10 Mar. Rain was constant overnight, so it was good to be in a hut and not packing up a wet tent in the rain. Away at 08:30, still in the drizzle for a damp walk down the edge of the North Morova Lake. Richard and I walked together again, as our paces match and the conversation is good. Jimmy was out just before us and quickly disappeared in to the distance. Yoan had picked up his touring bike at Carey’s Hut, so he passed us cycling on the lake track. He was continuing his road tour of NZ.
At the Mavora campsite between the North and South lakes, we crossed the river to the track on the west side of the South Morova Lake. The rain started to ease and we took an early lunch at 11:40 on a South Lake beach. The track surface was pretty good all the way, so we were making good speed. Frank and Maria passed us while we were lunching. They had camped at the Mavora campsite and were heading down the trail for another pitch. Another walker, Ben from Nelson NZ passed us heading south with the same intention.
After lunch we met Ed and Lydia (from Birmingham and Carmarthen, UK) walking north and exchanged track information. Walking alongside the Mararoa River, we were checking the river levels as the route out tomorrow involves a river crossing or a two hour detour to a bridge. It looked good for a crossing.
We arrived at the hut at 16:10, 29km in 8 hours. Jimmy was already there. Also Aliss from Wanaka and mum Gail from Prestatyn, Wales, walking South Island. They had camped at Mavora campsite and were drying out their tent in the late afternoon sun. Gail who is 66 (she said I could mention that!) joined Aliss at Tekapo for the bottom half of the trail. She has raised £1,500 for breast cancer in the process.
Dinner was a dehy Thai green curry. A good one.
The Interconnected View 