Okura Walkway - Open Day Imogen 15/05/2012
John, Pierre and I had been beavering away for months before this event, investigating ways of letting the public know about the NSTC Open Day. We ended up with multiple radio slots, newspaper, stuff.co.nz, flyers at Bivouac and even a mention on wildernessmagazine.co.nz, plus a few other avenues. Creating a solid spike in hits to our website!!! Excellent!!! About a week out from the event, I started receiving a healthy volume of calls from prospective trampers. Many and varied tramping experience, from a fair bit, to absolutely none, but keen to join in. We'd been eagerly watching the long range forecast. Knowing that if the weather decides not to play ball, we might be lighter on numbers than we hoped for. Sunday the 6th of May, duly rolls around, and we're granted a perfect cool morning, devoid of any dark imposing clouds, thankfully!!! Committee members there early to greet the newbies. The parking fills up fast as club members and newbies arrive. All present and correct, with 25 newbies in tow, I do the usual sort of pre-amble, and we break the sizeable group into 5 teams with a leader. Each team heads off onto the newly re-aligned, re-gravelled, 2 lane highway, or it is as far as Dacre Cottage. If you haven't been on the walkway in the last few months, next time you visit, you'll understand what I mean. Only a small separation between groups, but enough to keep tabs on the groups. My group cope well with all of the new steps. As soon as we reach the ascent to Karapiro Bay, we're blasted by a brisk wind. All groups meet up at Dacre Cottage for a quick morning tea. No loitering though, so each group heads off around to Still Water for early lunch. Not long after we arrive the Auckland Tramping Club walk past en masse! I counted 27 of them. Lunch devoured, we head back around, on the sand this time, with the ideal low tide at 1.04pm. Reaching the sand bar, we head back into the sheltered bush for the return trip. A very successful event, with a delightful bunch of newbies. We hope they return soon for other tramps!!    Add Comment Summer (?) Sunday Picnic 18th December 2011, to Army Bay, Whangaparaoa Peninsula, from Pam Burdett 01/02/2012
I awoke at 7.0 a.m. to spy a grey drizzly sky, necessitating a change of gear arrangements. Meanwhile, at 7.0 a.m. in the bus garage the organisers, led by Elizabeth Kinnell and Ian "Shorts" Morris were stoically preparing gear for a good day out. At the Strand, eleven stalwarts were gleefully transported to Army Bay where four other trampers had arrived. Raincoats were donned over Christmassy clothing (but not Imogen's antlers!}, then all except organisers set off through the new predator-free- fence's double gate, and traipsed around the Point. Coats were soon off and everyone enjoyed the freshness of the air, the white newly-shorn sheep, the red and green of the varieties of Pohutukawa, and the convivial company. Funny that the swimming was mentioned, but only in passing. As ordered, we arrived back at the bus just after 12.0 p.m., perfectly timed, as then the rain started and stayed. We settled under the canopy for a delightful shared barbequed sausages, lunch and drinks. Twas a typical Kiwi party - boys in the "kitchen" and girls sitting around the food. Still, can't complain - they cleaned up too. The journey home was a bonus too - no traffic queues on the wet Sunday motorway, so back to the Strand around 3.30 p.m. A really worthwhile picnic, thanks Elizabeth and Brian. (At least there was no snow!) Te Henga/ Bethells Imogen 13/01/2011
After having dropped the rest of the crew off at Goldies Bush, as Big Yellow rolls up by the little bridge over the stream down to Bethell's we are greeted by the Auckland Tramping Club bus. It must be Bethell's tramping day today! Only the 6 of us in our party today, so we head along the well worn track down to the beach, and along the sand, and across the river with boots on, no gaiters, well some of us! Then stride on to check out the cave just before O'Neill's Beach, but unfortunately the tide was a bit high to go in and investigate so onto O'Neills Beach, and then the ascend up to the top of the cliff. What a view that greeted us and the rest of the way along the dusty track, which is gradually slipping back down toward the beach! Further along the Tea Tree grove around us, a buzz with busy bees foraging for pollen and Flax bushes with bees so heavily laden with pollen on their legs it was a miracle that they could even fly. Puts a new meaning to busy bees! Although they didn't pose for the camera. The order to Garry was, the lunch spot must have a nice vista, and have a bit of shade. We're not demanding at all, are we Garry?! So a little cliff overhang fitted the bill nicely to sit and nosh with a slight reprieve from the searing rays and a spectacular outlook. Then along to what we thought might be the others coming towards us, it wasn't so we carefully negotiated our way down an interesting finger of land, cue a few photos and cheeky comments! The others arrived, but thought better of heading down to greet us and put the little rockets on their boots and headed up the cliff again. Up and over to see the black sand dunes overlooking Lake Wainamu. Almost back to the bus past the nice shaded area, and a group walking the other way, one remarks, "what a beautiful view"! Although I think he was more referring to the bikini clad beach babe that had just walked the other way rather than the gorgeous sea scape, given which way his cranium was directed. I think we had the better bargain of the deal from the other groups, with the stunning vistas all day, even if it was fair to roasting having no cover during the day. * Interesting info:- the sand in this area contains quantities of black titan magnetite derived via the volcanic rocks of Taranaki and transported north by the coastal currents. If you missed out on this fantastic coastal walk hit the link below and enjoy- then resolve not to miss it next time! http://picasaweb.google.com/jentrish/TeHenga?feat=email#        Eskdale Reserve, Glenfield, Auckland Thirteen of us turned up for a great local walk on a lovely sunny day. Very soon we were in two groups going through the bush, an easy walk but with lots of ups and downs. It was nearly high tide when we started and the coastal views were superb. The spring growth on the natives is interesting to note at this time of the year although the hangehange (Maori privet) flowers, that and new growth is obvious on the few kauris. We did see one of the biggest kauris on the North Shore on our walk. Weheard tuis, kingfisher and the grey warbler. Everyone met up in Lynn Reserve for lunch and a couple of blokes had fun throwing various items through the basketball hoop. A couple of our trampers picked up rubbish as they walked and left the track in pristine condition. We ventured out occasionally into suburbia to get access to the bush, noticing folk working in their gardens. We were surprised to see where some of our trampers kayak around the coast and up to the Kaipatiki Creek. Thanks to Dora for leading a different sort of tramp. It was lovely to be back tramping again with the NSTC and I received such a lovely warm welcome. Thanks. Alison |
