|
4th February 2008
Hello again,
The drive from Oreti/Invercargill to monowai Lake
was not mountainous as we expected but a rolling savannah supporting sheep and
cattle and a little arable. The driving continues very easy and weather,
although not clear blue skies was very sunny most of the day with lovely clear
evening and brilliant stars. Monowai Lake was 20 odd kilometres off the
Main road down a track part sealed and part dirt. It was quiet and
beautiful and we were the only ones there, (or so we thought)! We had lunch and
went on a reconnoitre of area. We had stopped by a boat launching slipway
but a hundred yards into the wood on the side of the lake was a camping area
with a few hike tents; their owners out in the hills somewhere. We went an
hour up a track towards a mountain hut where hikers can sleep overnight and
decided to tackle it more seriously the next day.
Two Swiss lads returning to the camp suggested we
went on the Rodgers inlet hut track which didn't climb so high. With
packed lunch, water bottle and water proofs we set off with enthusiasm. It
was a beautiful day but we saw little of the sun as it was a real forest treck.
The track was marked by orange triangles nailed to the trees and in most parts
we could follow it easily. However where trees had come down and blocked track
or where it was boggy and the undergrowth had covered the track it was quiet
difficult. After three hours we had reached the river which was
roughly half way and had lunch. It had been quite arduous so we set off
back and very soon came to one of the over grown areas where track just
disappeared. After a bit of searching and rising alarm we retraced our
steps to the last mark, we could still see the river so it wasn't too hard, but
it made us realise had it not been there how easily we could have got
lost. After that we followed the strategy of Mags staying at the last
known mark while I foraged ahead to find the track.
This worked well until we thought we should be
approaching the main decent. The track had been well marked for some time
then the last triangle sent us sharp left into virgin forest but the track
itself went straight on and suddenly ended/disappeared. I foraged out
alone in the direction of the arrow quickly losing site of Mags. I looked
around, there was nothing to see but dense trees in every direction and I
sensed the danger of this situation. Then I could hear Mags calling also with
that same sense of alarm and I made my way towards her voice. I had
to do this many times before I eventually found the main decent track we had
expected, we were only 100yards from it, that was the density of the
forest.
When we got back to our peaceful quiet camp we
stood on the slipway soaking our feet, it was lovely. But then it being
Waitaki Day eve (New Zealand Bank Holiday) we were invaded buy a procession
of 4x4's tow boats of various kinds who were going up the Lake to fish and camp
at the mountain/hiking huts. Our peace only returned once they had
gone.
They were a cheery bunch saying "One good days
fishing was worth two bad days at work".
Roger & Mags
Mum & Dad
| 