Sheridan Creek

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Sheridan Creek. If you go up to Fields before breakfast on a beautiful sunny day there are many things that can happen to youo You can get hungry which is natural, tired which follows, sick which Hori dide or resigned which I did Which ever way you lood at it the scheme has its seamy side. It all started with the Trip Schedule Committee because someone put Rod in charge of five eager follorers for an Otaki Cottage - Main Range trip. But he soon fooled everyone - including hinself. The air smelled of lain but the wind was blowing steadily. Rodney is somewhat of a prophet and he propounded the great thesis that it would rot rain while it blew. Like many another he has no honour in his own day because the wea ther soon produced a good initation of a tropical downpour except that the wind blev and it was chilly. I believe we vere tne only people. who trooped into the Eorks without parkas : consequently we were very wet. We siept in the woolshed o with about fifty other two-legged animals and a great many multi-legged ones. I shall not describe the ceremony of te dropping of the tweeds - I am told some found it quite illuminating. Opposite us was Graham McCallum - and Henry Coventry of the T.T.C. also intent on a Main Range ard some Hutt Valley Club girls. In the morning Trev Jones of the H.V.T.C. offered brews and like a good H.V.T.C. member I shared it with my friends. The girls opposite no doubt believing us H.V.T.C. ratched us drink the tea, had a little themselves and then looked expectantly for breakfast. We had to admit then we were not Haitewaewae bound and at uri'suggestion we left for Field Hut rith only one slice of bread - Snor T's - inside us. It is important to remember vhose food we had at each stage. Eventually as most do who follor the Ficld Hut track we reached Field Hut only to find that Mac and Henry had not lit a fire, nor had they to all appearances had breakfast. But we succunbed and it was not until an hour and a half lator that we set out for West Peak, it was a lovely day. There was scarcly a cloud except to the South as we climbed Table Top. And then before us was the Southern Crossing delicately wreathed in mist. However we perserered and just off the top of West Peak by a rock and a tarn we lay down to cogitate. Firstly, it was nearly one o'clock, secondly the weai ther report had not been gond and thirdly - well thirdly we just had to organise the Club. About ail hour later, cold fnom the fresh Southorly wind we re - climbed West Peak and as Rod ran off to Fields with indecent haste we collapsed in the sun just below the top out of the wind and stayed there for some time just looking and talking. The Main Range certainly looks delightful from West Peak and we had a view of all tne Nortnern's as well tastefully displayed in different shades of grey, blue and gold. And so back to Field's. While we waited for someone to get hungry and cook tea we did some physical exercises, de-branched dead trees, discussed some of the fine points of the can-can and the number of crumbs about the hut left by our leader. We now understood the indecent haste afore mentioned. We also entertained George Thompson and a H.V.T.C. member and finally said hulloa to two chaps who : described the Club's members in glowing terms. Ve didnit like to embarrass them so hid our club badges and insiste thet other Clubs in Tellington have trampers too! Next morning wbs - Sunday and the thought of going back to the Cottage via Judd Ridge vas nauseating. So instead re valked out of the door - and into Sheriden's creek. This - on the map - is an innocent looking stream. In actual fact it is quite exciting in a dark and dreary sort of V ay. First of all you bush push into it and then for hours you boulder hop, sidle rater falls, and if you are a pessimist, finally Svim. Hori was an optimist and he ralked through the last gorge pool finding it only up to his shoulders. Bill f 11 in, and began to ddg-paddle but found he was still valking on the bottom. There is not much view. un your left is the Rae Ridge - very close. Un your rignt is Judd hidge - very close. Above you is bush - very close. Below you 1S water, or log jemb, or waterfall, or boulders for nopping, also very close. Hori tried to sprain his ankle but Rodney the Leader said "On" and Hori took up his pack a nd walked. It took us about four hours to the end of the road up from the Cottage. The best that can be said for Sheridan creek is that it is a different way of going out from Field's. But L do not recommend it. It is not big enough to say it has gorges but it could easily be described as one long gorge. Otherwise the map is reasonably accurate. Trip - Wes Secker, Snow Williams, Bill Rice, Hori Hall,(A.C.G. to you) Rod Milne (Lerder ) and Me. P.S. Incidentally, Mac and Henry went from the Cottage to lactewaewae on Saturday via the Main Range. Fho said the good old days are gone! And incidentelly ve got into Rodney's pack in the truck or the vay home, and ate the food he had saving up for another trip!! Vot a leader!! beogers Butch.