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.
A Canadian canoe flows along the current.
It descends through a river, famous for its crystal-clear waters,
into the Pacific Ocean.
After a long, wild ride,
camping is a great way to unwind.
The murmur of the river, a soothing soundtrack at night.
Discover the wonders of nature by canoe
as we take a two-day paddling trip.
Wild Hokkaido!
The Hidaka Mountain Range stretches south from central Hokkaido.
Today our location is the Rekifune River,
which begins in these mountains and flows to the Pacific Ocean.
It's approximately 65 kilometers in length.
The river is renowned for its transparency.
Going down the river are Hokkaido residents and canoeing veterans
Greg Bruyere and his wife Mari.
The couple has spent over 10 years paddling the rivers in Hokkaido.
This is their fourth time on the Rekifune River.
It's... We're dealing with some low water here on the Rekifune today.
But the water is clear, so beautiful.
We haven't seen it this low in a while, so it should be an interesting run.
And, yeah, it's always beautiful. It's always different.
You never know what you're going to see, so.
I'm nervous.
This time, they'll start upstream and travel 35 kilometers downstream,
setting up to camp along the way.
On the first day, they'll aim for a campground at about 10 kilometers
from their starting point.
All right, let's go!
All right.
- Let's go.
- All right.
Welcome back to the Rekifune!
It's late May.
Surrounded by the bright green colors of spring,
their two-day canoe trip begins.
- So beautiful!
- Perfect.
Welcome to the canyon!
It's gorgeous!
Rekifune River's upstream section runs through a deep canyon.
It's gorgeous.
- Beautiful.
- Beautiful pools in here.
Like, look at this green pool.
It makes a perfect swimming pool.
Rekifune River is well known for its clear water.
It retains its clarity all the way downstream.
It's shallow here, too.
Today, the water level is unexpectedly low.
When water levels are low,
it becomes difficult to navigate through the jagged rocks.
The canoe can bump against the rocks more frequently
and be thrown off balance.
Greg and Mari take it slow,
seeking out sections with higher water levels.
You want to drop down the right side here, maybe?
Okay.
The right side looks more doable right now.
They keep to the right of the looming rocks.
Okay, give me a big draw.
And they're clear!
Next up, there are rocks on both sides.
Nice.
With precise decision making and synchronized paddle work,
they glide through the treacherous rocks one after another.
- Nice, Mari.
- Nice.
- Perfectly done.
- We made it!
They've finally reached one of their favorite spots.
The strong current is churning up the water.
They rush through it as they use their paddles to maneuver the canoe.
Just to the left of that rock.
We'll pull out at the eddy at the bottom and empty.
Overcoming the rapids is exhilarating,
and a moment they both look forward to.
There's another wave. Here we go!
Nice!
After savoring the thrill of the rough rapids,
they find a spot to rest by the river.
Now for the "SENSEI's TIP."
Let's see what items any canoer must have to enjoy safe river rafting.
Greg always has a whistle and a river knife attached to his life jacket,
essential equipment in case of unexpected emergencies.
In Hokkaido it's also important to take precautions against brown bears.
Next up is...
So, this is our very essential home-made bailing bucket.
It's just made from an old windshield washer fluid container.
Water in the canoe might cause it to tilt.
Be sure to bail out water frequently
to ensure a safe and fun canoeing trip.
Three hours have passed since they set off.
A red bridge has come into view.
Once they're past the bridge, they'll reach their campsite for today.
And we're almost at the campground.
Well, it's low. I wouldn't run it any lower than this.
But I guess the good thing about running low-water rivers is,
it's good for your skills.
So, avoiding rocks and looking for the deep channels, stuff like that.
It's good for your skills. So if you want to test your skills,
come on out.
Another attraction of the Rekifune River
is the campgrounds along the riverbank you can access by canoe.
Surrounded by the peace of nature, it's a great spot to rest.
Greg is in charge of dinner tonight.
Cheese.
Special burritos made with creamed vegetables.
Once prepped, they're easy to make.
They're not only delicious, they also pack a calorific punch.
Why don't you have that one?
- Thanks for making these. Let's eat.
- You're welcome. Let's eat.
It's delicious!
We asked the couple what their favorite part about paddling is.
I think that before I started canoeing,
I didn't realize how many beautiful places Hokkaido had.
There's a lot of scenery you can't see unless you're in the water.
It really surprised me.
I think, too, paddling always takes you to places
you would never go unless you're paddling.
We've seen so much of Hokkaido through paddling.
And like Mari said, it's something we can do together.
And...
it's a great sport.
It's day two.
It's hot.
Before they set off, Greg heads into the water.
In fact, the temperature has been climbing since morning.
The dip helps cool their bodies in the dry suits.
That feels nice!
It will also help to prevent heatstroke.
It's like I'm floating.
I'm getting in.
Once they've relaxed, it's time to depart.
- Day two, start! We're off!
- Day two.
See you at the Pacific.
They're about 25 kilometers from the ocean.
They will travel over twice the distance they covered on the first day
as they head for the Pacific Ocean.
The Rekifune River's transparent waters are beautiful.
Another place to enjoy the clear water downstream has appeared.
There's a nice deep pool here.
Wow, it's amazing!
It's super deep.
You can see right to the bottom.
In deeper sections of the river,
the water is a brilliant emerald green color.
The spellbound couple stops paddling.
It's a mysterious sight.
It's super deep.
They've been paddling for three hours since leaving the campground.
The ocean is right in front of them.
I can smell the ocean!
At last, the Pacific comes into view from their canoe.
There's the ocean. Wow.
The ocean!
Their two-day river trip is coming to an end.
The couple stops a few hundred meters from the mouth of the river.
They'll alight here and head for the coastline.
Here come the waves!
Be careful, Mari.
- Those are some big waves coming.
- It's scary!
It feels strange. We came to the ocean from a river.
Now, that's a big piece of water right there.
It was a long two days, but now that I see the ocean,
I've forgotten it all. It's breathtaking!
Well, it's always a great feeling to be able to paddle a river
all the way to the ocean.
And what a view.
I mean, it really makes you feel small.
It's a great feeling, a feeling of accomplishment.
We made it!
"Wild Hokkaido!" takes you on great activities
in the great outdoors of northern Japan.
Join us next time for another adventure.