Venus Hut Project

This year I am involved in managing the construction of three new replacement backcountry huts in Kahurangi National Park. One (Granity Pass Hut) was build in March/April and the other two are planned for October - December. Both of these are in the Karamea River Valley - one of the finest fishing rivers in the southern hemisphere - some say the World!. The huts Venus and Crow will be replaced with newer brighter, warmer, and larger huts. The new huts are to be built by a contractor but before construction at Venus could begin, the old hut had to be removed.
In late September, two of my colleagues and I (Kim and Steve) and two contractors (Andrew and Steve) were helicoptered to the Venus Hut site and spent three days (one in the pouring rain) demolishing the old hut and preparing the site for the new one - including removing vegetation and drilling pile holes. To assist us, we did take a small digger, generator, a selection of the best power tools we could find and a large box of matches - not to mention having a twin engined Squirrel helicopter at our beck and call. We worked long days, stayed on site at Venus for three nights - demolishing the only accommodation for miles around. We did fly in a small bivvy on the first day and had a couple of tents - so accommodation for the five of us was adequate (just). On the fourth day the contractors and Steve flew out, while Kim and I moved to the Crow site to meet up with another colleague (Hutchy) and another Steve to drive the piles for the new Crow Hut.
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Football Prizegiving

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Football Prizegiving this year was a bit different for me as being the manager of Findlay's team, i had to do some of the presenting. Scary stuff!!

I had to choose a Player of the Year as well as a "Most Improved Player". Last year Findlay won the Player of the Year trophy and although the consensus of opinion amongst the parents was that he should win it again, I felt it was better if someone else did. (Can't have the manager's son winning all the prizes!) Anyway I choose someone else but Findlay did win a special prize - Golden Boot - for scoring 50% of his teams goals in the season . He scored a total of 27 goals in 17 games which wasn't bad considering he was goalie for one half in 3 of the games!

As you can see from the photos there was a local celebrity at the Prize Giving - Jeremy Brockie. He had played in the New Zealand Football team in the Olympics and had scored the goal in the opening game against China - not bad for a 19 year old. He is a bit of a hero for my boys.

Findlay's 8th Birthday

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For Findlay's 8th Birthday we decided to invite just a few friends and go to the crazy golf - one of Findlay's favourite pastimes. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and after a week of nice dry settled weather itdecided to pour on the Saturday!. Typical! Quick change of plans and we headed to the swimming pool instead, then off to MacDonalds for lunch before returning home for birthday cake and balloon games.

Its hard to believe that Findlay is now 8 and has spent 6 of those years here in NZ. He really is a kiwi boy, however we do work hard to ensure he has a bit of an understanding of Scottish culture although when the All Blacks play Scotland there is only 3 Scottish supporters in our house....sad really although it is usually Findlay who is the only one smiling at the end of the game!!!

Winter Storm

WINTER STORM

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At the end of July Nelson was hit by its most severe storm for many years. Gale force winds caused havoc in Nelson, Stoke and Richmond. Many large mature trees were blown over and the damage to buildings and properties was estimated to cost millions of dollars to repair. Our boundary fence between our garden and our two neighbours was blown over (31 metres). Some cars which were parked at the side of the road beside the college were flattened by falling trees. A huge gum tree in a garden behind our house was blown over. These photographs were taken about a week later. Because it had fallen on a hillside into a neighbours garden the only way to clear it was by using a helicopter and a crane. I wouldn't like to see that insurance bill!

Whale / Dolphin Rescue

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Just after arriving at work one morning in late July (the 27th I think), several of my colleagues and I were told to 'stand by' as a report had just come in of a stranded Whale at Ruby Bay (about 15km from Motueka and 22km from Richmond).
One staff member (Gavin) was sent out ahead, to check out the sighting and report back. While others gathered up gear, (wetsuits, stretchers, cameras, buckets etc..) for a possible whale rescue. We knew that only relatively small whales were ever successfully rescued and that larger animal always died or had to be euthanised, so there was an air of both excitement and apprehension amongst the staff.
After about 20 minutes we heard that rather than the animal being a whale it was in fact a common dolphin (which despite their name are not actually that common!). Shortly after seven DOC staff headed off to the scene where they found a few locals, Gavin and a 10ft dolphin splashing around in 300mm of water. The dolphin had come into the large tidal bay and gone too far - grounding itself in the shallows. The tide was still coming in but would soon turn and the animal would be stranded high and dry if we couldn't get it out to deeper water soon!
We deployed the stretchers, with the intention of lifting the dolphin enough to turn it and get it to slightly deeper water so it could swim freely. Tasman Bay has huge areas of tidal sand flats with the tide retreating hundreds of meters.
With six of us in the water with it, and one steady hand on its pectoral fin, it was successfully guided out some 200m or so (still only about 3 ft deep), where it slowly, but surely, headed out into the bay. We monitored if for another hour or so while it stayed in the relatively shallow waters, until it disappeared from our sight. Then packed up, a short drive back to work, return the gear, hang up the wet suits and into the tea tearoom for a well deserved cup of coffee.

Knuckle Hill

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On Tuesday while in Collingwood we took advantage of the great weather and headed over to the west coast to climb Knuckle Hill in Kahurangi National Park.

This aptly named hill provides the only elevated viewpoint of Whanganui Inlet, a huge estuary declared a marine reserve and wildlife management reserve in 1994. For the first few kilometres Findlay wasn't too keen so we were very glad that we had visited the corner shop before we left Collingwood and stocked up on lollies!

From the car park, an old logging road climbed gently through regenerating forest and there were some great views over the west coast. From the top, right on the boundary of Kahurangi National Park, the views of the top of the South Island, particularly Farewell Spit and Whanganui Inlet were quite outstanding. We had a glorious sunny day and it was hard to believe it was the middle of winter.

Salisbury Falls

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On the Wednesday of our winter holiday we went to Salisbury falls in the Aorere Valley. It was a beautiful secluded swimming spot which would be a great place to visit in the summer to go swimming and play under the falls on a hot NZ summer day. The boys had a great time skimming stones. The record was 10 skims - Niall was the champion!

Collingwood

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For our winter holiday in July, Tom managed to book the DOC batch in Collingwood in Goldenbay. The Batch is just the most relaxing place to stay, but demand during school holidays is always high, so we were very pleased that we managed to have a full week there. It is right on the beach and it's great to get up in the morning and open the curtain to see the sun rise over the sea. Wikipedia states that Collingwood is "located in the hub of the Aorere Valley, in the western half of the Golden Bay area." The hub of Aorere Valley means that there is 1 pub and 1 local grocery shop! I think we saw the grand total of 8 people when we were there! (Although when we went to the pub to watch the rugby it certainly did seem to be "the hub" of the area!! There was least 25 people!) The Batch is set up very well with all the basics including wood etc for the fire. We were very cosy. We had a great week relaxing, walking, cycling, reading, playing scrabble. fishing, entertaining (Scott and Claire came for tea!), doing jigsaws, playing darts (darts board in the living room) and exploring places we hadn't been before.
The weather was great with only 1 wet day which allowed us to finsh the jigsaw! All in all a great wqinter break - can't wait to go again.

Richmond Athletic

Richmond Athletic
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Niall's first full game in the Men's team. Richmond Athletic versus Motueka. I hard, physical game but he enjoyed it just the same. They lost .....just!

Ziggy

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Niall finally got his wish for a pet last Christmas - he decided on a rabbit and named him Ziggy. He is a lovely bunny but as expected the novelty has rubbed off a bit and its Fiona who seems to do the cleaning out more often than not.

Totaranui

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Before the end of summer we decided to have one more camping weekend at Totaranui in Able Tasman National Park. Totaranui is in the north of the park and the drive there takes a couple of hours - via Motueka, Takaka Hill, Takaka and Pohara. Our friends Raewyn and Bruce came too and by the time we arrived there about 7.30pm they had already set their tent up and had the fishing rods set. The boys left Tom and I to put our tent up and they went to join the fishers on the beach. Fin was back in no time with a fish and was very pleased with himself. It was cooked for supper and enjoyed by all - well a small nibble each was enjoyed by all! We had a great weekend walking, kayaking, lazing and fishing the only down side was that it was too short. Totaranui is really quite a beautiful location and we are very lucky to have such stunning scenery etc. so close to home.

Camping at Whites Bay

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At the end of January we decided to have a short camping holiday with our friends Graeme and Sue. He headed over to Blenheim and camped at Whites Bay - a DOC camping ground in a quiet secluded bay in the Marlborough. We had a nice relaxing time swimming in the sea, flying the kite and going for walks. We managed to recharge our batteries ready to return to school in early February.

Hay Making

In early December, our friends Raewyn and Bruce asked for some extra pairs of hands to help take in the hay at their uncle's small farm in the Moutere. They have a small herd of cattle which are being raised for beef and have a few paddocks which they grow as hay for the cattle in the winter. A farmer from a neighbouring farm brought along the baler and baled the hay. We had had a spell of really good, hot dry weather so the hay was perfect. The bales where easy to lift and a few other members of the Harvey family came along with an assortments of vehicles and trailers to transport the hay to the hay loft. It did really take me back to my childhood days when we used to help with the haymaking at Cromlix. We all had a great time. It just took a couple of hours (350 bales, all counted!) then we all had a beer and tucked into a scrumptious picnic which Raewyn had prepared in the afternoon. A great way to spend a sunny summer evening - we certainly all slept well that night!

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Findlay's Cycling

At the beginning of November Findlay joined a cycling club in Nelson. He had been enjoying doing circuits around the house (everyday after school!) so when we saw an advert for the club we decided to give it a go. He has had a great time. They meet once a week on a Sunday at the cycle track in Nelson. It is a round cycle track with banked corners which goes around the edge of the rugby pitch! He is really enjoying the racing and so far has done very well. They have speed races, handicapped races, Le Mans start races, time trials as well as teaching the kids the skills of cycle racing. He has done very well and has managed to win one race each week. The photos were taken at the Kart racing circuit not the cycle circuit where they met one week to do some distance racing. Looks like we are going to have to start saving for a new bike for his next birthday!
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Kahurangi Point & Lighthouse

In early December Tom headed away for a few days with his work colleagues from across the Nelson Marlborough Conservancy for a "meeting' at Kahurangi Point. To get to Kahurangi Point is, to say the least a bit of a mission. From Nelson drive around 2 hours to Pakawau, in Golden Bay,(where our friend Claire lives) then 50km down a single lane gravel road until it stops, fording 2 rivers on the way - 4 wheel drive vehicle compulsory. From there walk about 5 km along the beach, cross the Big River (yes that's its name) then a further 40 minutes down the beach to the lighthouse keepers house. Rather than carrying all our gear and food down to the house we took two quad bikes, and to get the quad bikes and ourselves over the Big River we took a raft, and, of course, to get the raft to the river we took a 4 wheel drive ute - parking ut up well above the high water mark. The meeting proved to be more of a pre Chrismas social event and a history lesson about the lighthouse, the keepers and community that lived there in the remote part of the north west coast of the South Island, than a meeting - although we did discuss business for 1/2 a day and do a heap of chores around the lighthouse keepers house.

The weather was superb for such an exposed and isolated site - we were very fortunate. It was a great experience to get to such a remote site, with good food, good company and more than a beer or two to go around.