Sicherheit beim Überqueren von Flüssen für Strecken und Lager in Neuseeland

Bewerten Sie es vor dem Betreten

Überprüfen Sie vor der Abreise die Wettervorhersage, den aktuellen Regen und Routenhinweise. Achten Sie auf steigendes oder verfärbtes Wasser, sich bewegende Trümmer, eine starke Strömung und keinen sicheren Ausgang.

Wenn der Fluss überschwemmt ist, warten Sie oder kehren Sie um. Gehen Sie nicht hinein, um die Tiefe zu testen, und überqueren Sie niemals die Grenze, nur weil eine andere Gruppe gestartet ist.

Setzen Sie Fachwissen ehrlich ein

Fähigkeiten zum Überqueren von Flüssen erfordern praktische Anleitung und ein gutes Urteilsvermögen in der Gruppe. Lösen Sie die Rucksackgurte dort, wo eine geschulte Anleitung dies empfiehlt, und vermeiden Sie es, sie auf eine Weise zu verbinden, die die Gruppe nicht geübt hat.

Wählen Sie Brücken oder markierte Alternativen, sofern verfügbar. Eine längere Route ist die richtige Route, wenn die Furt zweifelhaft ist.

Auch Fahrzeugfurten stellen eine Gefahr dar

Informieren Sie sich über die Watgrenzen des Herstellers und den Sperrstatus der Straßenbehörde. Wasser kann Auswaschungen verbergen und ein Fahrzeug in überraschend geringer Tiefe zur Seite schieben.

Fahren Sie niemals um ein Hochwasserschutzwerk herum. Parken Sie weit hinten, warten Sie auf die offizielle Wiedereröffnung und halten Sie genügend Lebensmittel und Treibstoff für die Verzögerung bereit.

River crossings kill trampers here every year

New Zealand rivers rise fast, run cold and carry more force than they appear to. Drowning during crossings has historically been common enough to be described as the New Zealand death, and almost all of it involves people who decided to cross when they should have waited.

The decision is the skill. Turning back or waiting is always available and always safe; the crossing is not. If there is any doubt, there is no doubt.

Reading whether it is crossable

Look for a wide, straight, shallow reach with an even bed and a safe run-out below rather than rapids, logjams or a deep pool. Discoloured water, debris moving downstream, a rumbling sound of boulders and water above knee height on the shortest party member are all reasons not to cross.

Never cross where you cannot see the bottom, and never immediately above a hazard. Rivers change with every flood, so a crossing point described in an old guide may no longer exist.

If you do cross

Undo the waist belt and chest strap on your pack so it can be shed, keep boots on for grip, and face upstream slightly while moving across and downstream at an angle. Move one foot at a time and keep both feet planted before shifting weight.

Cross as a linked group where possible, with the strongest members on the upstream and downstream ends, and move together. If someone is swept away, they should go feet first on their back and swim for the bank at an angle rather than fighting the current.

Wait it out

Most New Zealand rivers drop as quickly as they rise, frequently within hours of the rain stopping. Carrying an extra day of food turns a dangerous decision into an inconvenient wait, which is why the standard advice is to plan for one.

Tell someone your intentions before you go so an overdue party triggers a response, and carry a personal locator beacon on any route with crossings. Both are cheap compared with the alternative.

Alternatives to crossing

Check whether a bridge exists upstream or downstream before committing, because many tracks have one within a reasonable distance and the detour is almost always shorter than the consequences of getting a crossing wrong.

Many New Zealand backcountry routes are unbridged by design, and the route description usually says whether crossings are expected. Where it does, treat that as a requirement for the skills and the willingness to wait rather than as a passing note.

Waiting is the most underused option available. Most rivers here drop within hours of the rain stopping, and carrying an extra day of food converts a dangerous decision into an inconvenient afternoon.

Learning before you need it

River crossing is a taught skill and reading about it is not the same as having practised. Outdoor clubs, guiding companies and some DOC visitor centres run or can point you towards training, and it is worth doing before a trip with crossings on it.

If nobody in the party has crossed a river before, choose a route that does not require it. There are plenty of excellent multi-day walks in New Zealand with bridged crossings throughout.

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