Whirlpools and eddies and rapids! Oh my.

I have seen the face of absurdity. And it looks like a me on a boogie board, going down the Roaring Meg rapids, a class III+ section of the Kawarau river (currently as warm as about 48-50 degrees).For those who might be unfamiliar with whitewater rapid classification (I'd assume pretty much everybody, myself included), this is from the international scale of river difficulty:

Grade III

A Grade III (Three) section will have numerous rapids, irregular waves and moderate drops, harder eddies that may recirculate and stoppers may form below drops and in waves. The river may have a broken flow that might not always present a clear course. Often these sections have a series of drops creating a steep overall gradient. On the whole, from-the-water inspection should be sufficient, although some harder parts may need inspection from the river bank.

Grade IV

A Grade IV (Four) section will feature long, difficult rapids with highly irregular waves, a steep gradient, a stepped profile with drops up to 3m in height, difficult eddys and whirlpools. The course of the river may be hard to recognize and powerful but predictable flows require precise handling, with a high risk to swimmers. Off-river inspection is highly advised, as is bank support for some features.

Eek.