Canoeing and Camping on the Rekifune River Down to the Ocean

Greg and Mari canoe the Rekifune River, famous for its clear water. They embark on a two-day trip down the river; aiming for the Pacific Ocean; rowing, camping and enjoying the beauty of nature.

Transcript

00:02

A Canadian canoe flows along the current.

00:06

It descends through a river, famous for its crystal-clear waters,

00:10

into the Pacific Ocean.

00:17

After a long, wild ride,

00:19

camping is a great way to unwind.

00:22

The murmur of the river, a soothing soundtrack at night.

00:27

Discover the wonders of nature by canoe

00:30

as we take a two-day paddling trip.

00:35

Wild Hokkaido!

00:42

The Hidaka Mountain Range stretches south from central Hokkaido.

00:49

Today our location is the Rekifune River,

00:52

which begins in these mountains and flows to the Pacific Ocean.

00:58

It's approximately 65 kilometers in length.

01:02

The river is renowned for its transparency.

01:11

Going down the river are Hokkaido residents and canoeing veterans

01:18

Greg Bruyere and his wife Mari.

01:25

The couple has spent over 10 years paddling the rivers in Hokkaido.

01:30

This is their fourth time on the Rekifune River.

01:35

It's... We're dealing with some low water here on the Rekifune today.

01:40

But the water is clear, so beautiful.

01:46

We haven't seen it this low in a while, so it should be an interesting run.

01:49

And, yeah, it's always beautiful. It's always different.

01:53

You never know what you're going to see, so.

01:56

I'm nervous.

02:00

This time, they'll start upstream and travel 35 kilometers downstream,

02:05

setting up to camp along the way.

02:08

On the first day, they'll aim for a campground at about 10 kilometers

02:12

from their starting point.

02:17

All right, let's go!

02:19

All right.

02:23

- Let's go.
- All right.

02:26

Welcome back to the Rekifune!

02:30

It's late May.

02:32

Surrounded by the bright green colors of spring,

02:35

their two-day canoe trip begins.

02:43

- So beautiful!
- Perfect.

02:45

Welcome to the canyon!

02:50

It's gorgeous!

02:53

Rekifune River's upstream section runs through a deep canyon.

03:04

It's gorgeous.

03:06

- Beautiful.
- Beautiful pools in here.

03:09

Like, look at this green pool.

03:11

It makes a perfect swimming pool.

03:15

Rekifune River is well known for its clear water.

03:24

It retains its clarity all the way downstream.

03:33

It's shallow here, too.

03:36

Today, the water level is unexpectedly low.

03:44

When water levels are low,

03:46

it becomes difficult to navigate through the jagged rocks.

03:55

The canoe can bump against the rocks more frequently

03:58

and be thrown off balance.

04:01

Greg and Mari take it slow,

04:03

seeking out sections with higher water levels.

04:09

You want to drop down the right side here, maybe?

04:11

Okay.

04:12

The right side looks more doable right now.

04:15

They keep to the right of the looming rocks.

04:20

Okay, give me a big draw.

04:22

And they're clear!

04:29

Next up, there are rocks on both sides.

04:38

Nice.

04:41

With precise decision making and synchronized paddle work,

04:45

they glide through the treacherous rocks one after another.

04:59

- Nice, Mari.
- Nice.

05:00

- Perfectly done.
- We made it!

05:08

They've finally reached one of their favorite spots.

05:12

The strong current is churning up the water.

05:21

They rush through it as they use their paddles to maneuver the canoe.

05:28

Just to the left of that rock.

05:31

We'll pull out at the eddy at the bottom and empty.

05:35

Overcoming the rapids is exhilarating,

05:39

and a moment they both look forward to.

05:42

There's another wave. Here we go!

05:53

Nice!

05:57

After savoring the thrill of the rough rapids,

06:01

they find a spot to rest by the river.

06:10

Now for the "SENSEI's TIP."

06:14

Let's see what items any canoer must have to enjoy safe river rafting.

06:22

Greg always has a whistle and a river knife attached to his life jacket,

06:27

essential equipment in case of unexpected emergencies.

06:32

In Hokkaido it's also important to take precautions against brown bears.

06:38

Next up is...

06:39

So, this is our very essential home-made bailing bucket.

06:45

It's just made from an old windshield washer fluid container.

06:52

Water in the canoe might cause it to tilt.

06:55

Be sure to bail out water frequently

06:58

to ensure a safe and fun canoeing trip.

07:06

Three hours have passed since they set off.

07:10

A red bridge has come into view.

07:13

Once they're past the bridge, they'll reach their campsite for today.

07:23

And we're almost at the campground.

07:40

Well, it's low. I wouldn't run it any lower than this.

07:45

But I guess the good thing about running low-water rivers is,

07:49

it's good for your skills.

07:50

So, avoiding rocks and looking for the deep channels, stuff like that.

07:56

It's good for your skills. So if you want to test your skills,

08:00

come on out.

08:06

Another attraction of the Rekifune River

08:09

is the campgrounds along the riverbank you can access by canoe.

08:14

Surrounded by the peace of nature, it's a great spot to rest.

08:25

Greg is in charge of dinner tonight.

08:29

Cheese.

08:30

Special burritos made with creamed vegetables.

08:35

Once prepped, they're easy to make.

08:37

They're not only delicious, they also pack a calorific punch.

08:46

Why don't you have that one?

08:47

- Thanks for making these. Let's eat.
- You're welcome. Let's eat.

09:03

It's delicious!

09:08

We asked the couple what their favorite part about paddling is.

09:15

I think that before I started canoeing,

09:20

I didn't realize how many beautiful places Hokkaido had.

09:24

There's a lot of scenery you can't see unless you're in the water.

09:30

It really surprised me.

09:35

I think, too, paddling always takes you to places

09:39

you would never go unless you're paddling.

09:43

We've seen so much of Hokkaido through paddling.

09:48

And like Mari said, it's something we can do together.

09:51

And...

09:56

it's a great sport.

10:06

It's day two.

10:09

It's hot.

10:11

Before they set off, Greg heads into the water.

10:19

In fact, the temperature has been climbing since morning.

10:22

The dip helps cool their bodies in the dry suits.

10:32

That feels nice!

10:37

It will also help to prevent heatstroke.

10:42

It's like I'm floating.

10:49

I'm getting in.

10:50

Once they've relaxed, it's time to depart.

10:57

- Day two, start! We're off!
- Day two.

11:02

See you at the Pacific.

11:05

They're about 25 kilometers from the ocean.

11:14

They will travel over twice the distance they covered on the first day

11:19

as they head for the Pacific Ocean.

11:27

The Rekifune River's transparent waters are beautiful.

11:32

Another place to enjoy the clear water downstream has appeared.

11:41

There's a nice deep pool here.

11:45

Wow, it's amazing!

11:48

It's super deep.

11:49

You can see right to the bottom.

11:53

In deeper sections of the river,

11:55

the water is a brilliant emerald green color.

12:04

The spellbound couple stops paddling.

12:07

It's a mysterious sight.

12:13

It's super deep.

12:18

They've been paddling for three hours since leaving the campground.

12:22

The ocean is right in front of them.

12:30

I can smell the ocean!

12:38

At last, the Pacific comes into view from their canoe.

12:46

There's the ocean. Wow.

12:51

The ocean!

12:57

Their two-day river trip is coming to an end.

13:12

The couple stops a few hundred meters from the mouth of the river.

13:22

They'll alight here and head for the coastline.

13:33

Here come the waves!

13:39

Be careful, Mari.

13:42

- Those are some big waves coming.
- It's scary!

13:54

It feels strange. We came to the ocean from a river.

14:00

Now, that's a big piece of water right there.

14:06

It was a long two days, but now that I see the ocean,

14:13

I've forgotten it all. It's breathtaking!

14:17

Well, it's always a great feeling to be able to paddle a river

14:20

all the way to the ocean.

14:23

And what a view.

14:25

I mean, it really makes you feel small.

14:28

It's a great feeling, a feeling of accomplishment.

14:33

We made it!

14:42

"Wild Hokkaido!" takes you on great activities

14:45

in the great outdoors of northern Japan.

14:48

Join us next time for another adventure.