We had the first warm day for the river-crossing course for many years. I didn’t even need my wetsuit! In fact it made me so hot that getting wet became vital to avoid overheating! Good on you to all those hard women and men who dived in anyway without needing to be incased in a big rubber suit. I must be getting old!

To reassure myself I wasn’t getting too old and doddery, I managed two swims the next day when Lina, Shelly, Arnold, Francis, Nakomi and I went to Mt Somers for the day. Bloody cold was being generous, but it matters little when it’s a 30ºC-norwest day; it’s like Mother Nature’s very own blow-drier!

Easter saw club members’ head off on several different trips in Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes National Parks. I took a group of 10 to Mt Owen in Kahurangi National Park where we had two fantastic days exploring the awe inspiring Mt Owen plateau. The view from the top of Mt Owen was simply breathtaking; words won’t do it justice. Hopefully Bruce will stick in a picture to give you some idea of what it was like; but no picture or description can substitute for just being there at that time and place, in those conditions.

For two of our group the Mt Owen trip wasn’t such a success, for one of them was unfortunate to have a run in with a swarm of wasps; the result was a thumping headache and twenty stings. Thankfully the person concerned was not allergic, otherwise the situation could have been significantly more serious, if not fatal.

If you are allergic to wasp or bee stings it is vital that you carry medication to deal with a wasp or bee sting in the mountains during summer and autumn. In addition to carrying it you must make the whole group aware of your allergy, and where to find the medication in your pack, and what you have to do with it. If you are unsure if you are allergic to bees/wasps, particularly if you have a respiratory problem or other allergic reaction, it would pay to have an allergy test. There is little anyone can do for you if you are allergic and do not have any medication. If you do fall in this category, please read my short note about allergic reactions to wasp/bee stings elsewhere in the newsletter.

This raises the whole issue of first aid in general. Most people have little or no skill in this area. To rectify this the Club annually runs a first aid course. This is heavily subsidised so you only end up paying about half the real cost. It is a vital skill to have both in the bush and in everyday situations. This year it will be run over two consecutive Sundays at University. If you want to find out more then see Rene Borsboom at club meetings or ring him on 3515158. He can also give you details on two of the other instruction courses that will hopefully be run this term, rock-climbing and bushcraft.

In addition to these courses the Club is planning to run a one-day leadership course. The aim of the course is to develop group management and leadership skills within the current and prospective leaders of the Club. Hence the focus will be on soft people skills, not technical skills such as map reading; for these are best taught out in the bush, not in an indoor environment. The format of the course will be a morning theory and discussion session at the University, followed by a ‘practical session’ to put those skills into practice in the afternoon (probably the South Brighton Ropes Course). The club will provide lunch and meet probably all the costs of the course.

The only thing we will ask in return will be that you make an effort to lead, or share the leadership of a Club trip sometime in the next twelve months. We want as many people to come as possible. You don’t have to be a hard mountain man or woman, often in fact, the macho mountain bunch make the worst leaders for they cannot understand or sympathize with those who find it difficult. All you need is a willingness to contribute and interact with others! Leadership skills also look great on your CV, and are one of the key attributes employers are looking for in graduates. Pen or button pushers with the personality and teamwork skills of a limp lettuce are no use in the work environment of the new millenium.

Finally on the issue of things ‘technical’ and safety orientated, is the issue of trip gradings. Many people have requested that we give more detail on the respective difficulty of trips. This can be difficult to do for a lot depends on personal perceptions and conditions at the time. What I have done is re-written and updated the trip grading process. It will now hopefully give you a more detailed explanation of relatively how difficult one trip is from another. Please read the section on trip gradings.

Whew, that’s all I think I have to say for the moment, except to urge you to get out and enjoy the mountains. Life can often be a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you think you’re going to have a boring inactive life then you probably will. But if you aim high, and seek to explore new places and have new experiences, then life will be a damn sight more interesting. So get out into the mountains and make your life more interesting in the next term!