Ōtaki River, Anniversary Weekend

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OTAKI RIVER Anniversary Weekend Well, once again I had let myself in Never be the sixth person to step on for one of those "hell" trips, in one of a tree trunk covered in undergrowth, my reckless moods. I put my name on I had the misfortune of being the sixth the Otaki River trip running Anniver- on this particular occasion, five others sary weekend. had trod in exactly the same spot, but when muggins put her dainty boot on it, Friday, 7.30 p.m. at the railway it collapsed and Isank in the understation I saw lots of new faces, this was growth up to my thigh!!! I'll be in debt quite the largest club party going out to Alfred for the rest of my life for for some time I gathered, someone had getting me down in one piece. Brian even brought new socks and boots for Devon must have got a bit impatient the occasion. I think, as he did a spectacular dive Well, from the top of a very 20ft. we all eventually arrived at waterfall. He made rather slippery a lot of noise Ohau Hut later that night (some of us coming down, but at least he was at the much later!) and enjoyed the usual chats bottom before anyone else. over a hot brew before settling down in a very full hut. Next morning found By the time we eventually reached the us all ready and eager to go. The river most of us were feeling pretty weather was already hot so nobody was tired sO we camped, and when stew was very anxious to rush madly along. We over we were ready to crawl into our passed several very nice waterholes and pits. everyone looked longingly, but nobody On Sunday we were up early and on made a move, sO we sweltered on until the move by six o'clock, heading for up came a beauty which couldn't be re- Waitewaewae. Most of the day was sisted. First one, then a few others, spent swimming in all the pools then along more, until just about all of us the way, and playing many games of were in the pool madly splashing 500 every time we stopped. Surprisaround and scrambling up. rocks to see ingly, we did get to Waitewaewae somewho could make the biggest splash. time that day, and camped out on the Then on again as far as the next water- flat as the hut was full. hole, and so on, jumping, splashing and diving in all the pools we came to Monday, homewards at last, the until we reached South Ohau Hut in weather seemed to be breaking up so time for lunch. we made pretty good time getting out. Of course there was still aways time for "Now it's time to leave the river bed the old game of 500 on the way. By to go up," said trip leader Mr. Quirke, the time we reached Otaki Forks we with a grin on his face. Up he said, he were preparing ourselves for a four-mile sure meant it, I don't mind tracks walk along the road to where the truck going up in the usual way, but this one was meeting us, but most of us were was damn near vertical. To get our fortunate in getting lifts from several own back on the trip leader for taking Sunday drivers. us up Yeates 500 we decided to have a On the truck at hate session, hate, hate, hate. Where is last, going home very that trip leader anyway? About time he tired, we all agreed we had had a most caught us up, I bet he has flaked enjoyable weekend despite all the further down, can't stand the pace, might groans. be his new boots giving him trouble!!!" -DOREEN DALEY. As if that wasn't bad enough, we learnt when we reached the top that we had to My companions on the trip were: drop down to the Otaki River via Dion Quirke (leader), Derek Finegan, Butcher's Saddle. Well there doesn't hap- Graham McCready, Henk Bertholet, pen to be a track down to the river, so Brian Devon, Shona Baker, Penny we were calmly told to bush bash our Rickard, Ursula Furkert, Coby Van way as best we could. We all gingerly Dusschoten. Mac Riding, Dave Capper, started downwards having great diffi- Kevin Harvey, John Patchett, Arthur culty in keeping the right way up. and Alfred.