Rush Pool & Dew Lakes. Organiser: Carl Horn
The weather looked reasonably okay in the morning, so the 17 of us ventured off in good spirits. But just a little after 10am we felt the first few raindrops. Ugh! By noon the rain was pelting down, and up at Dew Lakes the wind was persuading it to fly horizontally. There were a handful of respites from the drenching, during which we hoped we would get a permanent reprieve, but it was not to be. We all got wet, thoroughly wet.
Part way through the morning we realised we were actually two groups, one who were finding it a grade 1-1/2, and another who were finding it a grade 3. My impression is that it might be a grade 1 on a dry day. So we split into two groups, the A Team led by Grahame Harris, and the B Team encouraged by myself.
The B Team timed reaching its objective absolutely perfectly. As we reached the Dew Lakes, the rain stopped. We were able to enjoy our lunch and conversation with a view of the lakes and without atmospheric water making our food soggy. Then, just as we stood to start the descent, the rain started again. The cold was penetrating. Only Hec had gloves, and the rest of us envied him.
The faster group carried on to the old quarry, a clear area from where there would normally be views over the Pelorus Valley, Mt Richmond and beyond - except that the clouds cut it short about 100 metres out. They continued to the Dew Lakes but, as the rain had set in, decided to lunch at an ancient twisted rata, about 15 minutes back and off to the left. A few were able to shelter under the tree; a few sheltered under a nearby rock. The incredibly twisted tree was admired and made some think of old Chinese paintings.
For both teams it was wet, and at the top, cold. It reminded us that tramping is not all sunshine and idyllic days. But despite all that, it seems that no one regretted going. As it turned out, it was a good way to spend a day which otherwise may have been a boring Sunday at home. When I got home, soaked through and muddy, I simply stepped into the washing machine and put writing this trip report out of my mind.
The hardy bunch were: Beverley Muirhead, Dan McGuire, Ken Ridley and friend Ulla Schneider, David Nielsen, Gillian & Hec Arbuthnott, John Lammin, Grahame Harris, Kathy Harrrison, Sharan Foga, Yvonne Kyle, Arthur Jonas, Silja Bar, and visitors Patricia Kelsall, Rolly Penholl; and leader Carl Horn.