Polela River
Polela River · kwazulu-natal
Grade
V
Length
23km
Duration
4 to 6 hours
Type
pool drop
About
A 23km technical pool-drop creek and significant Umzimkulu tributary, graded 3 to 5, taking 4 to 6 hours. Not dam-controlled, no permits. Put-in at the R617 bridge; take-out at the Umzimkulu confluence where the road approaches the river. Only suited to competent kayakers with proper scouting skills. Several waterfalls can be portaged easily, and can be run by experienced kayakers after thorough scouting. All rapids are runnable but some are very steep and tight. At medium to high levels a few playspots appear. Nasty pour-overs in some rapids must be avoided or precisely boofed.
Access
Put-in
Bridge where R617 crosses river
Take-out
Confluence with Umzimkulu, road comes close to river
Permits
None