Mid Anawhata Stream

Following our recent Anawhata hike that included a walk down the lower Anawhata Stream, Jorrit (https://hiking.meetup.com/171/members/10495725/) and Mike (https://hiking.meetup.com/171/members/10914038/) are planning this hike down the more demanding middle section of Anawhata Stream.

Introduction by Jorrit:
This hike will be off the beaten tracks and is suitable for fit and experienced hikers only.The difficulty of this hike should be rated as a 7 on a scale of 5. The duration (including breaks) is estimated on 6.5 hours. The speed during the hike will be low, but it will be demanding.
During this hike there will be some obligatory swims, since on some spots it will not be possible to go around the rock-pools. Therefore the items in your pack need to be wrapped in plastic (at least if you would like to keep them dry). Instructions how to pack will follow closer to time for those interested in joining us on this hike.
Although demanding, this hike will be a beautiful experience!

Route Description:
Starting from Chateau Mosquito carpark on Anawhata Road:

• Walk northward along Chateau Mosquito Track until reach Anawhata Stream.
• Turn left and walk down stream.
• Turn left onto wide Kuataika Track and walk up through forest then across farmland to Anawhata Road.

Meeting Places:
CLICK HERE (https://hiking.meetup.com/171/messages/boards/thread/5836238) for details about meeting at Victoria Park New World. We will arrange carpooling from here.
Then we will drive to Chateau Mosquito carpark (drive to Piha Road, after about 5km turn right onto Anawhata Road, continue about 4km, carpark is on right). There will probably be a car shuffle between this carpark and Kuataika capark a few kms further down the road.

Time Guideline:

• 09:15 - Good time to arrive at New World
• 09:30 - All at New World by now, arrange carpooling
• 09:35 - Leave New World
• 10:30 - Arrive at Chateau Mosquito carpark, car shuffle, introduction
• 10:45 - Start hike
• 17:30 - Approx finish hike

Stream Walk Info from Mike:
The swims are all together in the first 45minutes or so of the stream, i.e. the upper end of it. I’d wear togs in from the car, and preferably have a polypropylene type top as that’s warm when wet. For the pack what I’ve always done to keep things dry is put everything in multiple bags, preferably glad snaplock ones seal well, or else a heavy rubbish sack with the end rolled up and held closed somehow (pegs?) works too. You can buy proper dry-bags these days as well. Obviously phones and wallets need to be sealed extra well – maybe their own little snaplock bag inside other bags, or else risk leaving them in the car or at home. Plastic containers can work sometimes, but need particularly good lids, and must have a round lid as straight edges don’t seem to seal at all. Can squeeze the container and hear the air leaking in borderline cases, not if it leaks badly though. Bags almost seem to work better...
There might be another way to keep things dry, e.g. some kind of toy flotation device we can load up with packs, nudge across pools then deflate after later maybe...?
Could tell everyone to keep track of their temperature, and particularly their core-body-temperature (there’s a difference to me – can’t describe!) and be a bit pro-active about keeping warm. Do need to make sure there are a few dry clothes I think – may not need them on a really warm day but sometimes when you’re in a dark gorge with no sun and some wind comes through you get cold micro-climates in there (piha stream gorge is one that I find particularly cold.) I take a woollen hat and nylon raincoat as emergency warmth even in summer as they keep you warm yet are compact.
The timing is really variable due to the wide range of different peoples’ speeds off-trail. I’d roughly guess 50min down the track, 4 hours walking in the stream, up to 1.5 hours more for breaks / swims, 50min back up to the road. It could be good to car shuffle – leave some at each track end – as it’s a fair distance back up the road.

Bring:

• lunch and drink
• footwear suitable for stream walking and tramping tracks
• swimming gear and towel
• daypack with full waterproofing for anything you don't want to get wet
• separate pack with warm clothes to leave in car
• anything else Mike suggests above
• money for carpooling if passenger (suggest $10)