H.M.S. Indefatigable and the Fleet

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H.M.S. INDERATIGABIE and 41 Friday night saw us setting off in light rain along the road to the cottage. However the usual easy hour developed into two hours when it was discovered that Roaring Meg was too high to cross and the whole party set off back down the road to spend the night in the old abandoned farm house. We felt quite sure we would be unable to do the scheduled trip but no rain fell after midmight and the morning dawned incredibly clear and fine. Our party included Dave Borley ( Wendy 1 T.T.C.) Horst, Coathanger, Johnny Symes, Hori and myself and we set off down the road about 8 a.mo The Otaki was still very high and discoloured so we decided to try and cross on the swing bridge which we managed successfully to doo The forks were reached about 9 and together with George Davies and his companion who were the only ones to go through to Waitewaewae, we set off up the "aitatapia in hot sunshine. The grau unch up Saddle Creek was, as usual, not enjoyable but it wasn't long before we were sitting in the sunshine on the Otaki River bed eating our lunch. After pumping up our tubes we said goodbye to George and Feter ard at 2 o'clock started down the river. It was still running high and was very discoloured so we found we had to swim much sooner than usual. The first ppol was safely negotiated with much laughter and different styles of swimming were experimented witho As we continued on down the river Dave and "endy decided that, as their lilos were very difficult to manage in the swift current, discretion was the better part of valour and with much regret they turned back. So now we were five and away we went again. The gorge became increasingly narrower as we progressed and we found it more and more difficult to get down. A lot of time was wasted with high sidles and finding reasonable crossings also slowed things up. By five o clock the sun was off the river and it started to get cold and at this stage I must say that our party just could not have been better. No matter how deep the pool, no matter how difficult to manage, or no matter how cold it was you would still see a wet, bedraggled looking head appear out of the water with a grin from ear to earo And always, above the roar of the river, could be heard John's ear splitting songs as he came floating along, clutching his lilo for grim death, laughing away and thoroughly enjoying himself. The last sidle of the day was a beauty, We began by sidling an almost sheer rock face but after Horst taking a classic dive off it and an uniexpected swim, we found we would have to climb higher. I was leading at this stage but was unable to get up so good old John scrambled up, somehow, put his arms around a tree, (Just as if it was Harilyn Munro) and we all got up by climbing up his legs, He declares that I was the heaviest but I wasn't offended because I was hanging on to his sock for dear life. When we eventually got down egain we decided we would have to camp on a ledge of sand across the river, so with teeth chattering, we took the Jast swim of the day and olanberod onto what must have been the wettest part of the entire corge,

Dry clothes were the order of the day and what a well equipped party I found myself leading! ??? I came back from around the corner in green pujama pants and was greeted by Horst's posterior shrouded in a long singlet, Hori in long woollen underpants, John in underpants (minus the seat) and finally Coathanger with no pants at all and Hori's towel draped tastefully about him, Yes, we are setting a new style in Tararua fashions! The fire caused all sorts of trouble because everywhere was so wet, but stew and our sacks were the next items and by 10 o'clock there was not a sound out of anyone - not even JOHN: Sunday morning dawned overcast and consequently very cold. Our departure I which should have been 9) was delayed until 11 and the misery of getting into our cold, wet clothes is indescribable. Our first dip was absolute agony but the sky cleared and it became really pleasant, especially as the river had cleared overnight and had dropped well over a foot. The swims were most enjoyable and John was in his element. I renamed him "H.M.S. Indefatigable"as nothing whatsoever appeared to deter himo Unfortunately we were running late and it was nearly two when we reached Penn Creek. After a very hurried lunch Hori and Coathanger went on to try and hold the truck while John, Horst and myself hurried on as best we could. The sun was lovely and it was bad luck that we did not have more time to enjoy the lovely country. The road was reached at 4.30 and after about a hour we could not believe our eyes when we saw the truck coming down the road towards us. Jim, our driver's good deed was much appreciated. And so - ended a most interesting trip and I record here that as far as entertainment goés Danny Kaye has nothing on "H.M.S. Indefatigeble" who, by the way, declares that baths for our party will be quite unnecessary for a fortnight at least. - Mary "And there is no end of voyaging when once the call is heard, For the river calls, and the road calls, an oh! the .call of a bird." - Gerald Gould.