West Coast/Nelson Caving Oct 20-29

I wrapped up two weeks of fieldwork with a well-deserved shower, a grand feast, good company, a load of clean laundry and a night's sleep in a bed. Then the decisions began of what to do with ourselves. The major aspirations were to do an overnight trip in Nettlebed and a trip down Harwoods Hole. While I have been through both of these before, this would be my first time leading these trips, and with people that hadn't been in them before.

We opted to check out Cataract Pot first, which like many New Zealand caves, was half in the finding of it. It was not that it was a particularly hard cave to find (you can hear the "cataract" from a popular tramping track), I just only had a vague idea of where it was and thus went mostly on instinct. After discovering some trails that led to other trails, I got a little smarter and figured out where the cave should be by comparing the survey I had with the map on my GPS. After checking out a few holes that were not Cataract Pot, we found it. Cataract Pot has one of the most beautiful entrance rappels I have seen- a clean, 40m free-hanging rappel down a shaft that gracefully bells out from the top. A small rivulet drops off the lip of the shaft, shattering into an impressive cascade that fills half the chamber and makes communication hard over its roar. Unfortunately no photos were taken as the chamber at the bottom is a whirlwind of mist and would have obscured the camera lens instantly. Wetsuits were a good call. We explored around finding a couple decent-sized passages. I then revisited nearby Cave Creek (described elsewhere on this page)- this time with wetsuits and wetter intentions (so again no photos). We walked up the mostly-dry trunk passage and bravely swam 30m to where we could walk again. Before we knew it we were at the sump that connects to Myopia Cave via a 20m dive. We then went back and explored the very wet lower reaches, noting that the water level was much higher than my last visit. I ventured upstream, removing my helmet at a low ceiling with only 15cm of airspace. Past this point the passage opened up again and we explored a bit more. A more prolonged constriction with about 7cm airspace gave way to a really neat passage that reminded me of catacombs under some ancient city. We had a look at the downstream continuation, but opted out as the water was too high and the current too strong.

Touristy detours were made to Pancake Rocks and the Truman Track. The latter is one of the very best 10 minutes hikes in New Zealand- it passes through three different vegetation zones before arriving at a rugged and scenic West Coast beach complete with fantastic rock sculptures, overhangs and a waterfall that plunges right onto the beach.

Blowhole at Pancake Rocks

A touchy forecast necessitated some quick organizing for our Nettlebed Cave through-trip. We stayed the night at the Mt. Arthur Hut, sleeping through the bad weather. We then hiked up the ridge and down patchy snow to abseil into Blizzard Pot. As it turned out, we managed to miss the second batch of horrible weather while underground so our timing was perfect. The trip is described elsewhere on this page so I will only add the few relevant comments. Blizzard Pot was much drippier than my last trip through, which really had me wondering about "the ducks" (sometimes dry, sometimes little airspace) which hopefully weren't "the sumps" (no airspace).

The real standout moment on the trip was when I realized that the first "duck" was sumped. Not good, but at least that one we could bypass via a tight crawl. The second one however looked grim with about 15cm of airspace at the start and I was unsure whether we would be able to get through. Once the other two were through the bypass squeeze, I took a deep breath, slid up to my neck in the cold water and rocketed through the passage as fast I could. Although now very cold, I was on the other side and determined we would make it through. I helped pass packs and sent the others through before several minutes of jumping jacks to warm up. Good teamwork had us through the Hinkle Horn Honking Holes in no time. Right before the entrance we noticed squishy mud underfoot and very fresh green debris on the low ceiling- apparently the entrance completely floods to where you can't get out and it had probably happened in the last 48 hours! I managed to lead us all through the cave with only very minor navigational wonderment. Near the Pearse Resurgence we saw a family of Whio (blue ducks, very rare). Watching the ducklings navigate the little rapids was quite cool! Lastly, the route up Whiskey Creek back to our car at Flora Saddle was a real kicker and made us appreciate just what a deep cave Nettlebed is!

We made it out in time to enjoy fresh fish and chips on a boat dock and arrived at the NZSS Annual General Meeting (AGM) weekend in time to catch up with my good friends. After what I thought was a well-deserved rest day, I led a trip down Harwoods Hole.

Harwoods Hole is unique in all of New Zealand and is one of my very favorite caves. A 176m (that's about 60 stories!) free-hanging, open-air rappel down a 40m wide shaft finds you at the top of a huge underground scree slope. The experience of slowly descending the rope surrounded by voids on all sides can best be described as slow motion sky diving. Once down, the fun really begins as you traverse an underground stream complete with waterfalls and deep indigo pools to skirt and span. Bouldering problems abound in a vain attempt to stay dry until the inevitable wade at the bottom of the cave. Rigging and de-rigging went smoothly and I had a very enjoyable trip.

The last morning of AGM was shaping up to be another day of partial motivation until Richard suggested a group of us raft and kayak down the Motueka River. Keen for something other than caving, kayaks were assembled and wetsuits were donned. I wedged myself into the smallest kayak I have ever been in and hoped for the best. It was a pleasant run with some enjoyable riffles and rapids and only one rapid that got my adrenaline going. Happily I completed the whole run without flipping.

AGM was really a lot of fun and I can't say how much I enjoyed catching up with my fellow Kiwi cavers. They really are like my family here. The dinner and barbecue were a good eat with wonderful company. I cleaned up all the trophies in the NZSS Photography Competition, which really only proves that people should put more entries in. Over half of the entries in the competition were mine...

Post-AGM, Ryan and I spent a day wondering around an area I have long been curious about near East Takaka, north of Gorge Creek. Together we found 9 entrances- 7 pit entrances and 2 walk-ins. The pits ranged from 15m to 20m deep and were explored using vertical gear. Some of the pits had rooms of stalactites (to 2m in length) and bones (including moa) off the bottom, while others drained down a hole much too small for human entry. We left no leads and carefully documented each entrance. While we didn't find anything huge, everything I entered was clearly virginal. There is still a huge area left to explore on future trips with lots of potential remaining.

Moa femur (large extinct bird)

Another designated lazy day found me wandering the streets of Takaka, cliff jumping at Paynes Ford and driving to the road's end in the Cobb Valley. With the last of the day's light we tramped through the bizarre ultramafic-adapted vegetation to a place I have long wanted to stay, the Asbestos Cottage. The place was as interesting and special as the story behind it. Annie and Henry Chaffey lived in the two-room cottage for 37 years, essentially as recluses. Annie fled an abusive husband to start a new life of isolation with her lover Henry near a remote asbestos mine. Most supplies were carried in by Henry on his shoulders and when they did occasionally entertain guests they were known for dressing fashionably. Twenty years after fleeing, Annie's husband died and Henry and Annie were finally married. During all her years at the cottage, Annie returned to civilization only once (for an operation). A little after Henry died at 83, Annie took her own life. It may not be your classic fairy tale, but it must have been love. Despite being over one hundred years old, the Asbestos Cottage remains a very special place that thankfully has been preserved for all to enjoy. Some of the descendants of the daffodils they planted were in bloom around the cottage.

The last caving trip was a venture into the well-named Simply Sumpless entrance of the Riwaka Resurgence. A team of cave divers explored up from the sumped resurgence, breaking into giant walking passage after two sumps. A clever caver overlaid their survey maps on a topographic map, figured out the mostly likely place for an entrance, and marched up the hillside to find an entrance right where he expected! After 15 minutes of annoying crawls, squeezes and climbs, one last crawl leads to an enormous room with a minimum dimension of 40m. We had a bit of a wander around, mostly satisfying ourselves with attempts at cave photography. I used a borrowed halogen light with a huge brick of a battery to light the place up. I have a good lead in there I need to remember to check sometime.

Thanks to Mary for letting us invade for a night. Thanks to Ryan, Lara and Francis for some great caving trips. Thanks to Richard for the kayak trip.

Copland Valley Oct 13-15

With a grim weather outlook we did what I thought was the best use of bad weather- sit in hot springs. We left the Copland car park at 6PM and arrived at the Welcome Flat rock biv at 10PM (not a bad effort!). I did the whole hike in nothing but boxers (and boots), which kept me at a comfortable temperature.

The hot pools themselves are world-class and set in an landscape few other springs can match. The water emerges boiling from its source and is channeled to 3+ pools whose temperatures can be adjusted by varying their input. The pools are surrounded by orange travertine terraces and marshes, in turn surrounded by moss-clad bush and towering snowy peaks. The periodic show of violent avalanches across the valley was welcomed entertainment to some quality soaking.

The middle day I went for a wet hike up the valley to Douglas Rock Hut which afforded few views in the miserable weather. The swing bridge over Tekano Creek was knocked out by a flood which is a pity. The creeks were flooded and brown with sediment so that I blindly stepped across them. Much time was spent in the hot pools day and night as drops impacted the pool's surface. I was very happy to not be doing fieldwork in the pouring rain.

Welcome Flat rock biv

Ford Creek Oct 19

Armed with knowledge from a friendly local, the three of us set off to explore an obscure West Coast canyon I have been intrigued about since I came across a chance reference to it several months back. Ford Creek is one of those places that you would expect little of by looking at a topo map or aerial photo. The short hike to the subtle canyon cuts through thorny blackberries and gorse and passes a wrecked car before arriving at a stream cutting through orange sandstone. Wow. For such a short 30m deep slot canyon, it really has quite a lot to offer in terms of beauty. The Island Sandstone, which the creek cuts through, is sculpting into some amazing and complex scallops, potholes and meanders. The white, frothy stream provides a beautiful contrast to the creamy orange sandstone and the odd sulfurous algae-stained springs emanating from the walls. Cascading waterfalls drop into the canyon from many locations. A punctuated light rain actually gave the best of both worlds- the rocks took on a lovely sheen, but still remained grippy and easy to travel on. A plethora of old gold mining shrapnel (and in one place two wrecked cars) detract from the beauty slightly, but are very interesting nonetheless. Mining relicts included rail tracks, gears, ore cart wheels and old cables. The creek had waist deep pools in places for which a wetsuit was appreciated, but for the most part was a pleasant ankle to calf depth. The canyon was well-suited for photography, which made it easy to spend a couple hours in.

Fieldwork Oct 5-13, 16-18, 31-Nov 2

This was the most productive and enjoyable PhD fieldwork I have done to date. Uncharacteristically good weather, a keen field assistant and longer days allowed me to get to some hard to reach places. Some days we didn't return to camp until 9PM. I managed to answer some questions I had, create many new ones, and find some great outcrops. I am now fully willing to argue I have the most complete and important section through the Alpine Fault! I have much to think about and to plan for the next round of fieldwork, whenever that may be.

I managed to go canyoning, rappelling and even caving in the name of science! Needless to say I am really starting to get into my fieldwork. It's hard work and I can go an entire day of bashing through thick bush without seeing a rock, but overall the persistence has paid off.

Several long days were spent bashing through wet bush to get to Livingstone Fault Zone outcrops. We revisited a previously described outcrop which is the best section through the fault I have seen yet. It's a very tricky place to reach with waterfalls above and below where the fault crosses the creek and steep unstable slopes everywhere else.

All photos of me in this post by Ryan Weidert.

Steeper than it looks!

Abseiling a waterfall

On a bright, sunny day we stretched into wetsuits and descended Monkey Puzzle Gorge, which was one of the most enjoyable days of fieldwork I have ever done. Once we swam the first stretch at the start, we were committed to go out the bottom no matter what we encountered downstream. The entire day was spent swimming, floating, wading, and jumping our way downstream, examining the rocks and taking samples and measurements where necessary. Steep inescapable walls, thick vegetation and deep blue green pools framed a very beautiful and very tropical scene. There was only one section of the gorge which caused terror- we found ourselves at the lip of a 10m waterfall with white frothy rapids and room-sized boulders as far as we could see. This we bypassed with some difficulty by traversing the bush on river left. Imagine room-sized boulders covered in thick moss and ferns with the 5m deep gaps between them covered in unsupportive moss. We took it slow and tested every step before our full weight was applied. The rest of the canyon was a breeze.

Greenland Group gneiss

Trying to get a GPS fix in the middle of the river

Ryan cleared some rather large river boulders at the Martyr River Alpine Fault outcrop with the result that we had several square meters of important footwall outcrop. There is now only a 2m section missing where the fault has thrust over river cobbles to an uncertain depth. We also cleaned an exposure at a Martyr tributary which perfectly exposes the fault core- my missing 2m of section at the other exposure! I won't describe further here but it is all very interesting!

Jackson Bay, southernmost settlement on the West Coast

The Cray Pot, only restaurant in field area

Jackson River Road, only road access to field area

Eying a gap of several days of good weather we then flew into the Jerry River, a place only briefly examined by geologists before because of its remoteness. The Jerry had completely different rock types than I have seen in the Jackson (or anywhere else for that matter) and I couldn't help but laugh and scratch my head every time I saw something new. Entire hillsides of fresh outcrop were mapped, measured and sampled. In a few days we managed to cover quite a bit of ground! Sadly, I collected few samples that aren't held together by glue or aluminum foil which means painstaking preparation later. It is clear the Alpine Fault is a very different beast here than it is to the north. We were picked up just before being completely socked in by low clouds and had to fly the long way out the coast. Had the helicopter arrived any later, we probably would have been sitting out a nasty storm in the tent for a couple more days.

Nice outcrop! (note fault at center)

Waiting for our ride

Escaping before the storm

One day was spent looking for, and exploring, Serendipity Cave. I found the main entrance to Serendipity by crawling into a small hole which intersected the proper entrance. Amazingly, this is not the first time I have found a known cave entrance from the inside by exploring an unmapped hole! There was a lot more cave than I anticipated and it had a main passage with quite comfortable dimensions. One side chamber was absolutely choked with stalactites and flowstone. I checked about a dozen leads, most of which kept going and all of which were virgin passage. The whole time I was giddy that there are caves in my field area. There is still much to explore! My hope is to find a clever way to use the cave to determine an uplift rate for the region west of the Alpine Fault and possibly a record of tilting.

Fieldwork!

The last day we went for a sunset walk along a beautiful West Coast beach near Cole Creek and ended up pitching tents on it.

After caving at the top of the South Island we returned to backpack into the Cascade River to check out the area near Woodhen Creek for a few days. Some good discoveries were made, but a good amount of time was also spent wondering aimlessly through the bush. You can't always have outcrop where you want it.

Woodhen Pond (an Alpine Fault sag pond)

Navigating the swamps

Theta Tarn

Cascade River

Hopefully next up, some rafting and more rappelling to get to those hard to reach outcrops. Rest assured, there is still a seemingly endless list of things to still check out in future fieldwork.

A huge thanks to Ryan Weidert for being my devoted field assistant. He did a superb job of "improving" outcrops, taking photos, observing, blazing trails, carrying stuff, using his height to get better GPS reception, occasionally being a ladder, battling sandflies, testing rotten logs and swamp squishiness, controlling weather, and rationing sweets.