This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 92, no 1, February 2020
Another Waerenga Adventure General Committee weekend
7th/8th December 2019
We felt that an informal, more tramping-related setting for club members to get to know the General Committee and make suggestions would be worth adding to the annual agenda: a weekend at Waerenga.
The programme was left pretty open. But weekends are busy, so it was just after 12 p.m. when we met at the Catchpool and, with a load of brand-new mattress covers, headed down the Orongorongo Track for lunch at Waerenga. Good teamwork had the new mattress covers on in no time and the kettle boiling. Over lunch AJ quizzed us on the AGM, then we meandered down to the river before Muriel and AJ headed back to Wellington. With a forecast of rain, we put off deciding whether to stay overnight until after dinner. Marilyn and Bruce arrived in time for dinner after tracking kiwi, making six for dinner. Patrick and Simon sensibly decided to set off after the first flash of lightning, in time to get out before the Catchpool gates were locked. Four of us were cosy in the hut.
Dawn revealed what we suspected after a night of thunder and lightning. The river was up. No worries, we've got all day for it to go down again. The day was set for marking the river level and watching it rise, then start to fall. Around 4 p.m. there was another deluge and the river rose again. The Turere Stream was in full flood. We'd misjudged the weather, and so settled in for another night at Waerenga.
The river was considerably lower on Monday morning. We waited for it to drop further before crossing, assisting children from a family staying at Raukawa. It was a late start for work and a timely reminder that, even for a visit to Waerenga, contingency plans should still be left - with emergency contacts.
So the first 'Meet the General Committee Weekend' wasn't really a resounding success. People thought it a good idea, though maybe not in December.
- Party members
- From the General Committee: Patrick Arnold, Simon Davis, Amie Claridge (scribe), Marilyn Richards.