Adrian Tregoning

Some Pictures on Change

Rapids can change due to flooding, gradual erosion or temporarily with a change in water levels. I find it pretty interesting to see the differences and have decided to put together a few photos just for the hell of it. Hopefully you’ll find them interesting.

The following three comparisons are all of the Tugela River in its upper section immediately downstream of the Royal Natal National Park. It portrays the difference between summer and winter. The water levels and vegetation are very different indeed.

Tugela River

Tugela River

Tugela River

The next six pictures are all of Fish Pond rapid on the Ash River. The photos were taken roughly 1 year apart and at virtually the same water levels. In the pictures from 31 July 2005, the water was flowing at about 20/21 m³/s and on 18 June 2006 at about 22/23 m³/s. For a trip report on the Ash river click here.

A general overview taken from the bridge.

The middle section looking upstream.

The slide going into the hole at the bottom.

The entry wave under the bridge.

The middle section looking downstream.

The bottom hole, it seems that the slide has formed a kind of a ‘hump’ just before the hole in the bottom picture.

The next picture is Long Drop rapid on the Umkomaas River in the Deepdale Gorge showing two radically different water levels. Unfortunately I don’t have the ideal photos showing the same rapid from the same angle but I have tried to make it easier to follow with the candy striped arrows.

The top photo is taken looking downstream at a low level (0.6/0.7m) and the bottom photo also at the same low level but looking upstream from next to the pourover. The middle photo is obviously at a much higher level (around 1.8m) and looking upstream.

I hope you enjoyed these little comparisons. I’ll be adding more when I have more to compare with.

BY: Adrian T.

Photography by: Adrian T.