Clubnight April 2018
The April Meeting was attended by 21 people.
An Introduction to Tramping day had been held on Sunday 8 April with 12 attending and 9 members covering such topics as trip planning, gear, food, first aid , map and compass work, weather and hut etiquette. (Bess and Neville were thanked for their organisation and Jenny for food supplied.)On Sunday 15th, those wishing to attend a practical day will meet at 8 a.m.at Medway Street Carpark to go to Trotters Gorge for a 3 hour tramp with practical map reading, river crossing instruction and other tramping skills.
Club trips were to Lindis Peak over the Lindis Pass with views to Lake Wanaka, Dunstan and St. Bathans Ranges and distant peaks. Notable were the big stone tors around the Summit and the green appearance of surrounding hills.
Anniversary Weekend saw a tramp beginning at Lake Hawea and Timaru Creek for a group of 4, which on the second day met the 3 who began at the Ahuriri end, and they exchanged car keys.The 3 day tramp was on part of the Te Araroa Trail, and while offering some splendid views , was demanding.They tented and stayed in huts, one of which was an old musterers’ hut complete with dirt floor and mice.
Inclement weather at Easter meant the planned trip was cancelled. However, a couple of people tramped in in the Harris Saddle-Lake Wilson area and saw rock wrens and whio and experienced snow and a big frost.
Other members took a trip over the Old Ghost Road on the West Coast – 3 walking and 2 biking 85 kilometres on on a track with some challenges but good huts and some spectacular scenery
Wednesday Walkers reported on an excellent 5 day bike trip in early March on the trails of the Nelson area: Nelson – Tapawera – Motueka- Mapua and Rabbit Island, with much damage in some areas from Cyclone Gita. Other trips went to places as diverse as Chinaman’s Hut, Quailburn and over to the East Ahuriri Hut, Pleasant River to Bobby’s Head and Tavora Reserve on the coast, and around The Hays Farm in the Hakataramea on a brilliant day.
The activity for the evening was a check on the contents of members’ First Aid kits which they had brought along and practical advice on what needs to be in them from one of our members well qualified to oversee this and give good first aid advice as well as tips on helpful items to carry. There was good information on how to deal with various injuries and conditions which can occur, how to use a sling properly for different types of arm injury and how to deal with such things as copious bleeding, skin lacerations,broken bones, burns,hypothermia, the need for hydration and the need to watch out for one another.
It was a useful and timely exercise as well as a reminder to check contents of kits as winter approaches!