CPS Field Trips
Each month there is a field trip (usually on a Sunday) to somewhere reasonably close to Christchurch. These are well attended and are an opportunity to get to know members and learn more from each other in the field
Chris Newman, also know as ‘Ulysses’ is the organiser and leader of these field trips.
For more information including start times and meeting places please contact Chris Newman on 388 7147 or email judyreij@gmail.com
Amberley Amble
Sunday 7th March
What a wonderful morning it was–no rain! This is the first field trip since December 2009 that has been rain free. At 8.00 am sharp we set off toward Amberley Beach, turning left however, into Double Corner Road and drove down across the all-but dry Waipara River and parked close to the river bed. All photographers present, which included a pair of late-comers, were encouraged to peer into bushes and a puddle in the water course to see what they could see.
After about 30 minutes we drove away back up Double Corner Road and took the first left turn, which eventually debouched into the dry Waipara River bed. We bounced and banged and clanged along the, by now, basic road until we reached the wild and windy beach. My congratulations to all non-4WD owners for negotiating some fairly horrendous ruts successfully, both going and coming. We wandered about the beach for a while before heading back toward civilization and Amberley Beach settlement where we had morning tea, and some members were able repair shattered nerves.
After morning tea we drove back to Amberley and turned off and headed inland to the Middle Waipara Gorge, with various photographic stops along the way. We meandered our way down to the river and, finding a spot in the shade, we had lunch and the quiz. After all that excitement we headed back toward Amberley, turning off onto the Balcairn - Sefton Road after negotiating a dry ford across the Kowhai River. We turned inland again and were able to view a couple of architectural monuments that did not quite fit into the rolling North Canterbury countryside. The trip ended at Ashley Village.
My thanks to all attendees. It was I think, a good day.
Mesopotamia Madness
Friday-Sunday 12th-14th February
Well, what a weekend we had! High wind, moderate rain, hot sun, warm wind, cool wind, spectacular clouds, low cloud, high cloud, red and followed by a fairly poor attempt at a southerly change. We had high drama, low humour, dust , oh lots of dust. We drove up hill and down dale until we were nearly on top of the world ! We took many photographs.
Upon our arrival at Mesopotamia Station we ensconced ourselves in the cookhouse, allocating bunks on a first come first served basis with the three ladies given a room of their own. We settled in, made our evening meal and then it was into the vehicles and down to the groynes to photograph in the moderate nor’wester stirring up dust and grit. Some interesting nor-westerly cloud formations were seen and I believe, photographed. As the light faded we left the groynes and after stopping at the cemetery to pay our respects to members of the Prouting family, Dr Andrew Sinclair and others, we returned to the cookhouse. There we variously shook the grit off, looked at images on laptops or sat and contemplated the state of the universe. Then showered away the remaining grit and retired to bed.
On Saturday at 0515 hours my old faithful alarm rang. I groaned and got out of bed. put the jug on and went with devious pleasure to wake the others with the news that it was dark, windy and raining. I said we would still go to capture the morning light and split the party sending some with Brian Milner round behind Sugar Loaf and the rest with me to the knob above Les’s Hut. After an hour and a half we were feeling very hungry. After breakfast most of us made lunch and sallied forth to ford Scour Creek, and on toward Big Bush where we drove up to the high terrace for the view and ambled amongst the rocks photographing flowers, or, like me, just sat sipping a cuppa and drinking in the ambience. We returned the way we had come to the "main" track with just one minor excursion because I missed the turn, and then it was on to Felt Hut for lunch. There was very little wind now and the sun was quite hot as we lolled about outside the hut. More photographs were taken here of water, rocks, mosses and flowers.
From Felt Hut we drove back up to the top of the hill, turned around and went back down again, but this time we took the right hand track and headed up to Bullock Bow Saddle. As we were negotiating a slightly soft area one vehicle became stuck. After one and a half hours of tugging, heaving and straining with bloodied fingers and much cursing the offending vehicle was freed by the tandem tow method.
When this drama was over the rest of the drive to the top was reasonably sedate with only one other minor mishap with another vehicle going to ground in a hole. This was quickly remedied. At the top the view was, as one member put it—stunning! I think we all agreed with him! Too soon it was time to return to the cookhouse and have a late tea and/or a shower.
After tea we went back to the groynes for sunset shots. No dust or grit this evening, just a cool southerly breeze and some spectacular clouds. All too soon the light faded and we returned to the cookhouse and to bed, perchance to dream. or sleep deeply. My alarm soon tormented me for our next early start. It was out of bed, put the jug on and go and wake the others with the immortal words, “It’s fine and cool with little wind.” So up the hill again, to a different place this time where the cloud drifted over obscuring the rising sun and the mountains and sometimes us. I have been told there is no such thing as bad weather for photography, so I do expect some wondershots from the digital-daleks. With breakfast beckoning, we descended to a small lake where we were able to photograph some reflections, and birds and other things. After breakfast we packed lunch and headed up-river with various stops on the way, however, finding our progress stopped by a somewhat fast flowing, dlscoloured Rangitata River, we went back to Black Birch Stream for a late lunch and the Quiz. We returned once again to the cookhouse where we cleaned up and reluctantly set off for Christchurch.
My very grateful thanks to Sue and Malcolm Prouting for allowing us access, and thanks also to all members for making this a truly memorable field trip.
ULYSSES
Photographs from various field trip attendees.
Lake Tennyson - Alpines
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
Arthurs Pass
Sunday 6th December 2009
This trip was particularly noteworthy for the dampness of the weather. It poured. The day being something of a wash out! Eighteen lovely field trippers braved the wet and, I think, enjoyed pitting their wits against the wind and rain. When lunch time arrived we were, thankfully, able to shelter in the beautiful dry bach belonging to CPS member, Brenda Ayers. A huge thank you Brenda and to the brave souls who attended this field trip.
Chris Newman
AKA Ulysses
Arthurs Pass Landscape
Ranuculus lyallii
Lyttelton
Sunday 15th November 2009
For once we did not depart exactly on time from our meeting place at Cave Rock and for late arrivals there were no comments or smart remarks made. (Ulysses must be mellowing! Editor). I must say that the much heralded warm nor’wester was, in fact, quite a chilly nor’easter, but, heigh-ho, what’s in a wind?
From Cave Rock we moved on to the clock tower at Scarborough where some sampled the delights of coffee-to-go and others did what they were supposed to : take photographs. I suppose it’s all a matter of priorities, perhaps wearing shorts with a nor’easterly blowing equals coffee and no photographs, and long trousers and a nor’easterly equals photographs!
From the clock tower we meandered through the back streets of Sumner and up to the lookout at the top of Evans Pass. From here we could see wild flowers growing on the cliffs and various water craft passing by on the outer reaches of Lyttelton Harbour. Then, it was on down the Pass to Windy Point lookout where we were able to look down on the coal loading berth with a loaded coal ship waiting to sail on the high tide. There was also a small container ship working at the next berth.
After absorbing the sights of a working port, we drove down to Lyttelton and stopped close to the historic cottage of Mr Grubb. Not a huge amount to photograph as the fencing was quite high and all the windows were boarded up. On to Norwich Quay where we parked and walked to the point where the tug Lyttleton is berthed and also where the ferries from Diamond Harbour come in. After that little leg-stretching exercise we went round to the yacht marina where many members found quite a lot to photograph. Then we drove to Governors Bay and Church Lane where we walked to our lunch spot. The sun shone, the wind wafted around us and passers-by looked at us with amusement, disdain or incredulity. We held our quiz here.
After all that excitement we drove round to Allandale where a number of white faced herons were stalked with varying degrees of success, and some members left us from here. We then drove back to the church above Church Lane. We explored the cemetery attached to the church. The trip ended here. My thanks to all attendees who made this trip a real pleasure.
Ulysses
‘Mid-Canterbury Meander’
Sunday 18th October 2009
What a wonderful day we had! The Weather Man said that we should expect rain–and we were not disappointed! It was mostly drizzle–light, medium and heavy.
We departed from Rakaia on time at 8.00 am taking with us, purely by accident, a member of a craft group that were meeting at the same place. Once we had sorted that minor problem out, we were able to continue our meander through mid-Canterbury to Barrhill for morning tea in light drizzle. From Barrhill we drove to Urrall which, no doubt, is the centre of somebody’s universe, and then on to Lauriston which has a school and not much else. More bye-ways, more meanders and more rain until we arrived at the Tinwald Domain in time for lunch and the quiz. The rain had stopped, but the wind had increased a bit and then a patch of blue sky was spotted. Thank goodness for that, but now the sun may come out and the light will be too harsh for photography! Never satisfied–me!
After lunch we went down to the coast at Hakatere where the Ashburton River was fast flowing and mud coloured. On the way to Hakatere I became geographically challenged and was able to show our members some parts of mid-Canterbury that were not on the menu–as it were! The trip ended here in sunshine.
I would like to thank all of you on this trip for being so happy, cheerful and dedicated.
I must say my heart was in my boots at the start and lower by morning tea! However, the constant insistence of “the wet ten” that we complete the trip was most gratifying and I thank you.
I must make special mention of Heidi Anderson. The energy and dedication of that young woman is inspirational - tiring - but inspirational.
Once again thank you all henceforth to be known as The Wet Ten.
Ulysses
‘Nape Nape’ Field Trip September 2009
The CSP Field Trip to ‘Nape Nape’ was held on Sunday 6th September 2009
What a fantastic sunrise! Red bands of cloud in the eastern sky, wonderful light and a cool temperature of minus 2 degrees C! At the appointed meeting place the paddocks were white with frost and even the few lambs were having trouble frolicking.
Some eighteen vehicles left at 8am toward the Nape Nape turn off, stopping a couple of times for everyone to enjoy the views of the Blythe Valley. When all vehicles had caught up we went down the Nape Nape road to an old camping ground, no longer is use.
Quote of the day: “How ironic it is that men have been dragged out early on Father’s Day and taken to a place called Nape Nape!”
From there we drove to the Hurunui River mouth where some white-baiters provided other human interest. I think the pickings must have been lean as the river was running high, fast and dirty. Up at the lookout point above the river mouth a lone white-baiter was pitting himself against the incoming tide and the out-going river - dicing with death, as it were.
Then we drove to Manuka Bay, where, after moving the cattle from our picnic area, we had lunch and the quiz. Then we drove to the other end of the beach where the youngest participant buried a dead lamb in the shingle and one of our members was seen rock hopping off into the distance. Then we moved on to the Cathedrals above Gore Bay and then down to the village where the trip ended.
My thanks to all for making this a very good trip and to Frank and Carolyn Green for tutoring.
Ulysses
Photos from this field trip by Mike Malloy
Lap dog
Vale
Photographer on top of mountain (composite)
Whitebaiter at Hurunui River Mouth
Previous Field Trips
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