Waitewaewae

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WAITEWAEWAE. February 25/27. Leader - Ellen Slattery. Much to our surprise (very pleasant indeed) the truck took us in to the old stopping place in the Gorge on Friday night. Sogafter a half hour's stroll instead of the expected hour we W ere comfortably settled in at the Cottage. Everyone was too lazy to go down to the river for weter so we hit the sack without a brew. (Obviously NO brewers present.) With the Otaki Gorge party awa.y early on Saturday morning the remainder of us took our timo over breakfast and finally headed away about 9 a.m. Tripping gaily along tho tram tracks ( and I mean tripping) we made fair time stopping every now and then to disengege our legs from large masses of foliage that seemed to have collectod. Someone called it hook grass - I have other nameso Past the funny old steam engine and the hook grass got thicker. Dowm to the stream and after jumping and paddling for a whilo some one suggested lunch. Selecting a nice open spot where the biddy-bids and hook grass were the least thick we brewed, rested and ate. After that it wasn't long before we had reached the top and down to the Otaki and the bivvy. Some of us tried swimming and after nearly freezing in a few minutes, congratulated ourselves on not being one of the Gorge party. It was beautiful in the sun though and we made the most of it on our little sandy beach by the big pool. Four of the boys had headed up on to Crawford a three intending to stay at the "Anderson High Level Memorial Hut" to give it its full name, overnight. Laurie returned about tea time and reported a perfect view from the tops. Sunday was as usual, a lazy day, and it was fairly late hefore we all got away. A liesurely trip out was very pleasant - and indeed very necessary in view of the heat. A swi m in the river at the Cottage and we were ready for the truck. But it was not to be as easy as that. A slight mishap had delayed theggorge party and when we finally left for home - three hours late late we left both the Gorgo party nnd five of our party behind just in case of accidents. The party turned up late that night and together with the "rescue party" came out on Monday. A feature of the trip was the number of newer members with us. It's very nice indeed to see all these new folk and we should make sure that we continue to run these pleasant easy weekend trips at intervals to give such people a happy introduction to tramping with the Club Party. L.Neilson.