6 Nov

Johnson’s Shelter 1241km – Mangapura Landing 1256km, 15km
Jet Boat to Pipiriki 31km
Total walking 4:30hrs

It rained through the night and there was mozzies everywhere although they didn’t attack me. They must not like the dried food I’m eating.

The settlers in the valley came from a ballot box and those that farmed are named in their clearing places all along the track. They cleared the land and tried farming, many walking off, swapping and selling their plots to others. It was a tough land to farm and survive.

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I came across the contractors I met last night, another deer on the back. Another young hunter with his dogs, he was after a pig to take out.

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Below are temporary barriers on the Kaiwakauka track. The aim is to avoid another death (cyclist in 2019). The permanent structures are on the Mangapurua track.

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The track elsewhere was beautiful!

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This is fragile land. The water leaks through the rock layer (papa) that was once the sea floor pushed up as the land was formed. In the wet weather and rain water breaks up the clay like stone large rocks fall. The first picture is a slip blocking the path and across the path it is steep straight down 75 metres.

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There were many rock falls to get around. Danger signs walk and don’t stop. Steep drop offs where contractors are cementing rails for cycles barriers replacing the temp barriers of orange net.

Arriving at the Bridge to Nowhere I was greeted with “Sandra you are on the early jet boat”. And so I had a few minutes to explore the area before walking to the jet boat with Thomas Traena. He took me the short cut to get in the boat before driving around the corner to pick up those tourists that came up the river earlier.

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The jet boat was wonderful flying up the river. I saw a pair of blue ducks fly across and quickly hide in their nesting site.

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The jet boat arrived at Pipiriki and I was allocated a cabin, did my laundry and put the tent out to dry.

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A couple who were pack rafting the river had a cabin nearby. Two bikers drove in and shared the other half of my cabin. Separate rooms and entry but the same building. It’s fun to meet other adventurers. The jet boat provided other company too. A farmer was picked along the river, had been 6 weeks on his isolated farm and was about to come to town! We also dropped two off to paddle down the river in a boat

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