Kāpiti Island

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KAPITI ISLAND. Februal ry 11/12th. Ten people; Mike Reddington, Rod Milne, Stan Potter, Albert Turney, Ian Hindmarsh, Jeff (Fisherman) Snith, Dallas Doran, Pam Skélton, Joan Ritchie and lerry Moore (Leader); gathered at the Railway Station on the Saturday morning to catch the 8.13 multiple unit to Paremata. Vith conversation centring a little on sea-sickness and kindred ills we made Parema ta and strolled along the road to the Boat Sheds to be greeted by the sight of a truly wonderful launch - the Regina. On board and 5 minutes after our arrival we were off down the Paremata Harbour. The weather was not of the best with plenty of low cloud and some light rain cloud round the hills and from a distance we couldn't even see Kapiti, The trip over was calm - for which the Leader for one was thankful - andon the way we were amused by watching Seagulls, Muttonbirds, Terns and Porpoises disporting themselves around the launch. The trip was made at a spoed of 11 - 12 knots and after two hours ve made our landfall off Mr. Webber's property. On Suore and with no one about Lunch was decided on for a preliminary. After lunch the party split up. Four went off fishing, four went up valley and Joan and I started round the coast towards the Caretaker's home. We didn't get very far through a combination of wet sandshoes and slabby rocks and about 4.30 came back and went up valley where we found the usual camping site. Some of the others were back by the time we had pitched our tent so we gave them directions to find the site then vaited for the rest. Tents pitched, cooking and Weka chasing kept us busy until the various odds and cnds of meals were ready. After eating we went down to Mr. Webber's house to tell him we had arrived and then back to campo Half the crew wanted to do something crazy but none of them seemed keen on pulling the bull's tail so in the end we just lit a camp fire. After a little effort it went well and we had just settled down to start singing when - whoosh - down came the rain, just like that. Two ninutes later the camp fire was doused and everyone in their tents for the night - despite all the efforts of the Vekas to lure us out to chase them. Incidentally Dallas had spent a lot of time before in building herself a nice cosy bivvy but as soon as itrrained she scorned it for a tent. Dawn broke - no one woke. About 9aomo Jeff and Stan went off fishing; Pam, Mike and Rod having evidently exhausted their vocabulories about the ones that got away the previous day. The rest ate breakfast and arose at all sorts of odd hours, photographed Wekas, did this and that, photoeraphed Wekas, had an odd wrestling match or two and photographed Wekas. Lunch' was over about 1.30 and soon after camp was finally broken and everyone headed for the beach. Five hardy types went swinning - if you can call trying to avoid seaweed swimning I but didn't stay in very long. We a were all gathered ready for the launch at 3pomo I but no launch. After. some. time wè were almost going to run a sweep on the reason for its non-appeerance but got too lazy to carry the scheme through. At làst at 4.30 the launch appeared. Mro McManaway was very apologetic (seemed strange after sone of our truck drivers!) He had been down the Sounds in the.r morning and.had engine trouble. Le were actually very glad to get off as we could see only too clearly an awful lot of bad weat ther bearing down on us much too fast for our peace of mind. The trip back was a lot rougher than that on the way over. Certainly Mr. McMenaway didn't reckon it 1 as rough - but then I'n not a sailor and it was rough enough for me. All the way across the sea was strewn with big hunks of drift wood which seened to indicate a largish storm the previous night and one big patch of large seaweed we had gone through on the way over had disappeared completely. About half way across the rains came and we all gathered in the cabin to watch Pam's hat parade with appropriate facial expressions = ugh! At the Parenata Harbour entrance we found that te were almost out of gas so that speed for the rest of the trip Was cut down to a steady chug-chug-chug. Jeff didn't nind though as he brought his rod out ogain and started fishing. He finished up by hooking a Kawhai-and after playing it up to the launch lost it as he tried to pull it on board. Pity! Paremata at last with no prospect of trains for some time so we were very glad to get a lift in a small truck which took us all the way to Wellington. Thanks gang - it was a good weekend. Terry.