Was It Vampires’ Influence?

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 54, 11 June 1948, Page 5

Was It Vampires’ Influence?

TRAMPERS’ LUCK ON TRIP TO TORERE BAY The nine members of the Whakatane Tramping Club who went beyond Opotiki for the ' week-end accomplished a trip, that was assisted by sheer luck from beginning to end. The party insists it was the vampires’ influence. They set out from ‘Jim’s .Camp’ at Ohiwa at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday morning. Some of the members had a small affair with a bull, on the way to Ohiwa, in which they got back through a fence very- much more quickly than they had first climbed over it. Unfortunately, the following day, the same members again had to run for a fence away from another bull. (The general opinion of the rest of the party was that these particular people, get into bull paddocks and annoy bulls entirely for the fun of the thing!) Anyway bulls, as a topic of conversation, is definitely not allowed, now. Ohiwa Was crossed by boat/' and straight away the party rah into its first luck. A lift by lorry to Opotiki; This was followed later by another ride so that they arrived at their destination Torere Bay, by 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

Next stroke of luck, at Torere Bay was an empty hut complete with bunks, fireplace, safe(?) and running water a few yards from the door. By courtesy of the owner, Mr Hansen, Opotiki, it is to be the official hut of the Whakatane Tramping Club; to be used whenever the club wishes.

A point of interest about the hut is that it is haunted by vampires. These are distinguished by their habits of flying through hut windows, climbing up and down bunks,

throwing stones on hut roofs, untucking blankets and even, it seems, crawling into trampers sleeping bags, biting their toes and sucking their blood.

Any of the party will vouch for this.

However, by the end of the trip, the party was on such good terms with all the vampires, that “Draeula” head of the whole vampire colony, was persuaded to come back to Whakatane. He made a very satisfactory tenth member of the homeward tramp, and hopes to become club, ‘mascot.’

Sunday was devoted, to exploration of the surrounding country. Some of it was very beautiful, and the views of the Bay were magnificent. During the day there was aded to the list of “taboo” conversation subjects—“duck egg blue” and “onions.” Mention either to the party—and run! Second Party Spends Week-End At Tarawera A smaller party of the more experienced trampers of the club made a trip to Mt. Tarawera during the week-end. Leaving Whakatane at 7 a.m. on Saturday the party travelled via the “Lakes” arriving at the wharf on the shores of Lake Tarawera a little after 9 o’clock. Owing to the size of the party a rowing was used to cross the Lake instead of the usual launch service. It took only two hours 50 minutes for the trip. They were lucky in securing a hut belonging to -the Tourist Department that was only being used by a host of rats These rats caused quite a little amusement during the stay with their pilfering. . The popularity of the area was shown by the number of deer-stalk-ers and other trampers in the vicinity, some trampers coming from as far away as Taumarunui and Auckland.

Setting out before sun-up on Sunday the party began to climb up Mt. Tarawera. That it was very much easier to climb than Mt. Edgecumbe, was the general feeling of the party on its return. Climbing time was one hour 45 minutes.

At the top there appeared to be no water or wood but a number of little twigs and a small pool of rainwater were found and the billy boiled. That views from the summit on the day, which was very fine and clear, were inspiring was the comment by the members. All the volcanic line from White Island up to the Whale, Tarawera; Rainbow Mt., Ngaruahoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu, were clearly visible. The descent was made in an hour.

The party spent the rest of the week-end just pottering about the beautiful scenic shores of the lake, returning to Whakatane on Monday evening.