Lake Tennyson - Alpines Field Trip January 2010
Sunday 17th January 2010
Well ! What a start to the New Year and the first field trip thereof – a continuation of the 2009 last field trip really. Wet it was, although not as wet and with very little wind.
However, eighteen enthusiastic members and possible members thronged the meeting point and talked amongst themselves while we waited for two others to arrive Please do not take the fact that I waited this time as a precedent - it won’t happen again!
At 8.15 am we were off, stopping briefly in Hanmer Springs, then up to the top of Jacks Pass where the drizzle was very heavy and the sun orchids were not out - surprise, surprise. Few sub-alpines were showing flowers except the violets and occasional celmisia, however the blue borage was magnificently coated in rain drops.
From Jacks Pass we headed up the Clarence River, past the huts and old homestead site of St James Station to the little hill beside the road where we found gentians among other things. On to Fowlers Hut where we stopped briefly to photograph various plants and the hut. Someone sampled the wild gooseberries growing there which were bitter and sour! We had morning tea here and most welcome it was too.
Pressing on from Fowlers Hut, we drove to the top of Island Saddle. The group spread out all over the area and some of the prospective members were shown the delights among the alpine plants and scree walking. There was only one solitary pen-wiper plant in flower, which was a pity. Then it was down to Lake Tennyson for lunch and the quiz, after which some of us went to the tarns and photographed the various bog plants that are found there. We did manage to have lunch with something resembling sunshine squeezing itself through the clouds.
The trip ended after some satisfying hours spent photographing at the tarns.
Ulysses
Alpine Flowers
Beds as well
Boss
Pylons to infinity
The Hat!!
Well Ventilated