Southern Traverse
Supporting Support Crews
Susan McKenzie / 15.11.2004
“The rain came in and just flooded our tent,� says Chris Jennings, one of the support crew for Port Nelson. “All the team’s bedrolls and sleep mats and sleeping bag were just soaking wet.�
Port Nelson’s crew, like many others, spent an anxious night waiting for teams that didn’t arrive on schedule. As became evident last night, support crews do more than support their respective teams, they also support each other. Members of Port Nelson and Jamo Bus became ad-hoc towing companies, towing trapped cars and wagons and trailers out of the thick mud and chewed up grass. Teams shared hot water, TA gossip and sleep (or lack there-of) stories.
Wet and cold and tired and hungry, Port Nelson finally arrived shortly before ten a.m., hours after its projected arrival. Its support crew had hot drinks, pasta and beef and crispy bacon and mushrooms waiting for them. The team’s game plan had included them arriving at two a.m., sleeping until four and then arriving at the kayak put in just before the dark zone was lifted at six a.m.
“That kind of changed last night,� laughs Gus Jennings. “Our whole game plan is kind of gone now.� Like many other teams, Port Nelson didn’t go up along the top of the ridge, but down and then up.
“It was a great trek, though,� says Tony Beatup. “When you actually got to see, the view was great, really spectacular down the Taipo Valley.�
“Not that we had many views up there,� says Jennings.
“We’re disappointed that the river kayak section’s been cancelled, because we’re good paddlers and we were looking forward to it,� Bateup says as he pulls off filthy wet gear in the shelter of a dark, cold abandoned shed. “But it works to our advantage, really, because now we don’t have to worry about the cut-off anymore.�
The team’s hope for sleep has also been dashed. With daylight, they want to keep moving. They had no sleep overnight, either.
“It was cold and wet and you just couldn’t stop, much less sleep,� says Lisa Savage, her feet soaking in a basin of hot water and her upper body wrapped in a down jacket. “This jacket is great. I think I’ll cycle in it.�
[Weather note: Okay, let’s stop pretending, shall we? This is a cold race, a rainy race and a wet race. There’s fresh snow and ice on the mountains and the forecast for the next 36-hours includes hail, thunderstorms, strong rain squalls and snow at 1000 metres.
It’s expected to clear Wednesday morning but then sock back in Wednesday evening. So, unless sunshine is specifically mentioned, just assume it’s raining here. Even when it’s sunny, it’s raining.]
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