A Tongue & Meat Milford Sound Fisherman

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.

A Tongue & Meat Milford SoundFisherman Well, most of you folks while looking next two days we lived on sand fly at the heading will think what has steaks, we also had to erect a strong a fisherman to do with tramping force field of Dimp, Kerosine, oil of well here goes:- Citronella, Dettol and smoky fire to I was staying with a relation way keep the predators away. out there at the back of Gore in For two days we braved the wet a little out of the way called climate and the blood-sucking natives, Wakaka. One day he said, PWeil young then decided it was about time we Dave, how would you like a trip into made a move. We packed a week's the Fiordland area?". As you know no tucker and some gear and departed respectable or unrespectable Tramper from the Home dox the Sandfly. would refuse such a chance, so about We entered the bush and bashed, a week later we started off after a scraped, crawled, climbed and swam hard day in the Woolshed, which was until we reached the mouth of the hot and dry. Pembroke Stream, which incidentally Our first stop was the Wakaka Hotel, took us about 3 hours. to keep our morale up between there After having a feed we decided to and the Key, (a little wayside shop there for the night. While the on the main road to Te Anau). I was cener two were making camp Allan reaching a state of oblivion as the car and I climbed up onto the Pembroke seemed to stop at all the wayside Hotels, Glacier, where we came on to a fantastic (to let the motor cool down so I was series of waterfalls, the most spectacular told) anyway at the "Key" we picked Allan or I had ever seen. By the way up the 4th member of the party (Doug). these waterfalls are un-named and not Doug was supposed to keep us away marked on the map. That night we from wild women and intoxicating got stuck in to a can of bully and liquors which we might encounter be- were once more invaded by the natives. tween Te Anau and Milford. The next day we pushed on into the After refuelling at Te Anau, both headwaters of the Harrison after sidling the car and ourselves, "Milford next a very high gorge. We once again camped stop" was the call. We arrived at Milford where the two rivers - East and West about 3 a.m. which is not bad seeing Harrison meet, here again we were how we just about got run over by swamped with rain, but funnily enough two deer. The 70 mile trip took 5 the Natives up the chase, for which hours. After a short nap we woke about we were hankiat For the next two 7 a.m. to beautiful Milford weather days we were confined to Camp owing (raining at a steady one inch an hour). to the bad weather. The 3rd day Jim à Arrrh" came a sound from the back and Allan climbed up onto the Harrison of the car as another, well-hungover, Saddle where they observed about 10 half-dead, blood-shot-eyed specimen a- Chamois, but I slept, it was too wet woke. "What's for breakfast"? We had for me. On the 4th day we decided primus and all, on the lawn in front to "up" camp and shove off back down or the famous Milford Sound Hotel, to the mouth of the Harrison before I think the tourists thought we were any more bad weather halted us alone of the added attractions, not men- together. The trip down was reasonably tioned in the brochures. A feed inside uneventful except when sidling the us, we hoofed down to where the fishing Bluffs. We got caught on a bluff ourboats tie up. We managed to bludge selves and it took us several hours to a ride to the mouth of the mighty get down off it. During the descent Harrison river, which was to be our we made friends of a rare character, home for the next week or so. We a Kaka, who all the while we were reached the beach and as we waded descending seemed to have the laugh ashore we were overcome by the clouds on us. When we finally made base of gigantic sandflies. Within minutes, camp we were happy to get into some Jim was crying out for help, but it dry gear. Seeing there was a few hours was too late, one had found its mark. before darkness fell, we decided to go It had landed on his chest and he fishing, using cheese as bait. We got couldn't brush it away as it had his one fish on one cast, not bad for amaarms pinned with his legs. I opened teurs eh! The next day we spent mostly my trusty pack and grabbed a can of fishing, where I caught a big conger fly spray and shot it down in a gas eel which had to be shot as it was of deadly pyrethrum, the most power- too big to pull-in on the line. He would ful insecticide known to man. For the have weighed about 40 lbs. (That's no fishy story. either). In the afternoon we were, as we were trying to pull we saw a fishing boat which we hailed the boat off in daylight. We finally by firing a shot in the air, then it got it off and decided discretion was came into shore and picked us up, the better part of valour so we and took us back to Milford. On the and left Milford, saying, goodbye to all trip back they asked us if we wanted our new found friends with relief. Someto go fishing the next day, the answer how I have the feeling they were glad was "yes". That night you would have to see us depart too!!!! thought all the fishermen in New Zealand were at Milford. We celebrated Those on the trip were Doug Hastie, our safe arrival until 3 a.m. in the who came from the Takitimus, Jim morning, when the tide was turning Gunn who came from Wakaka, a noted for us to go fishing. We all split up Wapiti shooter, Allan Yarker, a noted on to different boats and to character from the hills of Tapanui, leave the harbour, but the Repered I was and David Smith (Me). The story about on ran aground, that kiboshed our fish- the sandflies can be taken with a pinch ing for the day. You have never seen of salt, but I bet you they will never five more sorry looking characters than start a Nudist Colony in that place!! Carkeek Ridge - McGregor Spur Ten jolly trampers, standing in a line, Jeff had to push a corpse, then there were nine. Nine jolly trampers for Runcimans did wait, John got a crook gut, then there were eight. Eight jolly trampers for Mitre Peak were leavin' Dave stopped at the bushline, then there were seven. Seven jolly trampers were nearly in a fix, The leader stopped to have a sleep, then there were six. Six jolly trampers reached Tarn Ridge alive, Warren felt like piking, then there were five. Five jolly trampers did Carkeek and the Spur, Roger went a different way, then there were four Ten names on the trip-list was a (Rumour has it that he got out his good start, but at the last minute Jeff pit and slept for a few hours). Bryant had to pull out because his job At Tarn Ridge, Warren staggered in as porter at the hospital required that just in time to get the brew dregs, he spend the weekend working. John and confessed that he felt like piking. Addison pulled out on Friday night be- Disgusted, and wondering, who would cause of an upset stomach. The rest be next, we left him and headed off of the trip arrived at Mitre Flats hut into the mist for Waiohine Pinnacles, at midnight, to find it nearly. full. Lancaster and Carkeek Ridge. The hut Next morning, Dave Forbes was thinking appeared sooner than expected, and imof piking, but just as we were about pressed with its setting, we decided to leave, got and left with us. The to stay instead of pressing on to Park bushline on Miren was as far as he Forks. could manage on an empty stomach, Next morning, at six o'clock start so we left him there eating giant size was delayed because Nick couldn't find slices of bread. Just past the bushline, one of his socks. You should have our honourable leader, Paul Milsom, be- héard the fuss he made! (It was eventuto feel the strain; but he struggled ally found on Barry's foot). When we detemicai on to reach the top half finally got away twenty minutes later, an hour after the rest of us. He said we planned to up Dorset Ridge he couldn't go any further than this, and back over Mire in order to reach so we charged onwards to Tarn Ridge, the bus on time. (According to Nick's leaving him to return to Mitre Flats. calculations even this would be mar-