Jetboats and a Carton of Beer

What more does a man need for a good day out? This is the secondary stream of the Rakaia River at the Gorge. Last time I was here I could walk from the distant shore to where the boats are moored, and the water was peacock blue. The main stream today was very swift and just as milky.


Today was a public holiday in Canterbury, to commemorate the lives lost in the earthquake. There was a big service in Christchurch attended by many thousands, along with Prince William, the Governor General and the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand. It was a chance for Christchurch people to grieve for loved ones and friends, for their city and homes and all that they have lost.

My son and I went for a drive to the the Rakaia River. I'd set my phone alarm, and at 2.51 pm we stopped for two minutes silence. The place was far from the busy world, overlooking farmland. There was just birdsong and a gentle roar of wind in the treetops.