Tekapo spoon fest

Having missed out on many of the UCCC events I decided to make an appearance after my month+ long absence. In glaciology Thomas asked if I was going to spoon- fest, and I replied: "what n when?" He had space in his car so I figured I'd try something different and tag along. We departed friday night after our labs, and after repacking the car. Ten minutes on the road and we got called back into christchurch because Paul needed someone to take his boat. So we sat in the parking lot while they undid my amazing tiedown job. The sun hit the clouds from below and we resented that we were missing the sunset drive we all looked forward to. They got the boats tied down and we were off at last.

HOW!

A boring, generally, drive in the dark through geraldine to Lake Tekapo. Patches of mist appeared off and on about the road. ghostly shapes and and little clouds. every-now and the a rabbit would appear and the car would swerve to try and hit the pest. Music was fine, but the darkness lent it self to sleep that was not allowed. We stopped some 30 minutes from our 4 hour destination for a pea break. Parking in the ditch, then standing and sitting on the car we gazed up at the stars from the dark countryside. Many Many stars. A milky milky way, Sirius, the southern cross, the fishhook aka scorpius, and tiny little ones all about. Saw a shooting star, and then our bodys began to chill and we went back into the car. The temperature was actually really nice. We had a few sprinkles of rain and the mist but also good clear skies. I'd poke my head out the window to check that the boats were still there. My head reentered the car with wind fussed hair. Turning south from Tekapo we raced down a dirt road, did some off-roading to try and hit a rabbit, and arrived at the camp-spot.

Many were there but many more were in cars behind us and no partying had really begun. The fire was blazing. But required frequent resupply of pine-cones collected from the pine trees about. Kids from the Otago University Canoe CLub (OUCC) were there. But by the time the other cars arrived (one getting lost in Tekapo for an hour trying to find the dirt road) OUCC had all gone to bed. The UCCC proceeded to break into song and brag about the UCCC partying superiority. One of the UCCC became very annoying by repeatedly yelling a high pitched baby type laugh. Another UCCC member was unhappy with sleeping arrangements: couldn't find a spot for a tent (an obvious one was pointed out to him several times) and insisted that particular persons would be sleeping with him. The stars were still visible and I caught another two shooting stars. We went to bed as Orion was rising with the pleades. Little spooning had occurred, so many decided to go invade other tents and make things interesting. I returned to My own tent, which I set up during the only 10 minute period of rain the whole night, to get some much needed rest after a week of heavy studying.

Morning came and people slowly stirred. Someone had stoked the coals and the fire was going again. I cut up an apple to add to my musli. A bit cloudy this morning, but nice. Then we got recruited to do some work. Before the water got released and channeled into the artificial White Water Kayaking course that was our entertainment for the weekend we needed to move rocks, open the gates to the river, pull some weeds, and clear out sediment. By weeds I mean small prickly tumbleweed things, which burn well in addition to leaving ridiculously small needles in your hands, and also pine trees. To get the pine trees out we tied rope around the trunks, connected that to a car and hit the gas. For the first one the rope stretched like a rubber band and then the tree came flying out and hit the car's hood, and tightened the knots a lot. After that we used a static piece of webbing. To move the rocks we made a fire bucket type line stretching from the bottom of the course up over the bank to the actual river. About 7-14 of us were in the line at any given time lifting and moving small fist sized rocks and heaving and waddling with small boulders. We moved a good three square meters of rock in about an hour. People waded in the trickle that was in the river to clear some sediment from the concrete floor so the channel's doors could be opened. And we watched the digger move sediment form the first pool (which would later hold a standing wave) to create a more consistent eddy.

Done working for a bit I wandered off down the dry river bed to explore a bit. Lots of well sorted rounded Greywacke sand stone and mudstone. The trickle pooled up at one of the corners to make a nice pool. Above the pool was compacted sediment of the meandering river forming vertical cliffs with scree slopes at the base. I slid up the scree and then 'tele-skied' down, fun but short. Wandering around the bed I saw some cool rocks.

I also found a really nice and large lingam. Had a slight flatness/divot on the back but otherwise nicely formed and semetrical. Then back to the course, still waiting for the dam to release the water for folks. I snack on some lunch...

At last the water arrived and many ran in-front of the water to watch its swelling advance. To see it licking and swallowing the rocks and boulders, picking up sticks and tumble weed. I scampered down through the large doors, the concrete smooth bit where the standing wave would soon develop.

low flow ---->

to raging torrent!

Then kayakers were in the water and I spent the time watching them play on the standing wave under the gates, practicing their rolls on the flat-water, and going through the gates. There were a few kids in slalom boats practicing and handling their boats ( and I just realized boats in spanish is botas....) in the river very well. Quick sharp turns and to bring the bow around and get past gates, then flowing back down to the next eddie. The kayakers carrying their boats back up would on occasion ask to warm their hands and I'd sacrifice my neck to their frozen digits.

A very interesting, pensive, contemplating, scruffy dog sat in a truck and watched with me for a bit. People got cold and left the waters, soon even spectators left the banks by the standing wave. The fire attracted them all until only Thomas was left tearing it up. Someone came and gave him a beer and he took a little break to enjoy the lowering sun.

Then returned to the wave to spin a bit, toss his paddle, and just surf. plus the occasional roll as the wave spit him out...

All then exited and festivities began. talking, drinking, cooking, rearranging tents... stoking the fire. The sun set and it was beautiful. Evening by the fire again, I carefully heated up my lentils in a pan over the fire. OUCC vs UCCC rivalries resurfacedm consequences for rolling and having to wet exit were faced. I retired to a car hood to gaze at the stars. Before calling it an night a bunch of us jammed into a car and blasted some music, just for the hell of it. Then it was bed time.

Next day came. and Thomas opened the day with some dryland kayaking before the water arrived to again fill the course. I watched again. and then, as the wind was stronger, but the sun was shining, let out the kite. I spent some sweet hours flying in the gusty winds. ALways at the edge of the window, dancing on edges, or diving into the window briefly to hear it flap in protest. The ground was littered with weeds, but I only landed - ok crashed - once.

We left early, and I unfortunatly forgot the lingam and other rocks I had found. But if I had brought them I would have wanted to get them back to the states. This time we made a point of warning eachother when bridges were coming and then all holding our breath over them... pointless but helped pass the time. We also listened to Fat Freddys drop, which was some very enjoyable kiwi jazz -ish- sound. The rain started coming down. I enjoyed listening to a hard rain - its hounding of the windshield. We stopped at cookie time to pick up some cookies too!

Sunset in Tekapo