Chasm Creek, Gentle Annie, NZ

Not a bad way to spend Christmas, I think. An hour or two before this picture was taken I took quite an eye-opening spill from my kayak trying to get through some challenging rapids. The water was really cold, the current too strong for me to swim to shore, so I was towed by my sweetheart and re-grouped. It was a class two, but the levels rise or lower depending on the ocean's tide, making for some interesting rapids. Well, I was sooo happy to be back in my kayak again, even if I was soaked and chilled to the bone. My technical clothes really paid off though, and I was warmed up as I got my arms pumping again.