MEMBERS' PAGE
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Notes From Your Committee-
Your Executive and Committee are-
Meetings
President's Report- July 2009 (see also the President's Report for the AGM) Hello
everybody. Well
the AGM went well, with a new committee appointed and trip leaders as
well, and with me learning a new role. We welcome Richard Walker onto the
committee. Thanks to the old team who ran the past year without a
president or vice-president.
Happy tramping – Bill Executive
and Committee for 2009-2010
President:
Bill Brough 970 0551
Vice President:
Jeff Lukey 522
4994
Secretary:
Val Trow 544 8417
Treasurer:
Graham Soppit 547
3358
Committee:
Guilda Pegg 547
7596
Richard Walker 544
0348
Robert Wopereis 544
0142
Hilary Sixtus 547
3457
Christine Burn 548
8308
Katie Greer 547
7850
Trip Leaders Not On Committee:
Bob Renshaw 548
2548 Maria
Brooks 541 8598
Rob Merrilees 541
8598
Donald Younger 545
1339
David Blunt 548
6826
Ken Ridley 548
9897
Social Conveners:
Maria Brooks and Rob Merrilees
541 8598 Club
Report for 2008 - 2009 for the Annual General Meeting - 6 May 2009
From Your Committee:
Revised Rules of Conduct on Trips- Your committee has re-considered these rules in the light of the recent escalation of the culture of blame. We want to emphasise that those on Club trips may look to the Leaders for guidance and are expected to normally accept their directions but that in the final analysis each person on the trip is responsible for their own decisions on the risks they are prepared to take and are confident that they have the fitness, level of skill and competence required to cope with those risks. The Rules are- · Members accept that they will be responsible for their own decisions on the risks they are prepared to take on Waimea Tramping Club outings and for ensuring that they, and young people in their care, have the fitness, level of skill and competence required to cope with those risks. · Subject to the above rule members are expected to accept the guidance and direction of the Leader. · Each member is responsible for his/her provisions, equipment, and survival gear. · Members must carry their own first aid kit AND any personal medication they may need AND advise the Leader of such personal medical problems. · No alcohol, no smoking. · No dogs, no firearms. · No lighting of fires in the open. · Pack out your rubbish. · Use toilets or bury wastes 20m away from streams. · Wear adequate clothing. · Wear stout footwear suitable for the terrain. · Stay with the group by keeping the person behind you in sight, know your own abilities, and be considerate of others. Photo Competition 2006 (closes July Meeting. Judged at the August Meeting!)
Rules/Conditions: 1. Photos must have been taken by members in the year up to when the entries close for the competition. (Undeveloped film in cameras okay for the next year’s competition). 2. No entry fees. (Gold coin donation at door for people attending). 3. Three prints per member per category maximum. (i.e. 21 maximum number of photos entered) 4. Maximum size to be 5” x 7” (Except for the open class) 5. All photos to be mounted. (Photo fixed to a A4 sheet (max. size), card, plain or coloured okay). 6. All photos to have a title on the front mount, with name, section & category on the back.
Categories: Section 1: Must have been taken on a WTC trip. Categories: A. Scenery B. Nature (Flora & fauna) C. Club Activities (Close ups of people, humour, etc) (For Trophy)
Section 2: Tramps in NZ. Categories: A. Scenery B. Nature (Flora & fauna) C. Human Nature (People, humour)
Section 3: Open Class. Any others - enlarged or manipulated photographs etc. (as long as they have been taken by the person entering , and are in the current year)
Certificates to all 1st, 2nd & 3rd placings. A trophy is to be presented for the best in the Open Class. A Plate for the best Club Activity Photograph (Section 1. C). A trophy is presented for the best overall print.
Entries to be in by the club night on Wednesday 5th July Display of photos and presentations of certificates and trophies to be held on the club night on Wednesday 2nd August Come along and see the great outdoors through the eyes of club members
If you have any queries please contact Val Trow, phone 544 8417
VHF Mast in
the Wangapeka! Doc are gradually completing a VHF
network designed primarily for their own staff use in the field but also
for Search and Rescue use. The transmitter/receiver masts they are
erecting are just a plain aluminium pole about 5m in height and with a
small box of electronics at the base. There is one on Mt Lodestone that
has been there a few years.
Transport Donation Yes, it had to go up! The recommended donation is based on the variable running costs of the average vehicle as published by the AA and for some years was 9c per kilometre plus another 9c per km for the rough unsealed road section of the trip (to help pay for the drivers' mufflers). The committee decided that as from the next itinerary that is now out at the beginning of July 2006 it will be based on 10c per km. The committee will try and keep the cost down by planning more local trips.
Blue Duck are Endangered... there is a nationwide project towards saving the chicks from stoats and locally the project will be centred on the Flora Stream where the Friends of Flora are doing a great job at keeping the stoats in check. Update 9 September 2005- All the Blue Duck released at Flora died last year and Friends of Flora are concentrating their efforts further downstream. A number have also been released in the Rolling River and are thriving so far.
Farm Gates ...the success of many tramps is dependant on the goodwill of the local farmer in giving us access through his farm. To maintain that goodwill for future occasions it is essential that all gates be left as found, either closed or open as the case may be. And if they are to be left closed they must be soundly secured in exactly the same way that the farmer left them. It is therefore essential that the tramper opening a gate is also the one closing the gate because often only he or she who knows how to secure the gate the way the farmer wants it secured. It is not satisfactory to shout instructions to a distant tramper at the rear of the party!! Either wait, or close the gate and leave those at the rear to handle the gate themselves. Neglect of this rule has shut us out of tramping access in the past.
Late Returns from Club Trips ...for a number of reasons trampers expecting to arrive home at a certain time can be delayed. In most cases this causes more concern to those expecting them home than to the tramper. Make sure that anyone who may be worried if you are not home from a club trip when you expect to be, has a contact number to ring. This contact person should be a club member who knows about the trip and what route is being taken. If the delay or circumstances become sufficient to cause concern the names and numbers of the party, their vehicles, and their route are all details that will be sorted out before any alarm is raised. Remember, all our leaders are experienced and carry a Personal Locator Beacon with them to summon help in an emergency.
Wasps...some concern was expressed about the vulnerability of people to an allergic reaction to wasp stings. If you are allergic to wasp stings you should seek the advice of your doctor before going into wasp prone areas during the wasp season. You should also always carry suitable medication and advise the trip leader of your allergy.
Club Gear... the Club has three Personal Locator Beacons. A PLB is taken, at the discretion of the leaders, on those Club Trips where it could be of value in an emergency situation (nearly always). There should seldom be more than two PLBs being carried by Leaders on Club Trips at any one time so the third PLB is available to be taken by members on private trips. The hire charge can't be bettered (free) and you are encouraged to take it. Other Club gear (3 tents, 4 ice axes and some local maps) may be taken on private trips by members subject to priority being accorded to Club Trips. Phone any of the Club Captains for availability.
from February 2009 the present 121.5mhz beacons will become obsolete and only signals from the new 406mhz beacons will be monitored. These are much more powerful and accurate beacons (at more than twice the price) so anybody contemplating the purchase or replacement of a PLB from now on (including the Club) should look towards the new 406mhz version. The Club now has 3 new 406mhz beacons for use by club members
or how about hiring a Mountain Radio? Although the club owns three Personal Locater Beacons they are a once only emergency device. The Mountain Radio Service is the only public communication system for back country users. It is a high frequency radio service that enables backcountry communication via a volunteer base station operator. Users are supplied with a radio transceiver and aerial to set up. Daily scheduled contact times (scheds) are used to communicate weather, location and intended routes. Advantages - Radios are compact, lightweight and cheap to hire. Communication is available in most mountain areas - reception is not obstructed by mountains as line of sight is not required. Route details are recorded at base stations during scheds, which can quicken a search in an emergency. Disadvantages - The long wire antenna (40m) that has to be erected may be a problem for an injured solo tramper. The radio is subject to static from thunderstorms and interference is possible particularly later in the evening. Communication may only be possible at scheds. Weight of the radio, antenna, spare batteries and bag is 1.2kg for the smaller and 1.8kg for the larger set. Size of the bag is 19cm x 16cm x 8cm for the smaller set. Hire costs are $30 for a weekend, $40 for a week. For information and bookings contact Canterbury Mountain Radio Service 03 379 7905. The local contact is Greg Pickford 544 7085. Further information : "http://www.mountainradio.co.nz/"
Use of Emergency Gear: The Marlborough Tramping Club, as a result of the rescue of some of their members on the Robert Ridge in May last year have published some very interesting comments on the practical aspects of using emergency gear under difficult conditions. It is reproduced here for the benefit of our members. Bear in mind that this is experience gained from having to sleep overnight in the snow in bad weather and with some of the party suffering from varying degrees of frostbite Torches - most were not bright enough and head torches (leaving hands free) were more convenient Matches - waterproof matches don't work if you get the striker plate wet with snow covered gloves! Lighters are probably more reliable but in very cold conditions need to be kept in a warm place, and cold hands can find them hard to operate. Gas cookers - can be difficult to light in the wind and getting snow in/on them should be avoided. At high altitudes and in cold conditions a Butane/Propane mixture is more efficient, and the canister should be kept inside your sleeping bag overnight for best results next morning. Lighter weight items such as maps and foil survival blankets blow away VERY easily and may be impossible to retrieve Trekking sticks are very useful in the snow provided the snow basket is attached. Water- it is important to maintain fluid levels. The water bottles froze overnight and did not thaw out until people were back in Blenheim. Keep water bottles in your sleeping bag overnight in very cold conditions. Food - it is important to keep up your energy levels in cold conditions, and high energy snacks (such as chocolate, mixed nuts etc.) should be eaten regularly during the day. Clothing - Put on extra layers of clothing BEFORE you get cold and try to ensure that the layer next to the skin is completely dry. It is essential to keep the body core warm with a number of layers to trap warm air. Wool, angora, and polarfleece were very successful inner layers with a good raincoat and overtrousers over top Hats - Most heat is lost from the head so make sure you carry (and wear!) ear muffs/headband, and/or balaclava, woolly/fleece hat, and scarf. Gloves - carry a thin pair of gloves or fingerless gloves that you can still wear whenever you are doing fiddly things such as doing up zips and boot laces. As well take warm gloves or mittens and waterproof overgloves for snowy conditions. Socks - Take spare dry pairs. Keep any excess clothing inside your sleeping bag overnight Boots froze overnight and were very difficult to put on in the morning. Take a spare supermarket bag or two to put boots etc. in and keep them in your sleeping bag overnight, or use them as a pillow. Plastic bags over your socks make it easier to put boots on and help to keep socks dry in wet boots. The bags also provide extra insulation in cold and/or wet conditions. Sleeping bags - even if they get damp still keep you warmer than none at all! Make sure you always pack it away with the zip partially done up - frozen fingers on a dark night have great difficulty in fitting the thingy into the whatsit before you can get it started! (Perhaps we need to take a bigger sleeping bag to fit in our gas canister, water bottle, boots, spare clothing etc) Sleeping bag liners - lightweight liners (silk, nylon) keep your sleeping bag clean on the inside if you have to put your boots etc inside-and they also add a layer of warmth. (The ones with hood and insect mesh face cover add considerable warmth to the face and neck area.) Waterproof outer bag - is needed to keep the sleeping bag dry if you don't have a tent or fly-sheet. The large orange or yellow survival bags give better protection than ordinary pack liners or bin liners. Emergency Sheets - wrap them around yourself BEFORE getting into your sleeping bag - if used outside your bag they may blow away if not anchored securely. Check your emergency survival sheet regularly -sometimes the folded layers stick together and the sheet may disintegrate when opened out. and LAST but NOT LEAST High on a snowy mountainside on a dark night is NOT the best time to figure out how to use various pieces of equipment!!! Practice using new or unfamiliar equipment such as cookers, torches etc. at home. Also a criticism noted in the media reporting the incident was that the party did not have a map and was therefore not able to give an accurate map reference to indicate their position, although they were able to communicate their problem by cellphone. This is worth remembering. Many of us (hands up if you are not guilty), through familiarity with an area, may not bother to take a map. To be able to communicate by cellphone is only half the answer, in bad weather a rescue party may have limited opportunity to reach you, it would help if they know exactly where to go.
And More On Emergencies: Trampers get complacent, especially on easy one-day trips!! True! From first hand experience of our past Editor on the mineral belt near the Dun! You can get caught out and may have to spend the night in the open on the most innocuous one-day trip. Top to toe waterproofs are vital, a light plastic sheet, tube, or bag big enough to get into is a good idea, and don't forget some emergency rations.
Rob Merrilees, 541 8598, is our Social Convenor. A warm welcome to new Members:
Badges may be purchased from the Secretary at a cost of $5.50 each.
Please Support Our Sponsor:Rollo 's Great Outdoor Centre, 12 Bridge Street , Nelson (03) 548 1975 http://rollos.co.nz/ 10% discount off almost everything for Club Members and great "Specials" nights.
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