This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 88, no 3, April 2016
Lodge Trip Waiheke Island
February 5 – 9 2016
Five Wednesday trampers took up the invitation to explore Waiheke Island while based in the Forest & Bird Onetangi Cottage. They were:
Mermaid “Teepee Jane” Pyar-Mautner, who once lived in a teepee on the island, who repeatedly lured us into the sea for blessed relief from the humidity.
Bus and ferry consultant Doreen Launder led us off-track onto a precipitous section in Hekerua Bay where she is building a bach; and then west around the cliffs to Oneroa for dinner. Emily Friedlander heroically volunteered to sleep sans insect repellent to draw the mosquitoes away from us, and only partially succeeded.
Lainey Cowan led the delegation to the Waitangi Day celebrations at Piritahi Marae; and introduced us to a F&B trustee who pointed us at pacific oyster-encrusted Rocky Bay and then abandoned us for the Auckland fleshpots. And wild peach scoffer Alan Knowles (leader/scribe) led the way into a mosquito-infested mangrove swamp to meet not-so-well-off natives in houseboats.
A democratic decision saw us sweltering around Owhanake Peninsula on the Te Ara Hura trail to ogle billionaire baches complete with helipads, sculptures and Bentleys. And all were invited to join Alan and his former NAC aircraft apprentice workmates at their 50 year reunion.
- Party members
- Alan Knowles (scribe).