Hikers Report for Waitati on 30/10/2019.
Twenty three hikers took welcomed refuge at the Blue Skin Cafe from the forecast down pour that struck our party a short distance from the cars. The hike was commenced in pleasant hiking conditions on the board walk to the west of Orokonui Lagoon from the Doctors Point Road.
From there it was a morning tea stop by the substation. From there we had foot paths to the Waitati school where it was hoped that a person from the Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust
would provide information on the schools addition of their solar panels, the BEL solar power buy back scheme & their involvement with the Eco House Build that is to be displayed at the Home &
Living show on the 2nd & 3rd of November at Forsyth Barr stadium. This house was constructed by women. It was due to attending to the final details of the Eco house that the BRCT were unable to oblige.
The next point of interest was half way up View St we came upon a couple attending to fitting new number plates to a car. The woman who was obviously very proud of this just completed conversion of this vehicle to pure electric. (EV) The bonnet was lifted to show the very neat functional set up which had a range of 140 kilometres. She just had to have a photo of the car & amp;
group. At the top of View St we crossed a sheep paddock to the top of the Waitati cemetery.
Apart from the final downpour it was a pleasant stroll completing the eastern Orokonui Lagoon walkway to Doctors Point Road up to Opeke for lunch & return to the cars.
Leaders were Betty & Jim Finnie