195905
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195905 [2012/12/21 12:02] – colin | 195905 [2012/12/21 12:17] – [Molly Rodgers] colin | ||
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which supports a knee-high growth of shrubs. The sides of the fissure are rounded | which supports a knee-high growth of shrubs. The sides of the fissure are rounded | ||
at the top and nearly vertical at the bottom. The shallow part is 10 to 20 yards wide and its floor supports a thick growth of small saplings. As it deepens the bottom becomes a slit only a few feet across, slimy, slippery and full of debris | at the top and nearly vertical at the bottom. The shallow part is 10 to 20 yards wide and its floor supports a thick growth of small saplings. As it deepens the bottom becomes a slit only a few feet across, slimy, slippery and full of debris | ||
- | and vegetation. About 4 p m. on Easter Saturday, as mist settled over the mountain, | + | and vegetation. About 4 p m. on Easter Saturday, as mist settled over the mountain, |
- | of :,3 15's had found it negotiable. After about half an hour of scrub-pushing, | + | of S.B.W.'s had found it negotiable. After about half an hour of scrub-pushing, |
- | serrd.: | + | scrambling |
we did get down we still mightn' | we did get down we still mightn' | ||
camping down there was impossible and we wouldn' | camping down there was impossible and we wouldn' | ||
there was enough space to camp. On the top we met Paul Driver, whose party had made | there was enough space to camp. On the top we met Paul Driver, whose party had made | ||
camp there. This decided most of the party to stay on top, while some made down to the cleared patches where five of us had camped two years before. | camp there. This decided most of the party to stay on top, while some made down to the cleared patches where five of us had camped two years before. | ||
+ | |||
The rain came just as we started tea. Having spent many a wet season weekend | The rain came just as we started tea. Having spent many a wet season weekend | ||
at Jamberoo not far from Peter Page's rain gauge, I think I can estimate precipitation fairly well. For long stretches the rate of fall must have been at | at Jamberoo not far from Peter Page's rain gauge, I think I can estimate precipitation fairly well. For long stretches the rate of fall must have been at | ||
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Very soon the thin layer of soil on the top was saturated and water ran over | Very soon the thin layer of soil on the top was saturated and water ran over | ||
- | it an almost continuous sheet. As the Slope increased towards the fissure rivulets were formed which cascaded over the rock into the trough. Before long the soil in the fissure too, although much deeper, was saturated, and water flowed over its surface. | + | it an almost continuous sheet. As the slope increased towards the fissure rivulets were formed which cascaded over the rock into the trough. Before long the soil in the fissure too, although much deeper, was saturated, and water flowed over its surface. |
As the deluge intensified I recalled Frank Barlow' | As the deluge intensified I recalled Frank Barlow' | ||
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cleared a space on the crest of the rise, and if we moved camp we should at least have no further trouble with water rushing through the tent. We stuffed our gear into our packs, which were swirling round in deep pools, uprooted the tent, and fought our way back through the wet scrub to the cleared space. Alex and Alan | cleared a space on the crest of the rise, and if we moved camp we should at least have no further trouble with water rushing through the tent. We stuffed our gear into our packs, which were swirling round in deep pools, uprooted the tent, and fought our way back through the wet scrub to the cleared space. Alex and Alan | ||
re-erected the tent, and did a wonderful job. It was a most awkward business to say | re-erected the tent, and did a wonderful job. It was a most awkward business to say | ||
- | the least, as the cords had all become hopelessly tangled, and had to be cut and retied. The rain was still not too heavy, we thought, but the trees dripped endlessly and the water ran off us in rivulets. Looking from a little distance through the saplings, I was amused at the sight. Two grotesque figures (my apologies, sirs) crawling round in the mud, making strange noises and passing an evil-looking knife from one to the other. Five feet from our front door one of the dozens of waterfalls roared down the rock-face, but as our leader had forecast, it ran down-hill and let us be. The rain started again in earnest. Alan returned to our first tent-site to recover a square of plastic which had been overlooked during our packing. He told us that the crew of the next tent had built themselves an island each and they were stretched straight out on these, while the briny lapped round the edges. We mopped up the groundsheets and crawled back into Sleeping | + | the least, as the cords had all become hopelessly tangled, and had to be cut and retied. The rain was still not too heavy, we thought, but the trees dripped endlessly and the water ran off us in rivulets. Looking from a little distance through the saplings, I was amused at the sight. Two grotesque figures (my apologies, sirs) crawling round in the mud, making strange noises and passing an evil-looking knife from one to the other. Five feet from our front door one of the dozens of waterfalls roared down the rock-face, but as our leader had forecast, it ran down-hill and let us be. The rain started again in earnest. Alan returned to our first tent-site to recover a square of plastic which had been overlooked during our packing. He told us that the crew of the next tent had built themselves an island each and they were stretched straight out on these, while the briny lapped round the edges. We mopped up the groundsheets and crawled back into sleeping |
but they kept us warm for the rest of the night. About 4 hours, I think, had passed since we had first crawled into our sleeping bags. During the trip, I had tried to | but they kept us warm for the rest of the night. About 4 hours, I think, had passed since we had first crawled into our sleeping bags. During the trip, I had tried to | ||
impress on people the many good points of this mountain. It would be diplomatic to | impress on people the many good points of this mountain. It would be diplomatic to | ||
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Having completed this diversion we surveyed our sodden bags and, to our amazement, | Having completed this diversion we surveyed our sodden bags and, to our amazement, | ||
Brian suggested we get out of them and spend the night sitting up. As it was not yet | Brian suggested we get out of them and spend the night sitting up. As it was not yet | ||
- | midnight Irene and I protested volubly against such folly, preferring pneumonia recumbent, enclosed in bag, to pneumonia sitting up, without bag. After much seeking we found some not so wet portions of our bags, twisted these round to our backs, and lay back hopefully | + | midnight Irene and I protested volubly against such folly, preferring pneumonia recumbent, enclosed in bag, to pneumonia sitting up, without bag. After much seeking we found some not so wet portions of our bags, twisted these round to our backs, and lay back hopefully wooing |
but we did sleep, fitfully. With the dawn came a very wet Alex, adjuring us to pack up as quickly as possible and get going. After hastily eating some cold rice and apple we wrang ourselves, and our gear, out, hoisted up rucksacks, and squelched off, after our leader, into the mist. | but we did sleep, fitfully. With the dawn came a very wet Alex, adjuring us to pack up as quickly as possible and get going. After hastily eating some cold rice and apple we wrang ourselves, and our gear, out, hoisted up rucksacks, and squelched off, after our leader, into the mist. | ||
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they can both swim because, in the morning, they were both seen fast asleep, floating at the end of their anchor lines. | they can both swim because, in the morning, they were both seen fast asleep, floating at the end of their anchor lines. | ||
- | I couldn' | + | I couldn' |
sleepless night I dozed off and dreamt I was pouring myself out of my water-bag | sleepless night I dozed off and dreamt I was pouring myself out of my water-bag | ||
(fantastic thing to dream). Waking from the nightmare I realised that the reason for feeling cold was that my sleeping bag was full, and I mean full, of water. Anyhow, after pouring myself out, I found that Brian had got a fire going and that the rain had stopped. On examination, | (fantastic thing to dream). Waking from the nightmare I realised that the reason for feeling cold was that my sleeping bag was full, and I mean full, of water. Anyhow, after pouring myself out, I found that Brian had got a fire going and that the rain had stopped. On examination, | ||
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There was considerable consternation in the Leyden-Cosgrove tent a couple of times, but the night continued wet and windy until about 2 a m. when a bright light | There was considerable consternation in the Leyden-Cosgrove tent a couple of times, but the night continued wet and windy until about 2 a m. when a bright light | ||
- | Shining | + | shining |
under the grass but the tent wasn't letting any rain through. | under the grass but the tent wasn't letting any rain through. | ||
+ | |||
To while away the hours until dawn we discussed this and that - women in our lives, the possible difficulty in ascending the rock face of the fissure later in | To while away the hours until dawn we discussed this and that - women in our lives, the possible difficulty in ascending the rock face of the fissure later in | ||
the morning and whether we should go on to the Clyde River or return along the | the morning and whether we should go on to the Clyde River or return along the | ||
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I think perhaps that we did not suffer as much as some that night. In fact now that I look back on it from the comfort of my home some five weeks later I can't help feeling that I may have been exaggerating a little about our discomfort. Of course we got wet, or at least Pam and I did. Pam had found herself the cutest little hip | I think perhaps that we did not suffer as much as some that night. In fact now that I look back on it from the comfort of my home some five weeks later I can't help feeling that I may have been exaggerating a little about our discomfort. Of course we got wet, or at least Pam and I did. Pam had found herself the cutest little hip | ||
hole earlier in the evening but as it soon turned itself into a hip bath it had to be | hole earlier in the evening but as it soon turned itself into a hip bath it had to be | ||
- | vacated, although by then it was too late. Also the wind changed through the night and blew in on her. As far myself I only got my dry bed sox wet and my shoulders where the water seeped through the groundsheet, | + | vacated, although by then it was too late. Also the wind changed through the night and blew in on her. As for myself I only got my dry bed sox wet and my shoulders where the water seeped through the groundsheet, |
| | ||
- | Although the night seemed long we did sleep a little and in our waking moments were entertained by snippets of conversation coming from David' | + | Although the night seemed long we did sleep a little and in our waking moments were entertained by snippets of conversation coming from David' |
And so the night at last became day and after a hearty breakfast of one half apple, one half orange, one chocolate-coated biscuit each and the promise of a lolly later, we began one of the longest walking days I can remember. | And so the night at last became day and after a hearty breakfast of one half apple, one half orange, one chocolate-coated biscuit each and the promise of a lolly later, we began one of the longest walking days I can remember. | ||
195905.txt · Last modified: 2012/12/21 12:19 by colin