Easter, 1967 - Nelson Lakes

Machine-read text (unproofread)

Read from the scans by software, so it contains mistakes. Typing it up properly would help blind readers: use Suggest an edit.

EASTER, 1967-NELSON LAKES The F.E. trip's major theme (1st varia- the fact that the gruel had been purtion) was established early in the piece chased at wholesale rates did nothing to when BREAD was mentioned by the diminish the outcry. trip leader. There were a number of disapproving voices when he explained The appearance of the launch took his plans for this commodity, but as no minds off this unfortunate swill and after one was prepared to accept responsi- rapid packing, in which the bread sufbility for taking over the necessary fered again, they gathered at the arrangements, he had his way. Fortunately, the captain of the jetty. craft The result was that each member of had the good sense to suggest that one the trip was given two whole whole- member of the party should sail with meal loaves to cram into their already him to help unload at the other end of bulging packs as they arrived at the the lake, there not being sufficient room Picton ferry on Thursday evening. for packs and all bods. The eldest member, ears still exceptionally sensitive The general scene at the wharf was from the bashing they had received the confused but in the end all embarked, night before, heard this first and was the only damage being to the bread firmly seated in the boat before the which was not only crammed into packs skipper's comment had been fully aphurriedly and roughly but also subse- preciated by the others-who walked quently sat upon, jumped upon, and round the lake. otherwise maltreated as the packs were thrown and thrust into somewhat At the top of the lake, the oldest cramped spaces. one, with no concern for his ageing At Picton, the minor theme (1st varia- bones, carried all eight packs, one by tion) emerged. It concerned the slow one (his own first, of course), through progress of the senior (in years) mem- the drizzle to the nearest hut and then ber who was the driver of the mini- built a fire and boiled a billy in time bus. This machine, while mechanically for the others to have a brew as they sound, had steering and bouncing and arrived. weight-distribution characteristics which confused the said driver more than a And now the second variation of little and this situation was not im- theme number two made a united approved by the comments of his pas- pearance-the slow rate of travel of sengers (bush-bikes, tortoises, hedge- the oldest member. The married memhogs, etc. being reputedly faster) or the ber, feeling somewhat uncertain of his rain falling outside, or the confused own fitness, accompanied him, and the babble of directions every time a side party left. Thanks to stops for clothing road or turning appeared. removal by the leader and his fitties, However, eventually the trip arrived the two slow ones ended in the leadat St. Arnaud safely sometime early on and promptly stopped to remove some the Friday morning and succeeded in of their woollies and also, explained in finding space in a hut for four hours' loud voices, to let the so-called fitties catch up. Off again, and this time, thanks sleep. to superior navigation through legs and Friday morning's dawn saw more swamps, the two slow ones again ledconfusion with those on the trip to be passed once more. Just before the variously cooking breakfast, packing, bridge over the Travers the whole party arranging things with the ranger, the came together for a rest-and all inlaunch owner, and the other trips. curred the leader's displeasure by broaching the biscuits with no regard And at this stage, the second varia- for rationing-the two slow ones were tion of the major theme was heard particularly unpopular because they clearly and loudly as it suddenly burst were also eating lollies without authorisaout with the first spoonfuls of what was tion-and their explanation that these masquerading as porridge. This was loud were a "private" supply did little to and forceful music with a vengence and molify the leader.

At Hopeless Creek, by unexplained ings were impressive when they could tactics, the slow ones arrived with the be glimpsed through the clouds, and life first echelon. The fire was shambolic was good. and gave rise to great rebuildings by the In the morning some brave soul attrip leader when he arrived. The old tacked the porridge and used the reone cut the bread meanwhile and, when sultant mess to shock the rest into wakeasked if a third slice could be con- fulness. Bacon fallowed, without eggs, sumed, explained at length, in a loud which half the trip had remembered to voice, that each person had two whole bring. wholemeal loaves, there were eight in Departure at 7.00 a.m. The sidle route the party, and therefore there was a was chosen and fifty yards from the hut total of sixteen whole wholemeal loaves. loud mutterings were heard as carefully As the trip was for four days, this dried socks were wetted in the Travers' meant a compulsory consumption of headwaters. An hour later the old one four whole wholemeal loaves per day joined the others on Travers Saddle if the trip was not to arrive back look- where he was wished a happy birthday ing like a bedraggled baker's shop. The and presented with an Easter egg. A trip leader vented his ire on the fire light fall of snow cut short the celebrawhile the others consumed much whole- tions and the party made rapid progress meal bread and distributed it piecemeal down to the Éast Sabine. At the bridge to others who had arrived. over the gorge a fitty, early across, gave The two slow ones, with great cun- vocal expression to his wonder at the ning, slunk off amid the general con- depth and instituted the refrain of the fusion of the billy boiling, being lifted trip-"Gee, isn't it D-E-E-P!" All, as off the fire, put back on, and a heated they crossed the bridge, gazed down and argument over tea, coffee, or milo. The repeated this response with due solemresult of this head start was that by the nity-and, with variations, on many time the fitties arrived at John Tait hut, other occasions. gasping with the exertion of trying to From here the fitties dashed off for catch up with the slow ones, the said Sabine Forks hut, the trip leader and slow ones had a brew waiting. married one following more sedately After the inevitable chatter and brew, and the old one bringing up the rear in four fitties left first to prepare Upper glorious isolation. Travers hut for the slow ones and to At Sabine Forks hut they met "Doc" lay claim to bunk space. The slow ones Cliff Dockery-a member of the club left next and, without any real inten- now resident in Nelson-who was with tion of doing so, set off in the general a predominantly female Nelson Trampdirection of Cupola Basin-to have a ing Club party. As' the trip leader only look at it, as they explained later. The allowed time for a quick lunch and no leader and his deputy left last. The more than three moans about the rain consequence of this was some confusion and hail showers, most of the conversawhen the six fittest met up, without any tion with Doc was about the local counof them having seen the slow ones on try and "the old days" in the Tararuas the way. These two, of course, as the -also, there was no time to discover gradient kept going up, decided not to the secret of how he had persuaded the look at Cupola Basin, returned to John girls to enthusiastically man the cross- Tait hut, and followed the others up the cut saw and axes! river-and the farther they went, the For the next leg of the slower they travelled as the gradient in- the West Sabine to Blue Lka,e journey-up a wildercreased. ness area-the hunters left first followed However, without actually using by the body of the party with the long torches, and before the fitties sent out one keeping the old one company at the a search party, they arrived at Upper rear. For a time the latter kept with the Travers hut to find, to their considerable main group but as the valley steepened satisfaction, that their state was a little they lost ground and arrived at Blue worse than that of the others on their Lake to find that the hunters were specks arrival. in the distance and the others had The hut was empty but for them, each chosen a camp site at the geometrically had a bunk, the stove was magnificent, determined point farthest from all and the stew well cooked. The surround- previous camp sites.

Despite apparent confusion, the camp The old one detailed his physical state was established and tea was cooked- and the imperative need to stay at the and the last hour of daylight was spent hut-when they reached it. The leader eating and admiring the scenery as the was not impressed-he even predicted a weather gradually improved. And sO to stumble, a moan about a blistered toe, a bed-and many furious comments from rest, comments about sore shoulders, the leader's tent mates who objected to and further pleadings for a night at the his need for MUCH space to play hut! The old one obliged, and in this patience-but eventually they all slept. manner they eventually arrived at the Sunday morning was magnificent and hut. the departure at 7.00 a.m. for Moss The old one collapsed and used all Pass was unwilling as all felt they could his powers of persuasion to convince easily have spent several more days in the others that they should stay. The the area. The climb to the pass was leader asked for a vote. Fortunately for completed with several variations of the old one, though the others were not route and at different speeds-the old impressed with his arguments, the sandone spending buite some time admiring flies were, and made a concerted attack the views which opened up as he climbed which swung the vote to a night in the -that's his story, anyway. relatively insect-free hut rather than a At the pass the old one received some camp. obscure form of baptism which he didn't The final indignity came when the appreciate, balanced as he was on top fitties, at last accepting the old one's an dtwo fingernails on the loose steep exhaustion, lifted him into his bunk! shingle of the gut which leads to the On Monday morning all slept in. pass. Breakfast was the final session and argu- At the top the wind was chilly but the ment on the porridge and bread, and trip leader insisted on a brew-this took then the shooters departed followed by time and when eventually it was made, the married one and old one, then the only four were left to drink it. fitties-the last two being the sleepers who hadn't got up till the last minute. However, all gathered together again At the bottom of the valley each at the start of the track down to the took a different route with the result pair D'Urville-a steep track but a quick that the married one and old one ardescent. At the river, in pleasant bush rived at the jetty first, followed the and warm sun, they had lunch-and the sleepers and then the other four by who old one doctored a newly discovered made a frantic dash round the lake blister. to arrive just after the launch which edge The next stop was to be Morgan hut had come half an hour early. -an easy, pleasant run down the valley Some had a quick wash and an abon an excellent track, the trip leader breviated swim and then on to the said, although he wasn't sure how far launch and out into the lake away from it was. the sandflies and wasps which inhabit The shooters and fitties took off- the area. the leader stayed with the married one And so to Rotoroa where the miniand old one for a while, but as com- bus was waiting-and home via Topments about the track and other pre- house, Picton and ferry. dictions became near to insulting, the A terrific trip in magnificent country leader travelled alone for a while. After completed thanks to the trip leader's about two hours the trio joined forces determination and refusal to listen to again for about one minute-the leader suggestions and pleadings that the trip left predicting the hut in five minutesshould stop half-way because of the the married one followed fast at the old weather on the first two days. ones request to counter the leader's But all are agreed that a more avowed intention of talking the rest of leisurely trip in the same area, to allow the party into going beyond the hut that more time to look around on side trips, day. is definitely called for. Twenty minutes later, at a difficult Trip leader, Brian Hunt; fitties and spot with fallen trees and steep sided hunters, Peter Goodwin, Kevin Moynigullies, the old one caught up with a han; others, Noel Thomas, Graham cheery cry of "What ho!" The leader's Westerby; long one, Paul Green; marreply was not an encouragement to ried one, John Patchett; old one, Nick further conversation! Jennings.