This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
Letter to the > Editor eo =
John Rhodes sent me a copy of the March ‘Mouth ‘N’ Ear’ and your mention of Dave Hewitt and the 1965 Lake Rotoiti to Lewis Pass trip triggered memories of incidents Sabina Owen did not mention. Dave Hewitt was a Pom who had worked in the Bahrein oil fields for many years and had just retired to NZ as he could see serious conflict brewing in the Middle East even then. He was old — really old — over 45! but prepared to give the Christmas trip a go. Heavy snow had fallen while we were holed up in John Tait Hut and as we went over Travers Saddle into the East Sabine Dave twisted his knee badly. No chopper rescues in those days, no-one wanted to go back to St Arnaud, so much of his gear was shared around and on we went with Dave hobbling up to Blue Lake over Waiau Pass, (the speed merchants glissaded down the shallow snow gut to the Waiau on the other side in ten minutes but those of us with Dave took two hours on the rock slabs and snow grass as Dave nursed his knee), down the Waiau, then Aida Saddle, Cannibal Gorge and that steaming climb up to Lewis Pass on a hot afternoon with the final drag down the dusty gravel ‘Main Highway’ to Maruia Springs. With none of us prepared to face another "Dehy Spew with Sickening’, all sixteen booked in for a three course nosh-up at the pub that evening and what a meal they turned on! Many went back for main course seconds and after the desert we all started up a big T&M sing-song. Does the Club still sing? The Club revelled in singing in those days and a good session could go a couple of hours at least with no repetition. There were a few locals there and several travellers; we warmed them up with ‘Away away with Billy and Pack’ and a couple more and then the saloon began to really fill up! Seems the Publican had got on the phone to ail the locals with the news that it was going to be one of those memorable nights! We gave them heaps, Nancy Brown, Trampers Song of Despair, Aidle o Boy, No Boots, Big Sandfly , No More Double Bunking, Mandalay, I Had a Little Bottle, I'd Roll the Leg Over, Clementine, Beer is Best,and many more until we finally made our way by moonlight down to the tent flies. Norm Clarkson stopped off at the pub a year later and was recognised (easy, as he was the self proclaimed winner of any Ugly Competition ) and they told him that evening was still talked of.
Fraser Walls
Fraser was the trip leader of the WTMC Christmas Trip of 1965 into the Travers-Sabine- Spencer mountains area. For the benefit of members who have joined this year, and for those members who have a short-term memory, following is a reproduction of the relevant part of the March Editorial.
Back in the old days, their trips were equally as challenging as the ones we still do today. At Christmas in 1965, Fraser Walls led a trip into the Travers, Sabine and Spencer Mountains areas. It was classed as a medium trip, covering 3 passes and a distance of about 70 miles. It involved 14 days in the bush in total isolation, not even a food drop, they carried everything they needed and a gun to shoot some fresh meat. At the beginning their packs weighed between 60 and 80 pounds. Yes that’s right, 80 pounds. Now that’s what I call serious tramping! The group of 16 started at Lake Rotoiti, and went up the Travers valley to John Tait Hut, where they ended up staying 4 nights. They then walked further up the valley to Upper Travers Hut where there was “plenty of snow”. They shared the 8 bunk hut with a group of 14 scouts! The scouts slept 3 to a bunk, and club members took to the tables and floor. From the article written by Sabina Owen: “No one had a particularly good night's rest. After finally settling down by midnight, we were all disturbed half an hour later by the fire which decided to smoulder. The smoke soon had everyone up-top coughing spluttering and so we were forced to do something about it. Fraser, with his capacity for instantaneous oblivion had to be really shaken awake and on coming to, his first words were, ‘H----, it’s not time to get up yet is it?”. The trampers enjoyed spectacular views from the Travers Saddle, and moved towards Lake Constance and the Waiau pass, a “wilderness area” with no disced routes, huts or bridges. The party had three days in the open at Blue Lake. From the article: “Neil, Kelly, Murray and Norm came on the scene after the second day, bringing with them a plentiful supply of venison. The girls were requested to do something spectacular in the way of cooking, so we finally sealed the meat with butter and herbs in tinfoil and cooked it for about six hours in the hot ash. It was delicious and a very acceptable change from the standard diet of dehy. stew ... ... Much can be done in a few days ‘rest’. Some people are always active no matter what. Several of our members pursued their particular hobbies and past-times. Don brought out his paints and spent several hours sketching the landscape, Blue Lake in particular. Unfortunately, he had to finally abandon the project as the flies proved too pestiferous. ” Their next step was going “up the Waiau Pass. Up in this instance is an understatement. It meant scrambling on our hands and knees grasping about every blade of grass for support. We just about went up vertically. So much so that we soon had a bird’s eye view of Lake Constance and right down in the Sabine River valley itself. The Waiau Pass at 6100 ft. was eventually reached by all members of the party at 10.30.” Their destination was the Ada homestead. “The river and valley had broadened out considerably now with extensive grassland. We were also coming across herds of cattle. Nevertheless, some of the boys managed to get ‘lost’ in a forestry hut, which had some rather lurid literature for passing the time”. The party were now moving into the Spencer Mountain area and the Ada Pass. “Ada Pass itself is rather unique and only 3200 ft. high. One continues to walk on a valley floor all the way and most of it is grassed, with a gentle rise. Itis only when you see the river flowing the other way, do you realise you have actually gone over it.” The final leg of their trip was out to Maruia Springs and Lewis Pass. “Well, with 14 days in the bush, the whole party was looking a little dishevelled and worse for wear, what with beards and long hair. However, we did our best to spruce ourselves up. We had all banked on the fact that we would have a good ‘swim’ in the hot springs, so it was rather shattering to find that they were not working. Some of the boys managed to scrounge a hot bath out of the hotel, whilst the rest painfully tried to get rid of the dust and grime in the river.”