Only six kilometers southeast of Cambridge, on the Waikato River, is Lake Karapiro, New Zealand‘s top rowing location. If you want to visit this stunning lake, don’t miss our article because we will show you all about it.
1. The meaning of Lake Karapiro in Maori
Near where Lake Karapiro is now, Te Ihingarangi constructed Te Tiki o Ihingarangi, a fortification (fortified settlement).
In a conflict that took place in Taumatawīwī, two kilometers south of Karapiro Domain, in 1830, Ngāti Hauā defeated Ngāti Maru. The location became known as Karāpiro after the Maori terms “karā,” meaning “basaltic stone,” and “piro,” meaning “foul-smelling,” was used to describe the location when the Ngāti Hauā chief Te Waharoa ordered that his dead warriors be incinerated.
Additionally, this took place on rocks next to the Waikato River. When the lake was formed, the area was flooded. As the lake formed, the 10-megawatt Horahora Power Station, 13 kilometers upstream of the Karapiro Dam, was also submerged.
2. History of the lake
The Karapiro Dam project started in 1940, but because of labor and material shortages brought on by World War II, progress was sluggish. Early 1947 saw the dam’s completion, four years later than expected. The filling of Lake Karapiro had to be planned to minimize the time between Horahora’s decommissioning and Karapiro’s commissioning because of the post-war electrical constraints.
On April 4, 1947, the lake level reached Horahora, at which point Horahora ceased to produce and was buried. Besides, on April 10, 1947, the lake had accumulated to the point that it could be used to power the first turbine generator in Karapiro.
3. It is the best rowing place in New Zealand
The lake, regarded as one of New Zealand’s top rowing locations, held the 1950 British Empire Games’ rowing competitions as well as the World Rowing Championships in 1978 and 2010. In 1949, the lake hosted the inaugural Dominion Championships, the country’s premier rowing competition.
Since the 1980s, Lake Karapiro has alternated hosting the New Zealand national rowing championships and the New Zealand secondary school rowing championships with Lake Ruataniwha on the South Island (Maadi Cup). Most of the rowers who practice on the lake reside in nearby Cambridge.
Besides, after visiting the lake in March 2006, an inspection panel from the International Rowing Federation wrote in its report that it was one of the world’s finest courses they had ever seen and that the lake was among the most beautiful in the world.
The 2010 Rowing World Championships were also held at the lake. Prior to the occasion, the purpose-built Sir Don Rowlands Centre was finished in June 2010.
4. Can you swim at Lake Karapiro?
Summertime activities at the lake include swimming, water skiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, and rowing. Samples of cyanobacteria are also collected when swimming is allowed.
You must use good judgment before entering the water:
- Even at locations with typically good water quality, wait at least two to three days before swimming after a significant or protracted downpour.
- Besides, if the water is muddy or has a bad smell, avoid swimming.
5. Walk around the lake
The area around Lake Karapiro is ideal for outdoor activities like trekking, tramping, hiking, and guided tours. There are both short and long walking trails. They could also be private guided walking excursions or public walking routes.
So, put on your hiking boots and explore the tramping trails that circle Lake Karapiro for a more challenging activity. Whatever you decide, taking a stroll around Lake Karapiro is a great opportunity to take in the scenery, the natural world, and other attractions.
