This text was read by OCR from a scanned newsletter and has not been proofread yet, so expect odd characters and mistakes.
Queen’s Birthday Weekend 2000
Trip Leader’s Comment:
How to turn a peaceful morning’s river walk into a major drama!
It was our last day of an awesome weekend and all had gone smoothly. Monday moming dawned so spectacular that I couldn't resist taking most of the group for one last look at our surroundings. Later, I left the group happily boulder-hopping up the river valley and headed back down to the hut to make arrangements to get one of our group out. She had been doing a pretty good ghost impression for the last 24 hours and I was keen to get her started early on the one-hour hike up to the roadend. Those plans turned to custard when one of the gang came racing back to the hut and announced that another in the party was in trouble up the valley having dislocated and possibly broken her shoulder. I grabbed the first aid kit, some strong painkillers anda good strong bloke, and headed up the river gorge to get her out but on reaching her 45 minutes later, it was obvious that she would not be walking out. Superman was dispatched up the mountainous slip above us with my cellphone and written instructions (great idea having a pencil and paper in the first aid kit) to get a signal and call for help. Two more of the team turned up with extra clothing and food for us (I grabbed the packliner as well because it was bright and easily spotted from the air) and I sent them back to the hut to get everyone else out to the roadend in time to meet the transport and ferry. The next two hours were the longest of my life — desperately trying to keep our patient warm with the aid of the good strong bloke, the emergency blanket from the first aid kit, and as much dry clothing as we had. The valley was frost covered and freezing, the sun coming within metres of us down the cliff, then rising away again. There was no way to move the patient into a warmer spot — we were trapped between two steep gorges up and down the river. Itwas strange waiting — knowing/trusting that (hopefully) others were making the right decisions in the hills around us but having no idea what was going on. By the time the chopper arrived, all three of us were -ordering-on-hypothermia-and-the sightand-sound_of that big red bird coming over the foliage above was delicious! After letting us know that they had seen us, the WestpacTrust Rescue Helicopter Team from Wellington buzzed the valley several times looking for a place to land then disappeared. Two minutes later they were back and a paramedic was winched down with a crew member. Having a chopper hovering 10 metres above you is an interesting experience — everything including water, rocks and debris becomes airborne, whirling around you at a phenomenal rate of knots and the temperature lowers another five degrees!
Next minute our patient was in a large red nappy with one of the helicopter crew wrapped around her and being drawn up into the helicopter. They did offer us a ride back to Wellington too (extremely tempting at the time!) but I was keen to get back and retrieve our packs and find out what had happened to the others. I felt a huge sense of relief as we watched the chopper leave —— but then the next challenge dawned — getting us out of there! The scramble back to the hut was rough, as the cold had virtually stripped away our coordination and the thoughts of more broken bones was a worry on the ice-covered rocks. (Like — how many free rescues are you allowed per day?) The daunting hike up to the roadend with four packs between two extremely tired punters was made easier by the timely re-appearance at the hut of Superman and an angel from the Mediums; and then two more angels close to the top of the hill. Our taxi driver, (who was supposed to be taking his wife to dinner for her birthday) had waited 3 hours for us ata frozen roadend and was a very welcome sight. It turns out that he had been watching and photographing the whole performance from above. (Flowers have been duly dispatched from the team to say thanks.) On reflection, there are a couple of things I would do differently — mainly taking a lot more gear with me when I set out for the patient. @ I should have stopped to prepare myself first before setting off — i.e. putting more clothing on and ensuring that the good strong bloke was fully equipped as well. @ It was the cold that very nearly got the better of us. Sleeping bags and extra clothing would have made the situation a lot more bearable for both patient and attendees. A fly would have helped too — had it rained the situation would have got a lot worse without cover. @ As it was, we were able to guide the chopper straight to us with the knowledge we had but it could have been more difficult in other terrain. I should have grabbed the map on the way out the door so that grid references could be given to SAR We live and learn! A big “Well Done” to all those involved in the drama on Monday — particularly Jerram, Richard, Andrew, and Anita for the way each kept their heads and played their part so magnificently. Many thanks also to Hazel and Mary from the Mediums who stayed behind and missed their ferry in order to provide much appreciated assistance. N.B. The patient is recovering well from her dislocated shoulder and talking about her next trip! The ghost impersonator is on the way back to human form!
kun ee ee