eyes testified to excessive coffee consumption bred by free time, as we read books and watched in wonder as another group of civilians set a new bench mark for entertainment.

Ever the ambassadors, we generously granted a request from some civilians to use our toilet barrel, as their own was nearing capacity.

Day 8

Now on the slower Lower Franklin, we paddled strongly to maintain momentum. As the river became less technically demanding, we became more guarded to the hijinx of the other rafts, with discoveries of rocks instead of trail mix in the day bags not unknown.

We stopped to explore several deep cave systems, with Capt Harvey French returning covered head to toe in mud, proving he was just that little bit more inquisitive than the rest of us.

Day 9

As we joined the flat water of the Gordon River, we roped the two rafts together in tandem to reduce drag and boost morale.

A full day’s paddling in the “super raft” brought us to the spectacular St Johns Falls, where we were to be extracted by yacht.

As we pulled the boats onto the jetty, the most mischievous members were at last dealt their penance and promptly thrown into the chilly Gordon.

At dinner time we discovered we were not alone. An elderly American appeared and spoke of paddling solo down the lower Franklin on a Lilo and kayaking paddle. Whatever gets you going I guess.

Day 10

We returned to Hobart feeling accomplished but exhausted, and enjoyed a few well-earned beers as we reviewed some of the photos and video of the trip.

The Franklin River expedition is run annually by the AWWA and is open to all members of the Australian Defence Organisation who have joined the association.