I wanted to continue exploring South Marlborough. A corner where the Wairau goes through a right angle was the next big section.
Bull Creek Paddock Hut, then over into the branch for a week, coming out down Lees Creek.
That had been my plan for weeks.
The track to Bull Creek Paddock had been cut in January 2017.
That’s all good.
Then I found out that DOC had closed the Bull Creek Paddock Hut due to “structural damage”. That could mean anything.
And I was intending to go during the peak weeks of The Roar, so deer hunters would probably be in the vicinity.
And then I had to get up there somehow.
Dunno.
Someone emailed through a strangely specific request about Stewart Island/Rakiura and I ended up writing an answer to a question on my favourite website, Quora.com. I went all lyrical about my love for the remote parts of the island, and while doing so thought I should return. For that I really needed three weeks, on reflection, more time than I should really spare, so I started thinking of elsewhere.
Maybe go and check out the three huts Nelson Lakes National Park I had not documented.
Then, once again I would need to arrange transport. And it would be Easter, so perhaps excessive companionship in the huts.
The easiest thing would be just to walk out my back door, and head up Mt Richmond once again. That way little organisation was required and I could have complete flexibility about when I left.
The weather was the best for weeks, a High sitting out in the Tasman Sea.
In the end I left a day early, and packed a couple of weeks’ food. I’m usually a super planner, though often change those careful plans to suit the actual conditions.
Well, I had a start point, plus all the LINZ maps to St Arnaud, and onto the Lewis Pass just in case. The weather forecast looks good, 2 mm of rain in the next 10 days according to yr.no, my go to website for weather predictions.
Just need to find a way to avoid the Easter crowds.
There’s a twist halfway in this tale.
This is what happened . . .
