| Leader | Mentor | Understudy | Tail Ender | |
| Standards | Brent | Chris S | Cath L | Jan M |
| Alternates | Ali | Liz S | Gary G | Moira |
Distance 13km; ascent approx 400m, time 4.5hr
On the bus ride Bev again took on the role of president in Judy’s absence. Bev welcomed returning visitors Lynn B and Stuart C, new visitor Linda M and Mei a guest of Min and Janne. Callum was our driver. On arrival at Heathcote and having connected with trampers who had travelled independently we were 45 strong.
It was another great day’s tramping with sunny skies and no wind. To set the scene, a bit of background about Lyttelton Harbour. The harbour was part of a series of volcanic eruptions about 6 – 11 million years ago (which is about as old as I felt the morning after the tramp), the first occupants were Waitaha followed by Ngāti Māmoe from around 1500 AD. Ngāti Māmoe were in turn followed by Ngāi Tahu in the 18th century. Banks Peninsula was spotted by Captain Cook and his crew in HMS Endeavour in 1770 (who thought it was an island). The first European inhabitants were probably sealers visiting at the beginning of the 1800s. The first four ships arrived at the end of 1850, while amazingly, the Lyttelton rail tunnel was opened only 17 years later in 1867. The road tunnel following 97 years after. (https://www.lpc.co.nz/about-us/history/)
A little known fact about Lyttelton Harbour was the sinking of the fishing boat “Dolphin” in the early days of WW II by the harbour’s shore battery defences. The situation leading to the sinking was as shambolic as it was tragic. The shore battery staff saying the boat had ignored their signal to stop while the fishing boat survivor saying they saw no signals that were addressed to them. The “warning shot” from the shore battery hit the fishing boat sinking it, and mortally wounding the skipper. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/archivesnz/10044887175/in/photostream/lightbox/)
In terms of the tramp, it was quite a work-out. In effect it was up and over the Bridle Path twice. As ever, different people handled it in different ways. For instance above the rattle of my lungs gasping for oxygen, I could hear other trampers chatting away merrily. Clearly not at all stressed by the stroll. The other “hot” topic of conversation was about the set of legs on one of the males wearing shorts. The owner thinking they were best described as “gorgeous”! I should hasten to add that not everyone else agreed. However, this still lead to one of the younger ladies fantasising that he was probably wearing blue and white striped “Speedos”. Fortunately at that stage the group spotted someone swimming in the sea and this cooled the conversation down no end.
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| The Latest Carving at Pony Point | Gorgeous Legs..? |
All in all an excellent tramp which was well organised and led. With a special thank you to the Weather Team who got it right again.
Text by Bill S
