12 members of the club completed an eventful walk on the Mangaone Walk in the back of Reikorangi, Waikanae on Sunday.  We had not been on this track for some time as it has been closed due to slips.  It used to be a fairly flat walk in and out which follows the Waikanae River but as we discovered there is now a detour up the hill, not too challenging but unexpected.  The walk leads you through beautiful native bush for approximately an hour and you then come out to the Kaitawa Reserve which is a lovely meadow with the river running alongside it.  Unfortunately for the family up ahead of us, Dad had somehow stepped into a hole and either badly sprained or snapped a tendon and his ankle was quite badly damaged.  His wife was on the phone to emergency services when we came upon them and the nurse in our group (thank you Natalie) checked it out and advised she didn't think it was broken and he would live!  We decided to have our snack break a bit further up the track and we watched the helicopter come down to get him.  We offered our assistance and waited with wife, baby and dog until the helicopter was ready to go and we then all walked back out to our cars.  The walk took approximately 3 hours and the day was finished up with coffee at Olive Grove cafe in Waikanae. 

Trip Leader – Jeannine Muir

Walkers – Sue, Rob, Anne-Mette, Judith, Brenda, Lynda, Natalie, Lynn, Delphine, Denise and Suzanne