Day 6 | Waitutu Hut, for my third night this trip

Gloomy Southland weather.

As bleak as can be without actually raining.

Super thick clouds.

My head torch having suffered some issue that I’d been unable to resolve by candlelight, I stumbled out to the toilet while still dark. Just after 6 am. Candles are not the best form of lighting for this activity. Outdoors they just affect night vision, and attempt to blow out.

I found I stepped on some plastic that was flapping in the non-existent breeze.

Nope.

I’d stepped on a wood pigeon.

A wood pigeon!!??

Not good.

Is that where they sleep? On the ground? Not perched on a tree?

Later it appears to have a broken foot, and that does not bode well for its longevity in this climate.

I find I have zero enthusiasm for the biggest day on this track and decide to take it easy for a change. Have the rest day I had programmed in for Westies.

Clearly it would be better to sit around in the hut, get the fire going. Plenty of food with that spare day up my sleeve. I could spend more if I wanted, having trudged in with an extra couple of day’s supplies.

No great hurry.

And my long-distance weather forecast, now quite old, indicated that the weather was supposed to clear up tomorrow for a few days.

Yeah, a whole bundle of nothing for the day.

That sounds like a plan.

A guide to the night’s accommodation: Waitutu Hut