Just gorge'ous - Sawcut Gorge

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fust gorge'ous - Sawcut Gorge

Sawcut Gorge (Lee-Ann Mitchell)

n y night, Mardells Beach provided a wet and dark ffi nriaav roadend campsite. By moming it provided a V fantastic peaceful spot for breakfast with early moming sun hitting the hills opposite and the sound of the sea rolling shingle up the beach.

We were headed into limestone bluff countrg/, up the Waima River and into Isolated Hill scenic reserve. This was to be a multi-sport of an eas5l tamp with a combination of boulder and rock-hopping, river crossing and wading, with a small bit of hack thrown in to remind us that we were outtramping.

Wet feet (and a few wet bottoms) were going to be a certainty on this UIt4 easy/medium (or was that WE mega/ easy) 5 to 7-km tip which could be done as a nice day walk or a scramble of a run. The narrow gorge drips with Marlborough rock daisies, which would be spectacular when

Lee-Ann Mitchell

The Kaikouras... not only home to large crayfish, and unexplained UFO sightings

(Dec 1978) but also the absolutely "gorgeous" and striking geogaphical fe ature of the limestone Sawcut Gorge.

Don Goodhue (the Baker) and his half baker's dozen of Josy van den Kerkhof, Ferrida

Curutood, Angela Espin and

Jennifer Johnson (the seasoned ones) and Lee-Ann Mitchell and

Catherine Otto (the newbies)

hit Sawcut Gorge in

February 2002.

in full flower. The algae-covered rocks provided a slippery element to the 2 to 3-hour stoll with the experienced ones gloating about their exha set of telescopic legs (gear freaks!) .

The highlight of the walk was the small opening (about 4 mehes at ib widestand 30 metes long). A geographical feafure with Freudian tones thatprovided perfect acoustic properties forthose with dulcettones and choml melodic singing tones... none of which graced the baker or his half dozen.

The gorge ibelf has cliffs that sandwich you in, towering 80m upwards - certainly not for the claushophobic! Just before the hut there were two fantastic Moerakitype boulders, which just cried out and begged for photo opportunities of easy trampers hugging these large rocky balls - an opportunity 6 girls couldn't pass up.

Nestled two kilomehes past the gorge in a very dramatic gully was the 6-bunk hut. While the hut was well-equipped

Tramping and Mountaineering 2OOI /20O2

:hell ge.

d

"Bring on the man slaves and peel me a grape" (Lee-Ann Mitchell)

with a fire it had also acquired four Christchurch uni sh-rdents. (Any reservations about sfudents and Cantabrians were confirmed that weekend!) The half dozen couldn't quite work out the relationship partnering in the hut that night and decided that it may be safer to pitch the flies amongst the long grass despite a beckoning fire inside.

I ed nd

We were not really attired to fit amongst the Cantabrians -being rather gothic punkish young kids hamping in flimsy nighties and dresses (that would not cover your navel on a good day) over top of old polypro, with more piercings than a voodoo doll. But they were probably just as amused at seeing Don arriving with a harem of 6 women!

A feast of cheese and crackers, a vege curry and an exotic fruit salad to boot couldn't be finished despite our best efforts... did I mention the freshly baked bread that Don insisted he had to make and keep warm in his sleeping bag all afternoon (some leaders will do anything to have an afternoon napl)

pery ones rks!). cut4 ature zrties |es...

This was Catherine's first time and she couldn't get over how much those more experienced trampers could eat. She has since done a few more trips and has found that she can eat and eat and eat when dinner time comes around and often finds herself having second helpings if there is any dinner left. This inability to eat lots on your first trip is a phenomenon that is easily explained by any first-time tramper. I remember the first time I heard "bowls down" screamed and saw the flurry of experienced fuampers whip out their big bowls and fight to get the biggest share! It's enough to frighten the "virginiest of first time trampers" who are too timid to reveal their small receptacles in the midst of larger well-used equipment.

?nng I rakihoto ocky natic :ped

2002 Tramping and Mountaineering 2001 /2002

What a bugger you have to tramp 2 and halfhours to find the perfect chaise loungel..bring on the man slaves and grapes

A drizzly morning left us to reside in our pits till we could face the arduous feat of tramping out all the food and leftovers.

The river and surrounds provided all sorts of treasures, even the odd stone or two for the avid stone collector and home gardener.

A great hunk of rock looking like a Flintstone chaise lounge begged for me to drape myself over it crying "bring on the man slaves and peel me a grape", but to no avail - no grape, no man, despite the gorge being full of native mistletoe.

A pool of clear pale green blue water provided a perfect polar plunge spot (yes, it was damn cold even in February) for our lunch return spot.

A quick change at the roadend into dry socks, shorts and underwear may have been a reason for the sudden increase in TranzRail scenic tours - as a few baker's half dozen buns bared all unknowingly as a TranzRail train tottered past.

The Lynx ride back was a dodgy one with kids puking and projectile vomiting left right and centre. The experienced ones didn't even bat an eyelid and continued to read papers and eat and drink. We newbies were left clutching sickbags indoors (Lee-Ann) or watching sunsets and feeding dolphins with other sea-sick people (Catherine).

A fantastic weekend where I learnt to pack well (thanks Ferrida); eat well (thanks Don); plan well (behind every organised baker is a very organised wife (thanks Josy); and behind every greattramp is a group of enthusiastic good humoured WT&MCers (the other bits of the half dozen - Angela, Jen and Catherine).