By the time the weekend approached and the weather forecast had improved, 13 trampers had signed up for the trip.

After we left Nelson around 7.30am we made a pitstop at different coffee shops in, or near Motueka, as some of us already showed the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.

By the time we started at the car park on the Cobb Dam Road, our leader Liz (alias Wound Wobin as she pronounced her ‘r’s differently) had wounded us all up. It was 10 o’clock when we started our gradual ascent to the old Asbestos mine and cottage. Interesting history to catch up on plus a four bunk hut!

From here, it was down to Lower Junction and all the way back up to Peak Flat. But not before several of us had a swim in Bullock Creek. Including Peter (alias Compulsory Dip, as he took every opportunity to find refreshing water in the heat that was torturing us), and Blue Skies Ahead Debbie (because of her hair style colour).

It eventually dawned on us that we’d better keep up the pace, as we might be in for a long day. There was still quite an ascent up to Peel Ridge and it wasn’t until 6 o’clock when we reached the top. From there we could see Lake Peel.

After everybody was wounded up again, our leader re-iterated there could be no swims in the lake. Forging ahead down to Lake Peel, I was passed by Compulsory Dip who was in no doubt about having his cooling off. He was followed by the two youngsters Mountain Goat Mikayla and Daven Bare-foot Stud Muffin, plus others who were not deterred by the temperature of the water.

When we did eventually reach the hut at 8pm, we were stunned to find no one there on such a nice weekend. Daring Adventurer Denise and I decided to set up our tents. I believe most of us had good night’s sleep.

Balloon Hut has had a nice makeover, courtesy of Waimea Tramping Club. Their renovations included a new woodburner, a checkerboard table with sets of home-made checkers, and a prefabricated wood shed almost the size and strength of a hut. The wood shed was impressive enough that it made Ian Morris terribly envious!

After the obligatory group photo, we proceded along to Salisbury Lodge where four members of the Waimea Tramping Club also had the hut to themselves overnight. On to Dry Rock shelter, then out via Upper and Lower Junctions, where most of us had a dip in a waterhole.

Whereas Deliberately Delinquent David  had been at the back for most of Saturday, I think Can’t-be-home-late Kate must have whispered something in his ear on Sunday. David was the first to complete  our eight-hour tramp. Meanwhile, Graeme Hard Nut To Crack Ferrier was hanging out for a real fruit ice cream in Riwaka.

An excellent weekend! Many thanks to Wound Wobin for the great organisation.

Walkers were:  Mikayla Mountain Goat Wright, Liz Wound Wobin Henderson, Kate Can’t-be-home-late Krawczyk, Ian Wood Shed Envy Morris, Michele All’s Well Cunningham, Pete Compulsory Dip Phipps, Denise Daring Adventurer Glover, Daven Barefoot Stud Muffin Illenberger, Graeme Hard Nut To Crack Ferrier, No Ordinary Sheelagh McCambridge, Debbie Blue Skies Ahead Hogan, Arif Barrier Reef Matthee, and David Deliberately Delinquent Cook.

by Arif “Barrier Reef” Matthee 

P.S. I received my own nickname because several people found it hard to remember my name. I explained to them that when I got married, my wife got stuck on a reef (Arif). So, someone suggested I should be called ‘Barrier Reef’ to make it easier to remember my name.