Polela River
Polela River · kwazulu-natal
Grade
V
Length
23km
Duration
4 to 6 hours
Type
pool drop
About
23km technical pool-drop creek, major Umzimkulu tributary. Grade 3-5, 4-6 hours. Not dam-controlled, no permits. Put-in at the R617 bridge; take-out at the Umzimkulu confluence where the road approaches the river. Competent kayakers with scouting skills only. Several waterfalls portage easily, or can be run by experienced kayakers after thorough scouting. All rapids are runnable but some are very steep and tight. A few playspots appear at medium to high levels. 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
Recent sessions
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