Caravan Club business took us over the Rimutaka Hill yesterday as we needed to check out a couple of motor camps for up-coming rallies. It was fine and sunny when we started our drive but we were soon enveloped in cloud at the top of the hill. This road is well known for it’s twists and turns and the thick cloud ensured everyone was driving slow and steady.
It’s hard to see in these conditions
Once out of the cloud cover, it was sunshine all the way, although we could see evidence of heavy rainfall with flooding in the paddocks. Our caravan club business took a little time to resolve, and then we headed to Henley Lake for lunch. Packing a picnic seemed a sensible idea for this pair of pensioners, and we ate our lunch, washed down with hot coffee, while we gazed out at the many varieties of water fowl which call this lake home.
Birds at Henley Lake
Snoozing in the sunshine
The heavy rain had raised the lake level so much that the lakeside boardwalk was under water. A group of brown teal ducks were taking advantage of the edge of the submerged board walk to perch on as they gazed across the lake, no doubt thinking of their next meal.
Walk way is under water
Brown teal
A car pulled up beside us and we watched as an elderly man prepared his boat for a sail. It was a Canterbury J Class, radio controlled boat, he proudly told me, and he belongs to a group who regularly come down to the lake to sail their boats.
Messing about with his boat
It was great to see so many people making use of this wonderful facility. Many were like us, just sitting in their cars and admiring the lake views and the plentiful bird life. Others were enjoying a brisk walk around the lake in the chilly breeze, although the ground was very sodden, we noticed. After a long, leisurely lunch we headed off for home, and the low cloud had long gone from the top of Rimutaka Hill. Oh look, here’s the welcome sign, we’re almost home.
Welcome to Upper Hutt
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