Blue Duck Packrafting was started in 2018 by Hugh Canard
Hugh is a legend of Aotearoa's paddling scene. In 2022 he was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit for services to paddlesports and conservation.
In 2023 Hugh and Glenn sat down for a cup of tea and Hugh passed the reins over to Glenn.
Hugh is still involved in Blue Duck Packrafting - offering advice, assisting with packraft design improvements, offering advice on training courses and training instructors.
I've seen Whio chicks swim underwater through rapids in steep mountain rivers.
Glenn
Owner of Blue Duck Packrafting
Why Blue Duck?
The Blue Duck, or Whio, is an iconic symbol of Aotearoa's mountain rivers and features on the New Zealand $10 note..
The Whio is endemic to Aotearoa, and is nationally threatened; their numbers are threatened by habitat loss, predation (particularly from stoats), and the damming of rivers.
