Day 18: Blue Lake Hut to Waiau Pass/Lake Constance - 'Base Camp'

The hut warden at Blue Lake Hut gave us a weather forecast last night - Ok weather, overcast 2mm average rain an hour. The forecast was the same for the next day so there was no real point us taking a zero day and staying at the hut hoping for better weather. We all pack up and set off anticipating the weather will clear.

We stopped off at the Blue Lake, the world's clearest freshwater lake with 60metre visibility. Formed by a landslide that created Lake Constance up above, and the water leaking from Lake Constance is filtered through so much dirt that it is so pure when it springs up at Blue Lake. Blue Lake is protected so there's no swimming or even touching the water.

As soon as we climbed up the steep cliff which put us at an elevation 1400m overlooking Lake Constance, the weather closed in. It was blowing a gale, freezing cold, raining sideways. I was in my shorts and rain jacket only and I'd even packed my thermal gloves & tights away in the hope the forecast was to be right and maybe clear up. It wasn't. The wind chill factor was probably at freezing if not below.

The gusts of wind got stronger. The views were amazing but I can only think of how stunning they would be on a sunny blue sky day. Still we had waterfalls all around so that added to the affect.

The lady in front of us stopped and decided to turn back and go back to the hut and try again tomorrow as Waiau Pass would be too dangerous to cross. Conny and i wished her a safe walk back and continued. Up ahead another couple were sheltering from the wind and rain behind a rock, as the wind was sweeping up and over the pass we were about the descend and they were freezing. Checking if they were ok they said they would stay and wait it out. Conny and i continue, thinking if we just make it down to Lake level the wind may stop. Looking at the white cap waves across Lake Constance, i knew that probably wouldn't be the case but you continue on in hope.

At the bottom we stopped in a sheltered cove for a cliff bar (great energy source), and i quickly got out my leggings, gloves and buff to put on. Here we decided that it would be too dangerous to do Waiau pass in this weather, with with gales, rain and very limited visibility and so we decided we'd hike to the end of the lake and set up our tents and get warm and wait to see if the weather improves today, it was only 9:00am anyways. The best thing about summer in NZ is you have daylight till 930pm so even if we wait it out for a few hours we still would have the 8 hours of daylight to get us to at least Carolyn Bivy or further on to Waiau Hut if we used our headlamps.

Our fears now were for Chris who being the first person doesn't know everyone had turned back while he went up over the pass. I was so worried that he'd die up there and we'd find him there tomorrow.

Finding a sheltered place to set up camp was also difficult. We were on the stoney lakes edge, below rocky cliffs. My first check was looking up to make sure I wouldn't be in the path of a rock landslide. Any further past the lake and it was exposed valley with the wind howling through. We settled on a flat stoney patch tucked close to the hill. The amount of animal faeces on the ground made us question who lives here, but we didn't care, cleared it away and figured we'd probably find out tonight.

Trying to set up ultralight weight tents in blustery gusts of wind and pegging them into loose gravel and getting them to stay put, was so difficult. Helping each other put tents up one at a time, it still took Conny and I over an hour. Normally I can have my tent up along with mattress blown up, sleeping quilt out all in under 5 minutes. Our tents were continuously blowing away even after pegging them into the ground and anchoring them down with big heavy rocks. We joked that it was like we were summiting everest and had just made it to base camp. Even contemplating whether we just set up the one tent and cram in if another tent blew away once more.

No one was around. Just us two girls on an adventure in the worst weather. The fact that we kept laughing at the whole situation and were saying how much we love it, just makes you feel at ease. It's nice to find similar people who are willing to tough it out. After a half hour we realised that everyone else must have turned back and we would probably be the topic of conversation at the hut that those two stupid crazy girls decided to try to do Waiau Pass but little did they know we were cosy bunkered down in our tents up near the lake. We're not that dumb or willing to risk our lives.

Eating lunch, as Conny and i talk to each other from our tents we hear a whistle. I asked if that was her but she thought it was me. Then being fasecious, she said 'Tim? Is that you?'. We giggled expecting nothing in reply but would you believe it, it was Tim! Oh we laughed, he continually surprises us. Tim figured he'd be able to camp somewhere too but he did say everyone else turned around and headed back to the hut for another night. Tim had brought with him a German lady he said was near hypothermic sheltering behind a rock so he gathered her up.

While we're toasty in our tents Tim's outside chatting to us trying to put up his tent. 'I'm trying to work out how i can pitch my tent in between yours so yours takes all the wind'. He said jokingly but i know he's serious.

'Don't you dare take our rocks! It took us over an hour to set up our tents'. Conny and I both yell back.

Every now and then the fly on my tent blows up so much i get a glimpse of this beautiful waterfall across the lake that the wind is blowing so strong the water is going horizontal half way down. While everyone is now back warm in the hut with a fire, we're out here in the middle of nowhere, beside one of the clearest freshwater lakes in the world having one hell of a different adventure.

I've boiled up some pasta and mixed in some dehydrated vegetables thinking it'll be a great hot lunch. It's not. It's awful but forcing the veggies down because it feels like we're all going to get scurvy from lack of fresh fruit and vegetables on trail.

We have a string line of traps between all our tents thanks to Tim but his quote 'ive made a wall around my tent, may as well have, I've got all afternoon'. Made me realize i can do that too. So I've walled up one side with a mountain of pebbles, I'm hoping the laws of thermodynamics means the wind hits the wall and goes up over my tent not under the fly.

I'm not big into reading but thought I should download some books on my phone to read on trail so, I'm read ing Jessica Watsons autobiography on her round the world sailing trip, as i shovel spoonfuls of crunchy peanut butter into my mouth. (Peanut butter is great source of protein, fat and sodium for us hikers). But If a 15 year old can sail round the world, i can climb over these mountains.

Today has given me down time and it's given me an afternoon to reflect while tucked up toasty and warm in my thermals, puffer jacket, buff, beanie and down quilt.

I'm out here with normal everyday people. We've all had the same dream to walk this country and just decided to make it happen. I think that is what makes you bond with people on trail so quickly. Everyone I've met have been so different from my everyday people. Different nationalities, different backgrounds but all just ordinary people on an extraordinary adventure. The German and Austrian guys I've met, have all flown through the trail like it's just an easy hop skip and a jump. Older men I've met are just so loving life and enjoying being out here, it doesn't matter how long it takes. For others it's just been something they've wanted to do for a long time and after covid and lockdowns it's put things into perspective about what's important to people and getting out, taking months off work and seeing places hardly anyone gets to see is their reason why.

Last week on the second last day in the Richmond Ranges I was walking with Mathew, the 24 year old pharmacist out there on his own. We had a great chat about adventure racing, and more in particularly the Kiwi - Worlds toughest race team with Nathan and Sophie (i have so much admiration and respect for those two). Mathew made some great points being there are so many people fearful of change in their everyday life. Then he said and then i meet girls like you who just give it a go and are willing to take a risk and see where you end up. You're facing proper dangerous fears out here but they seem less of a risk than starting a new job or career, or moving place. And it scares people, when you don't have their level of fear.

We've spent the afternoon all lying in our own tent Out of nowhere we hear a deflating sound of air and a 'ohhhh *+&#.' from Tim. 'whats happened?' Conny calls out. I know that sound and it could only be a mattress or a pillow. 'the rocks popped my mattress'. It's not looking like a comfortable night for Tim. I knew i had a repair patch for my mattress and so i was torn whether to give it up and then if something happened to mine I'd be stuck but in the end i thought no, give it to Tim.

It's so cold to at 3pm i wouldn't even be surprised if all 3 of us end up in one tent tonight just to try stay warm.

It's now late at night and the wind has not stopped. Tim has spent about 8 hours building himself a bunker that looks like he's preparing for a long winter or ready for an invasion of some sort. 'what else was i to do with my time today?' his reasoning as now every boulder of carrying capacity was carted from the lakes edge and now surrounding his tent. If this comes down on him during the night I'm going to laugh!

Ren x