After I retired in 1986 1 tramped the usual tracks ? Rees?Dart, Kepler, Greenstone-Caples etc, but dodged the Milford because of the very commercial aspect and the crowds, and expected I would finish my tramping days without doing it. This was a little disappointing after reading and hearing so much about it, so I was interested when Jim Sime invited me to join a group travelling the track. But I was just on 72 and hadn't carried a full pack for about 8 years. A. H. Reed was 89 when he walked it and folk say ifs a piece of cake, so I jumped at the chance. I met a fellow WEA club member (Ivan McLauchlan) who said that he was also tramping it with the same group.
At a preparation meeting at Jim's place, lan showed us a video of a previous trip and we formed into food groups. I ended up with Ivan and two nice young ladies, Claire Currie and Olive Neilson. I knew they would look after us and we arranged the food etc. We travelled in my campervan to Te Anau, and went into the DoC office to check conditions and purchase hut tickets. The DoC officer did her best to discourage us, because of the forecast, and suggested the Kepler. "Bridges could be lifted out by now," she said. Jim's reaction when we told him was, "B*@%* that ? I've never turned back yet! " and that was that. We headed off in a bus towing the boat and on we went from Te Anau Downs, thumping our way up rough water to Glade Wharf and sandflies.
Our group was predominantly farmers, and 24 folk bedded down in Clinton Hut that night. I was worrying about 24 people and only one toilet next morning! The next day started with a group photo, then Ivan (also over 70) and I were away at 8.30 am. Heavy rain during the night had raised and muddied the Clinton River, and we passed the DoC warden gravelling the track with a
3 wheeler motorbike and trailer. We continued along, side by side on a well formed wide bush track. Morning tea at "Hirere" Shelter, lunch at "Bus Stop" and we grunted up to Mintaro Hut. There we had a very convivial evening with our farmer friends, three lovely Japanese ladies, a Scot, a Korean and a few others. Claire massaged our shoulders. Next morning we were on to the zig?zag up to the MacKinnon Pass, but why did I put so much in my pack? I was grateful to Claire for relieving me of two gas canisters, although I didn't like adding to her load. I had heard how cold and wet it could be and was prepared, but I had been hot all the way and conditions were good for tramping with cloud and fog about and no extremes.
Day three was Robert Withees 50th birthday. He and Joanne were early each day on the track. A group photo was taken in front of a foggy MacKinnon Cairn. We left the cairn, disappointed to miss the views but in no time the clouds rolled back, the sun shone and there were those views with wisps of cloud to enhance them. Cameras got busy and it wasn't long before fog rolled in again. At the shelter on top we had a snack and on down we went. The track up and down the pass was an unexpectedly rocky, pick?your?way surface ? not a track for the less adroit! There were clever wooden structures of stairs and viewing platforms beside exciting tumbling waterfalls. We were relieved to finish the three hour descent and get onto well formed bush track again. What elaborate facilities at Quinton for guided tourists!
After lunch at Quinton, Ivan and I decided to carry on to Dumpling Hut. A view of the Sutherland Falls cleared for us not far down the track. Olive's dessert at Dumpling was brandy snaps, fruit and whipped cream ? gosh! Then there was an entertaining birthday party for Robert with a cake and candle carried in by Jim. A hornpipe dance from 11 year old Janet Fraser from Tuatapere was accompanied by a tin whistle played by Ruru the Scot. "The Egg" was sung by Jim, and we had a few stories.
Ivan and I were in bed promptly for an early start to day four. Even though we wore away next day at 8. 15 am, we were soon passed by Robert and Joanne and our Japanese friends. At Arthur River we saw a large fish leap right out of the water. The surprise! The Japanese ladies gave Ivan and me a traditional Japanese welcome. I was so impressed that I asked them to repeat it so that I could photograph them. A shoal of large spawning trout and two eels at the next bridge also gave us quite a thrill. Ivan wished he had his fishing gear! We didn't manage to ring 'Bell Rock' and found this walk quite arduous in places, but interesting. Lunch at Giant Gate Falls shelter and off for the final stretch, hopefully to be in time for the kayaks. And that wasn't a joke! On arrival at Sandfly Point we were loaded into kayaks (I hadn't been in one before), and after instruction and equipping with life jackets, away we went. It was difficult to steer, synchronise my paddling with Ivan's in front, watch where I was going, and take in Ivan's instructions from the front cockpit all at once. But we were the first to land our kayaks on the other side by the fishing boat wharf.
We were happy that we had both managed to walk the Milford Track. We think next time Russell Anderson should arrange not to carry his sleeping bag and clothes in his hand, and we hope Jim will see fit to buy a less spectacularly noisy stove. We appreciated the support from our 'minders' Olive and Claire and for the delightful companionship on the way. Thanks to lan for overall organisation and to Jim for leading us in such a relaxed and good natured way. I was very glad to have a mate of similar age and capacity, thanks Ivan and 'good on you'. Thermoses of hot water from the camp, diesel, fish and chips, and on we went homewards. The trip was uneventful, apart from railway crossing lights at Henley that wouldn't go off. After delivering my companions, I eventually crawled into bed at 3 am Friday morning.
Les Murcott
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