Campers in high spirits despite rain

Sheltering at Waitangi yesterday are Michael Richardson, Lewey Richardson (14), Rebecca...
Sheltering at Waitangi yesterday are Michael Richardson, Lewey Richardson (14), Rebecca Richardson, Red Cunningham, Molly Richardson (10), Alice Cunningham (11), Libby Cunningham, Simon Cunningham (10) and Oscar Richardson (14). Photo by Sally Rae.

"This is camping, eh," beamed Red Cunningham yesterday, as he watched heavy rain out the window of his luxurious motorhome, Poverty Lodge.

Mr Cunningham, his wife Libby and their two children, from Waimate, were camped at Waitangi, on the shores of Lake Aviemore, alongside their friends, the Richardson family from Timaru.

While heavy rain had put a damper on camping in the valley for many holidaymakers, the two families were in high spirits.

Mr Cunningham and Michael Richardson reckoned they had been camping together for about 25 years.

Mr and Mrs Cunningham have spent three Christmas holidays in their comfortable and stylish motorhome, which boasts two televisions, a shower and toilet, fully-equipped kitchen and even a pull-out pantry.

In fact, Mr Cunningham reckoned they brought everything for their friends.

Theirs was one of the few campsites to boast a bar leaner.

"We're pretty self-sufficient," he said.

Not quite so lucky was Becky Downs, from Christchurch, whose nearby campsite was "flooded out, pretty much".

Even their dogs were grumpy, she said.

They had not come equipped for such wet weather as it had been 30degC at home.

In the 20 years they had been camping there, they had never experienced such heavy rain.

Amanda Shipton was wishing the rain would stop.

Her family did not really want to have to return early to Christchurch, because the camping holiday was supposed to be a break from the earthquake aftershocks.

While the children had been looking forward to riding the ski biscuit on the lake and swimming, they had been playing games, drawing and eating lollies, Cherie Shipton (12) said.

Between 50 and 100 holidaymakers, camped beside the Ahuriri River near Omarama, had an early morning wake-up call yesterday from Constable Paul Mander.

Environment Canterbury rang about 5am to say the river was "pretty high" and was expected to keep rising.

He had to wake up campers and advise them to move on from the popular free camping spot, 2km from Omarama.

Some had moved during the night.

Lake Ohau Rd was blocked, because of an impassable ford at Lake Ohau Lodge, but trapped campers and residents were all fine, Const Mander said.

The Omarama rodeo, which was to have been held yesterday, has been postponed until January 1, because of the weather.

 

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