-Coming soon to DVD - 'REALM' April 2010

Hey there everyone! So another year has passed and its time to get into the next chapter of Southern Underground Production life! Over 2009 the film crew followed 4 kiwi mates around the world through the seasons they love and shares with you how each of them lives throughout these seasons. It follows Lou Urwin and Josh Neilson as the Northern Hemisphere spring kicks off exploring new rivers up in Quebec in Eastern Canada. While they were here Sam Sutton and Mike Dawson were preparing for the Northern race season which kicked off in Vail, Colorado for Teva Mountain Games where Mike took the grand prize!
After that we all headed to Ivrea, Italy for Teva Outdoor Extreme Games with more wins for the SUP Crew and NZ taking out the World Extreme team Champs!
Some of the crew parted ways here and Sam and Josh Headed to Norway for Voss Extreme week where we raced, partied and ran some sweet rivers (seen in cover shot for 'Realm' - Sam Sutton Double Drop). While we were up there Lou Urwin was back in Canada surfing the big waves of the Ottawa followed by a trip West to run drops in British Columbia and Mike was in training again for the Sickline World Extreme Champs in Austria! After Norway Sam also Returned home to train and Josh headed out to Africa to surf the big waves on the White Nile and document his part that Southern Underground Productions has in raising money for Soft Power Health Clinic on the banks of the Nile.
Now the whole crew is back in New Zealand running the clean clear waters and big drops that we call home! Already firing up Tree Trunk Gorge, Aratiatia, the lower Kaituna gorges and Huka Falls at some ridiculous flows! So this is what you can expect to see in SUP's new Film 'Realm' coming soon in March/April 2010!


Thanks Very much to Everyone who has made this film possible!!!

Bliss-Stick Kayaks
Keen Footwear
Smith Optics
Canoe and Kayak NZ
KAYAK Magazine
Snap Dragon Designs
Skull Candy
Hydraulics
And many more amazing people!

Uganda

Ever since I was a little paddling grommet I have always looked at images from the White Nile and dreamed.... one day, when I grow up I want to go to Africa and paddle on the Nile... surf big waves and get trashed in big holes.




My last big mission of 2009 took me to the Dark Continent. With six weeks until I was due to start work in Murchison (NZ) I flew back to NZ, said gidday to Mum and picked up my brand new Bliss-Stick Smoothy care of the boys at.. you guessed it, Bliss-stick. With only a few days in NZ it was just enough time to really mess with my body clock before I headed out to Uganda.

It's like a cat only bigger

48 hours of travel (22 in Jo'Berg airport) had me standing outside Entebbe Airport in the dark looking for my driver... Robert. Funny thing is, none of the 50 men standing in front of me looked like a 'Robert'. After some broken English and a few dodgy conversations I was whisked to the car park to our waiting car. Robert gave me my first introduction to African 'innovation'. He placed some cardboard (African roof rack) on the roof of his Toyota pulled out some string, tied down my shinny new Smoothy and we were 'good to go'.

T.I.A

keeping it rural

rush hour traffic again! what a chore

3 short hours and 1475 pot holes later we pulled into my new home away from home, Nile River Explorers (NRE). No sooner had I stepped from the car, Josh Neilson and Bernard Oliver thrust funnel (beer bong) into my weary hands and said "welcome to Uganda".

Big Sky Country

Dropping Murch Falls
photo: Josh Neilson

The Nile River the world's longest at 6,695 kilometers long (the Waikato is 425km long). Due the dam being built at 'Silver Back', the Nile was kept at a relatively low 700 cumecs (the Waikato usually runs around 250 cumecs). Most of the paddling is done in the top 45km's as the Nile leaves Lake Victoria. Here the river is broken down into two different sections. NRE is situated over looking the river about 5km down on the 1st section which is referred to as the day one section.




Life in Africa is very simple and runs at a pretty mellow pace...unless you're near the NRE bar.

Most days consisted of being woken too early by the screaming village children that lived on the other side of the fence (seriously, they got going at 6am most days). Cooking for yourself is almost illegal in Africa so you'd stroll across the road to one of the many chapati stands (fried flat bread with your choice or fillings) and would cost you a whopping 700 shillings or about 50cents kiwi. From there it was back to NRE to re-live the night before (especially if Timmy Flowers or Fraggile had been in town).

Eden Sinclair getting some local beta @ Itanda Falls


Josh Neilson working on more frequent flier miles

The original Commercial Hotel

After that the big decision needed to be made. Where shall we paddle today. Most of the time we would opt for the Silver Back run from the NRE base down to a take out just below the infamous Silver Back rapid 5km down stream. If you were feeling a little more energetic then you would join the raft trip and head downstream about 25km to Itanda Rapid.

African fashion. Move over Trinny and Susan. Introducing Berno and Josh

Ummm, you had to be there.

If you chose to run Silver Back then it was time to tag into the local transport option. Boda boda (100cc motorbike). Another trip back to the gate (NRE is like a poor man's gated community Africa style) and about 25 guys on motor bikes would rush you vying for your custom. Every day they pretty much would run you over trying to get your precious shillings. A time would be made to meet at the take out and then it was time to go kayaking.

Paddling on the Nile feels likes paddling in a more pure form. This is because you don't have all the extra gear you would normally. No, thermals, no dry tops, no booties and not even a throw bag. Its almost too simple. The water on the Nile is pretty much the ideal temperature. Never to cold, never to warm it always seemed to be perfect.

Front surfing in the Smoothy is harder than it looks

Nile Special. Yes!

This trip was my first opportunity to paddle the Bliss-stick Smoothy and I seriously recommend it to anyone looking at getting a new play boat. It was the ideal size for me because it linked in between the RAD 180 and the RAD 185. Fast, predictable and possibly even more comfy than my Mystic.. Believe it! I don't normally do gear plugs but I do fully rate the Smoothy if you're into that play boating stuff check one out...

Due to the size of the river there were often several channels running around various islands offering a variety of paddling options. Even at the restricted flow the White Nile is still BIG!

Silver Back rapid would have to be one of my favourite rapids on the run. Big flow and and a small gap make for good times and plenty of upside down time.

Kalagala Falls vs Me
photo: Josh Neilson

Another favourite would have to be Itanda Falls. It would have to be the biggest rapid I have ever seen.

Itanda Falls. BIG!

Possibly the biggest highlight of my travels to date was a trip in Murchison Falls National Park. Amazing! The wildlife there is unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life. As odd as it sounds, we were in our very own national geographic feature. If its not on your 'to do' list then get it in there at number 1! I don't recall being that excited and amazed since I was about five... for real!

We opted for the self drive option (with a driver, go figure) and spent three days in the park. As far as $ goes in Africa it is expensive but in the bigger picture it is cheap as chips and money worth spending. We camped a night out in the delta under the amazing African sky with Lions, Elephant and giraffe as our temporary room mates. Priceless as!

Bush Pimp!

Dave

Murchison Falls. 700 cumecs squeezing through a 4m gap. Impressive

Peek-a-boo guess who?
photo: Josh Neilson

Taxi!

Living at NRE proved to be the most dangerous part of live in Africa. Camping only 30m from a bar that is open 7 days a week is hazardous to one's health. Especially with the team we had there. Timmy Flower's, Fraggile, Berno Oliver, Jesse James, Josh Neilson, Kirk Hollis, Davey O'hare and JACK are all people to watch out for if your body is a temple. You will be corrupted.

Five weeks in Uganda sounds like a long time but in all honesty it is barely enough. I'll be back!

Dehydration is a major problem in Uganda. If you're thirsty you stupid

African Nasty. Jigger eggs

Enough said

Rikki Johnson and Brian Frogatt take on the English Channel

Here at Hydraulics we strive to bring you the best products we can and also help out on the best adventures where we can too. Recently we have teamed up with Rikki Johnson and Brian Frogatt on their quest to kayak from Paris to London. 10 years ago Rikki lost his arm in a car crash and thought his kayaking days were over. Since the crash Rikki has been the first disabled person to kayak across the Cook Straight and a year later he crossed Foveaux Strait and has also circumnavigated Raoul Island.
They will begin on the River Seine in Paris and make his way up the coast of France, cross the English Channel, then paddle up the Thames, finishing under Tower Bridge in London. They will travel between 30 kilometers and 50km a day and will not leave the kayak a slightly modified Kevlar Tasman Express model so they can sleep lying down tying it to the support boat, carrying three crew, at nights. They hope to fundraise to pay costs in excess of $38,000, and is setting up a website connected to a satellite link on the kayak so supporters can follow their every stroke.
Joining Rikki on this trip is Brian Frogatt. Brian, also from New Zealand will be out there on the water the whole way. Brian competed in the 1980 paralympics in Long jump, High Jump, Pentathlon and Javelin, has run the New York City Marathon in 1985 and 1986 setting world best times for above knee amputee both years and still holds the world best time at 4hours 50 minutes and 49seconds! These are among a few of Brian's amazing achievements over the years!

Rikki and Brian will be out there in our Hydraulics Ocean Pro PFD and we wish him all the best on this amazing adventure! keep an eye out back here for updates as they come in!
GOOD LUCK GUYS!!!

Josh Neilson's 'REALM' coming soon!!

-Coming soon to DVD - 'REALM' April 2010

Hey there everyone! So another year has passed and its time to get into the next chapter of Southern Underground Production life! Over 2009 the film crew followed 4 kiwi mates around the world through the seasons they love and shares with you how each of them lives throughout these seasons. It follows Lou Urwin and Josh Neilson as the Northern Hemisphere spring kicks off exploring new rivers up in Quebec in Eastern Canada. While they were here Sam Sutton and Mike Dawson were preparing for the Northern race season which kicked off in Vail, Colorado for Teva Mountain Games where Mike took the grand prize!
After that we all headed to Ivrea, Italy for Teva Outdoor Extreme Games with more wins for the SUP Crew and NZ taking out the World Extreme team Champs!
Some of the crew parted ways here and Sam and Josh Headed to Norway for Voss Extreme week where we raced, partied and ran some sweet rivers (seen in cover shot for 'Realm' - Sam Sutton Double Drop). While we were up there Lou Urwin was back in Canada surfing the big waves of the Ottawa followed by a trip West to run drops in British Columbia and Mike was in training again for the Sickline World Extreme Champs in Austria! After Norway Sam also Returned home to train and Josh headed out to Africa to surf the big waves on the White Nile and document his part that Southern Underground Productions has in raising money for Soft Power Health Clinic on the banks of the Nile.
Now the whole crew is back in New Zealand running the clean clear waters and big drops that we call home! Already firing up Tree Trunk Gorge, Aratiatia, the lower kaituna gorges and Huka Falls at some ridiculous flows! So this is what you can expect to see in SUP's new Film 'Realm' coming soon in March/April 2010!
Thanks Very much to Everyone who has made this film possible!!!
Bliss-Stick Kayaks
Keen Footwear
Smith Optics
Canoe and Kayak NZ
KAYAK Magazine
Snap Dragon Designs
Skull Candy
Hydraulics
And Many more amazing people!

Tree Trunk Gorge

-In the car park gearing up - Photo Josh Neilson

Almost 2 years to the day from my last mission to Tree Trunk I found myself standing on the bridge again scouting the lines! This time we had a team of 6 keen to fire it up! As this is such a sick place for footage and photos and a pretty difficult place to run safety we decided to split into two groups and 3 go first and the others runs saftey and media and then swap round.

-Setting up safety in the gorge - Photo Will Martin

Once we had scouted from every possible angle Brendan, Trent and I geared up and headed to the top. With the flows looking rather burely B and I opted for the seal launch entry while Trent ran the guts. Ask him about how this went down...!

-Trent Garnham firing up the crux - Photo Will Martin

-Brendan Bayly going first on the biggy - Photo Tyler Fox

At the top on the big one we circled round a few times before B rolled off the drop..... Boom....."yeaaaahhhooooo" (muffled by the sound of rushing water) and we guess he made it good!

-Trent following suit - Photo Tyler Fox

Next up was Trent... BOOM(even bigger sound)... and another cheer which signaled my time to roll of the sweetest lip into the canyon. about 30ft of freefall then a 10ft reconnection and into the pool!

-Josh Neilson rolling off the big one, with the coolest view! - Photo Will Martin

-Josh from above - Photo Tyler Fox

In the middle of it we re gathered and Safety and photos moved down to the next drop for us. As the light came out it lit up the last drop perfectly as B boofed off (if you want to see the shot of this you will have to ask Tyler really nicely or keep a look out in the Mags as it was the shot of the day!), Another cheer from below and Trent and I followed suit till we were making our way out of the slot canyon in one piece! Stoked to have made it through again!
-Josh getting air on the bottom drop of the gorge - Photo Tyler Fox


With a bit of bush bashing we made it back to the car to fire up the next group and get in place for safety and footage. Sophie opted to coordinate the safety side of things in the gorge and due to a recent broken back Ryan was behind the lens. Soph tied Ryan and I in and we hung off to gorge wall to get in position for shots while the others set up above. With a quick game of paper, scissors, rock deciding that Tyler would go first we gave the signal and he was off. In the same fashion as our run Tyler, Sanga and Wils all had sweet runs and made it out!

-Will taking the sickest line of the day - Photo Ryan Lucas

-Wils with a hole in the chin! The best type of battle scars! - Photo Josh Neilson

Unfortunalty somewhere in Wills perfect line off the big one he managed to connect with his paddle and come out with a hole in his chin!
So with everyone back in the carpark safe and excited we peered over the shots from the day and shared all the stories of epic landings and airborne time in the gorge. With the gear loaded ther was just one last thing to do... in true athlete form we headed to Turangi Burger King to re-fuel the bodies before we went our separate ways for a bit. I am back in the bay for a few days, B and Soph headed South for a few days and the rest of the crew headed back to Okawa Bay for some more Kaituna action. Cheers everyone for a super sick day! Keen to hit it up again next week!
Chur!

P.s Footage from this, Aratiatia and the rest of the world trip this year coming soon...