Barn Dance: Riversdale

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BARN DANCE : RIVERSDAIE. Have you ever led a trip to Riversdale? If not, why not? For the second year running I found myself shepherding quite a crowd of club members onto the truck at 8.30 on an exceedingly dull Sat turday morning in February. Perhaps the weather had something to do with some folk being late - I often wonder why it is that so many people try so hard to be last. We eventually left Wellington at 9 a.m. and no sooner had. we picked up all the strays along the way than all the men*folk wanted to disembark.. never satisfied that's what some people are not - eh John? We arrived at Riversdale at 2 p.m. when everyone hastily made camp - but the wise ones (The Ima,Fether-Mary, hath, Betty and myself) acquired a hut complete with mattresses. As the last few miles of the truck trip always prove tedious and stuffy (to say the least) a jaunt a. long the beach took priority for some of us; upon arrival back at camp we found that (a) Kath and Ted had prepared the stew all ready to pop on nd (b) that some folk had been swimming - and as the weather was a trifle-chilly we concluded they were either very brave or downright crazy.

After quite a large dinner which included a rabbit (hare?) which - ete bagged upon his arrival and for which he almost got "pinched for poaching" we wandered off to tidy up for the dance. As usual there not enough "ladies" so even I got up and took part, however, I do not think Iwas the cause of anyone being permanently crippled, if so I have not heard yet. The dance was thoroughly enjoyed by all who took partand before we knew it "Auld Iang Syne" was upon us. Some of us took a stroll around to bid good-night to all the campers in the field and we saw a certain lad home to his tent. We watched as he stepped carefully over a sleeping form to disappear within. We turned to go - and loi - there he was in front of us - he had simply wal lkoa straight through the tent! (he still had to FINISH saying good night!) Kath and: I arose early next morning and dragged Trev out for a swim telling him the weather was almost sub-tropical. By the time we had reached the lagoon it felt like a nice morning in Winter - but our hardy Trev threw himself into the water insisting it was beautiful! It might have been but he was turning a delicate shade of blue and I resolved to slip away. However Pete had other ideas and I also took a hasty dip - I1 oh well"I said"it's very refreshing." Breakfast which was cooked on the stove in the kitchen of the Y.M.C.A.Hut (no fires being allowed outside) proved to be every man for himself and the devil take the hinmost. Should you chance to take your eyes off your pan or your billy it would mysteriously shift to the back of the stove in the twinkling of an eye. Les 'and I tried unsucessfully to boil eggs for half an hour and in the end resigned ourselves to hard-boi led eggs for lunch. The next item, not on the menu,was the catching of crayfish. We did not learn this simple art however, the reason being I' suppose because Phil threw the crayfish net out to sea - why I am not sure. After we had eaten up cvurything that anyone had brought we meandered back for.. lunch over the sand dunes. After lunch, strange as it may seem, everyone be came enegetic and began to tidy up. I can still see John Armstrong, balancing on a very insecure bit of swamp with a long pole endeavouring to craftily dispose of rubbish into a wee creek whilst the "mob" bombarded him with insults and things. Came time to go home, as home times do_but my decision, as leader, to leave at four oclock was not met with loud applause but the party was very good and all were ready for us to leave on time... but the best laid plans : you know. Unfortunately we came upon the scene of an accident - a car had run off the road and gone down a fairly steep bank, just this side of "aitoke Hill, and we found a large number of people just standing around waiting for the break down truck and the ambulance which had been sent for. The lads went down the bank to help, taking a blanket in which they brought up an invalid lady who was suffering from shock and they also assisted the other two members of the party back to the road. After a considerable wait we decided to take these folk on with us but met up with the ambulance and transferred the patient. We have since learnt that they made a donai tion to the Club in appreciation of our help and we thought it a very fine gesture. Our thanks to Ted Esler for his help with the Barn Dance and to the Ihsterton Y.M.C.A. for the use of the hall - unfortunately the restrictions are now becoming greater as regards camping and fires - Riversdale is not now the secluded beauty spot of s short time ago, Ellen -