Raiatea - Kayaking the Faaroa River

[Zukini]

Has anyone here ever done this excursion? I'm curious as to whether the kayaks used have backrests or not.  I like to kayak, but if the kayaks are sit-on-tops without backrests, I know my lower back will be very unhappy.

[Petoonya]

We had a sit-on-top with backrests.

[Zukini]

58 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

We had a sit-on-top with backrests.

 

Thank you!

[Folkfan13]

Did you enjoy this excursion?

[Zukini]

1 hour ago, Folkfan13 said:

Did you enjoy this excursion?

 

If you're asking me, I can't say.  That cruise was cancelled, so I never had the opportunity to that excursion. Petoonya may be able to shed some light on it, though.

[crilski]

We kayaked the Faaroa River in November - We booked through Le Taha'a Pearl Resorts.  If I knew how to post a photo, I'd show you what the kayaks look like.  There are no back rests.    We saw no other kayaks on the river - but there were some tourist boats - 

 

My lower back was a little unhappy.  My husband was more unhappy, because I was a terrible steerer!

 

[Zukini]

2 minutes ago, crilski said:

My lower back was a little unhappy.  My husband was more unhappy, because I was a terrible steerer!

 

 

I'm glad you posted that photo...that would be a hard "nope" from me.  I can kayak for a long time with a backrest, but I'd be in agony in ten minutes without one.  There's no way I'd be able to complete a tour on THAT kayak.

[crilski]

Oh wait - I did post a photo.  (I had to sign in first)  

 

Plus we kayaked upstream - got tight.  Then turned around - nicer going downstream.  But you can tell not swift at all.  Here we are in the trees . . .  were off to the side to let the boat coming at us room to pass.

[Petoonya]

Well.....WS had kayaks with backrests but that was a few years ago. So if I had a bad back I might not risk it. Or maybe not book till you get onboard and speak to the activities director. It may have changed. I kind of doubt it since Raiatea is so small and the big ships generally don't go there, but there could be more than one outfitter.

 

Quite honestly I thought the trip was just so, so. But I live in the Pacific NW where there is tons of kayaking so am a bit jaded.

 

Gosh Crilski. My husband is the same way when we kayak. I'm not a good steer person either and feel especially handicapped when I don't have my own kayak. Don't know what my husband is doing behind me. He generally does not yell. But freaks out when we kayak in the same boat.

Edited December 4, 2021 by Petoonya