Floating Phil

Trying to stay in touch with the world while sharing my adventure, posting some photographs and recording my thoughts.

Rangitata [Bush Steam Carpark] – Day 39.

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Phil

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Walking out, down the river, 
 
Get up, get up, get up… was going through my mind when I openend my eyes just after 6am this morning. I hopped out of my tent with the plan of breaking camp and moving back into the hut for breakfast before the Kea’s are back. Looking up, it struck me, the clouds and fog were all gone and the starts and milkyway were lighting up the night sky in an impressive and spectacular way not often expereinced by “city dwellers” like me. 
 
I was all moved, back inside, cooking oats in the hut when just before 7am the first Kea’s arrived on the roof. Trying to get photos of them were impossible with the combination of low light, my phone camera and the fact that they are inquisitive parrots. I couldn’t stay too long, because the river below was waiting and I am meeting up with Clint later today, to get a lift back to Christchurch. 
I apologise for the lack of photos, but I was walking in the river this morning and to stay safe, my phone is inside a dry bag, protected from the water, in case a have a tumble. This proved to be a good idea, since I had my first big fall of the TA, while looking to make my first river crossing of the day. Nothing major luckily, just bumps and blue bruises with a little blood on my knuckles… and I didn’t lose anything in the river.
Soon I was in the riverbed for the third and final time, now doing crossings at every bend, but luckily because the drop in elevation is low and the flow is slow and shallow.
Still impressive to think I crossed that mountain yesterday afternoon. Feeling very humble looking up at the cliffs and mountains, having come this far, all the way from Bluff to the Rangitata. Thanks to Clint and his sidekick (Tippi), I was off to Christchurch, home for a couple of days.
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43.5323 – 172.5567
6 April 2024
FP-86

3 responses to “Rangitata [Bush Steam Carpark] – Day 39.”

  1. Love the Hut Pic..

    Happy you did not get seriously hurt with your “fall” but does sound way worse than you making it out to be😉

    • Ugh, that hut… one to remember, not for nice reasons unfortunately. It came as a shock and surprise, suddenly finding yourself down on the riverbed, completely soaked and cold, but you just have to take “stock” and action quickly. Because it was so cold, some injuries seemed worse than what they were in the end, while others only became apparent later the evening. I am just glad I didn’t break anything and secondly not losing anything.