River Rats (2014)

River Rats is the remarkable story surrounding Robert 'Baldy' Baldwin's long relationship with the Whanganui river. It depicts his life from early school days when he experienced his first trip on an old Hatrick riverboat, to his time spent canoeing down the river as a guide, the building of his two steel riverboats and his subsequent recovery from a stroke, aided and abetted by his wife Trixie. His stroke, happening just as his life long ambition of owning and operating a replica riverboat came to fruition, was ultimately overcome by his love of the river and his desire to share it with others in the boat he had recently built. The film includes additional input from other people who have had a long involvement with the Whanganui River and this is truly a story about modern day river rats.