The West Coast, what can I say, full of challenging tracks for the keen 4wd. This trip I left from work to gain some time and hopefully get to Ikamatua before dark. But for some reason I just never got away as soon as I had hoped for. Never mind I had set the Nav Phone so I would not get lost on the way. It got dark by the time I headed over the pass and we were soon travelling well up the west coast on some back country roads with no idea where I was. I did set the Nav for the shortest way to Ikamatua. Good thing it was right, the gravel rods did lead us to our destination.

Saturday morning was damp and over cast, just enough to keep the dust down. We all headed off to visit the popular tunnels, travelling up the river. The tunnels were much the same as last year but with a little more water as I could not see the old water way. Maybe the many 4wd vehicles had worn them away. While waiting inside the tunnel for the vehicles to make a tight right turn, I wondered what would happen if a CHCH earth quake happened to pass by. Maybe a good place to get out of reasonably quickly.

After a short time of travel we all had to turn around as there was a very rutted climb up ahead that our leader decided to not go up. However it was not long before we came across another climb just as bad. A good time to test the winches. Up ahead all the vehicles were winched up with various stages of difficulty. A ground anchor was used and in the loose ground did prove to be a challenge, at least a Pajero with brand new 33inch tyres almost made it. My attempt found me on a precarious angle, so I hit reverse very quickly to bring my vehicle back onto its feet. My next attempt was just go up the middle and get as far as possible. The rest would just be on the end of a rope. Well yes it was, but the smoke coming from the control box meant that I was totally relying on the leaders winch. More maintenance. We then visited the cemetery at Napoleons Hill. Good thing we stopped as another group of shinnies came past. Hope they enjoyed the mess we left on their way back down the hill we just winched up. After lunch we headed of down the track back to our hotel via a short trip that unfortunately ended up on private land.

Well the dust was well settled by Sunday morning, so much so that our main trip was abandoned as the ford was to deep and swift. So we headed of to find another track. This ended up to be off the Snowy River road. Pushing through gorse, bush and branches the track lead us to a river that once again was to deep to cross. So we headed back, this time hoping the land rover would stay on the track. Maybe there can be to much electronics in a vehicle to take ones eye off the road, or was it just lack of concentration, good thing the hole was only mud and water. We then tried one more track only to find it came out on private land and we had to turn around again. The tracks were great all the same and I love the west coast bush.

After packing up on Monday morning we headed off to No Name Road, south of Greymouth. An amazing track through native bush, river beds and more. The track was not for the faint heated when it comes to bush bashing, I ended up with scratches, after all it is a higher grade trip so that was expected. I even enjoyed a little swim down the river. My Pajero did well until I tried to turn across the current and up a bank. The current got hold of my vehicle and sent me down river. I hit reverse and managed to bring the vehicle back after sliding around the edge of a hole where a fallen tree had caused the river make a large to scour out. One problem, it pays to put the tow hook in if you have a removable tow bar, before you enter the river. I had to get out and open the door, not good when you are on the top side. Water came poring in, at least it was not quite up to the computer in the middle of the vehicle by the heater. With the tow hook now in the Landover pulled me to dry land where I opened the doors to let all the water out. Thank goodness for Dehumidifiers! Four litres of water later and after 5 days I am now all dry again. Maybe a body lift? At least there was a way around the obstacle so a second attempt was not required. Can not understand why the others did not give it a go, its only water. We soon hit the main road and after a Pie a Jackson's Bar we all headed home.

Thanks again Pete for a fantastic weekend of four wheeling.