Annual westcoast recon trip

And so it began again. Our annual trip is coming round again and it is our job to go over there in a recon mode and suss out the location / activities / roof over the campers head etc etc etc. A Scout leaders job is never done!! :)
All it meant was a jolly good excuse for some of us to get away for a weekend.
So we headed over to our lovely west coast - which is really a bit of a miss-nomer - it should be called our WETcoast, mainly for the amount of rain it collects.


We left on a cold damp Friday evening and after a three and a bit hour drive (that also included a stop at a country Hotel / Pub for a evening meal) we eventually got there. Met the contact, made camp and settled in for the night.


Sat morning - bright and early - having listened to the rain on the roof and the *urm* waterfall outside our place ( a local Scout hall) we got up - fed ourselves and went of in search of the local DOC office to get some info on the track conditions. We mainly wanted to get into Cave Creek and the hours it takes to get there do vary - depending which website you choose to belief.  So it was great to get local advise.








Anyhow the local DOC guy was very good - gave us maps and explained the timing it takes etc etc.
He did say that they had a lot of rain and that the access road might be a bit *urm* wet. So we found out - and at times the road seemed about 1.5 feet or deeper under water.  There is a sign that did say something about not going further if the road is wet . . . . . .    but you know - reading is not our strong suit ^^



A single shingle lane did not make for a easy turn around, and even though a certain Sir G.H. did lend a hand - it was not enough, and eventually it was agreed to, to simple reverse drive  the three and a bit k's back out. Eventually got walking on the alternative route / track - which is a lovely three hour hike through NZ native bush.
Even the local wild life is on friendly terms here and "accompanied "us for a while.