1 - ?? November 2007  We kept watching the weather waiting for a window to continue our trip South, but it wasn't looking good for us getting to Wellington in time.  In the end, we decided that we were going to have to drive or fly down as we weren't going to be able to meet our commitment there by sailing.  But how were we going to get Oasis there?  After speaking to some of the other 'yachties', one of them suggested that we got Dave and Mary Berg from Kismit to deliver Oasis to Wellington for us, as Dave is an experienced delivery skipper.  After further discussions with Dave and Mary, it was agreed that they would take Oasis to Wellington for us as soon as a weather window appeared.  We then spent the next couple of days ensuring everything was in working order for them to sail Oasis.  It was amazing how many little jobs there were to do, just quirks and little things we were used to but needed to be right for someone who didn't know the boat as well as we do.  Once that was all done, we left Oasis in their capable hands and started our drive to Wellington. 

Journey to Wellington?

Kauaeranga Valley  We decided to have a short(ish) walk as it was our first Department of Conservation (DOC) walk and we didn't know how our walk times would compare with theirs.  We started out from the Roadend car park along the trails up Webb Creek following the historic packhorse route to the old Hydro Campsite.  The track climbed quickly, up stone steps cut for the packhorses during the logging days of the 1920s.  We felt sorry for the packhorses having to climb these slopes, but wished we had four legs instead of two to help us up.  From the Hydro Camp, we could see the Pinnacles which was our original destination if we had had our larger rucksacks with us to allow us to camp and if the weather had been better.  From the Hydro Camp clearing, we continued along to the Long Trestle/Billygoat Basin junction.  We returned along the tramline route past Waterfalls Dam before emerging at the Kauaeranga River and back to the car park.  It was a good walk and not too exhausting.  We managed to do the walk in 3 hours, half the DOC suggested time, which gives us a good idea of times to allow for other walks.

Steve on the packhorse steps, a very wobbly swing bridge and the tramline

Our route shown in red

Onemata and Whangamata 

Rotorua

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