Mokau Boat Sojourn.

Mokau

On bow,

She says "wow,

Glad saw this now".

Sped by an Angus cow

But no wild boar or sow

Had put green grassland to snouty plow,

Only Billy on the gorge heard fatal ka-pow!

;~Pikipikipoet

Checking tides, dodging rain forecasts, and scrambling food together Andrew and I set out for a last risky venture before bubbas due date climbs any closer. We were off Good Friday morning heading for the Mokau River, with just one essential stop on the way to stock up on chocolate. ;) After struggling to find a shop open on a public holiday, chocolate covered almonds, Kit Kat's and a chocolate bar found there way safely into our travel bags. 

Two and a half hours of driving through beautiful NZ countryside led us to a muddy river bank where we assembled and let down our boat. I cringed at the messy sight thinking selflessly of the nine fresh stitches on my husbands leg and not so selflessly moping at getting wet and dirty just at the start of a trip. Andrew disappeared with the car, hiding it behind some tall brush under the bridge. 

Soon after Andrew pull-started the outboard and zoomed us up river. Farm land quickly turned to bush and then thicker bush, Andrew pointed out wild goats. Friday turned out to be pretty though a little overcast. The breeze off the water kept me pulling Andrew's Swazi tight around me, along with Mum's rain coat and a hat. We had a late lunch on a sandy bank after dropping off some of our stuff at the cabin. The water was too low to boat all the way to the cabin so we walked through the bush a little ways. 

The hunters cabin was charming though I'd probably rather admire it in pictures than live in it. A blue barrel caught the raingutters supply and a hose deposited the water in the kitchen sink. A small wood-stove occupied a corner with an ax ready for splitting wood. We didn't bring along any food for cooking to make use of the two burner kerosene stove on the counter. One cupboard for rat poison and two bunk beds finished out the cabin. A guy in his twenties, Josh, had pulled up in his boat with three dogs just as we did. He was there to stay a couple nights and hunt wild pigs. 


We went out on the river again before dinner and surveyed the river up stream. I drove the boat for a while then we floated down stream enjoying the wild. It got dark quick, Andrew guessed his way around logs and rocks as he guided us back to the cabin. 

Thankfully New Zealand has no snakes or bears to worry about when staying out in the bush. We were surprised Josh wasn't back at the cabin when we got in. Andrew had laid a sleeping bag on top for himself and one on the bottom bunk for me but I begged him to sleep with me. He sacrificed the extra space and joined me in the single bed to fight off the skanky looking wall. Thick cobwebs cloaked much of the cabin and a couple huge spiders eyed us from their quiet thrones above.
We sat on the floor on my cozy contentment blanket that Emily made me and munched down our cold dinner. A deck of cards entertained us for a while, then we read a couple chapters from our book 'God's Spy' by Chris Panos. We had light from a huge torch/ flashlight Andrew brought and I'd brought some candles as well. As the hours ticked by were worried about Josh being out alone in the bush after dark. Andrew went outside, walked around the cabin shining the torch and called his name a few times. Baby jumped inside me at Andrew's loud shouts. We prayed and bedded down for an early night around 8:30pm. I've never heard opposum's grawl, snarl, and hiss like they did out there in the trees around the cabin. Josh got in after 9:30pm with only two of his dogs. He said he'd go back out in the morning to look for his lost and wounded dog as well as bring back the pig he'd shot. Andrew and I both tossed and turned quite a bit throughout the night. 


We had a leisurely Saturday morning, ate what was left of our muffins and home made snack bars, read together and slept some more. Around 11am we gathered our gear and headed back to the boat. We took the trip downriver slower, munching on veggies, apples and chocolate. Saturday had warmed up and the river was serene. Drifting through the slower bits without the rumble of the motor we could listen to the bubbling water, birds singing, waterfalls, and goats playing. We even managed to get in another chapter of Chris Panos' exciting faith-filled life. 

                    

               




Every so often Andrew used the motor to navigate the boat through tricky bits of rapids and shallow waters. The goats were lucky that AD can't both drive and shoot. With the rifle along I thought Andrew would want to put it to use at least once. An old billy goat took the shot, making it as dramatic as possible by wailing, moaning and then pathetically stumbling into the river. I think Andrew feared I might not speak to him after his heartless kill but somehow we were chatting again way before our muddy dock appeared around 4.30pm. We managed to haul the boat up through the mud, dissemble it, and get everything back into and on top of the car. Andrew's left leg suffered a dunking once on the trip, and infection was beginning to show :( 


A dry, clean change of clothes waited for us in the car for the ride home. It was a pretty time of day for a drive as the sun was beginning to set. A stop for a hot roast dinner in Te Awamutu made the ride particularly wonderful. We even made it back to Hamilton in time to rest before Easter Sunday! :)