Huia Dam Rd —

from Dam to Dam

page 6

I've seen only a couple of miro this trip. It's a tree I continue to find exceedingly attractive.

We cross a final bridge

and we're there.

When I look over the edge of the bridge, it's a long way down, but what concerns me most is

a large patch of asparagus fern just below the bridge. If this isn't got rid of quick smart we have a very good chance of winding up with the kind of bush that we've got on Waiheke, and it's not a pretty sight. There's more of it in small patches around the base of the dam.

There's a covered noticeboard with construction history and a few background details and photographs. I walk up closer to the base of the dam, past a couple of sheds containing machinery.

The overflow from the dam is directed to the left as it descends, by way of a giant staircase

Up top, I can just see an anenometer and it's whirring so fast that every now and again it graunches horribly, as if it's tripping over itself. Speaking of "up top", there's no signage pointing out a way up, so I decide to check out the Upper Huia Dam Track, which emerges right beside the information display. It zigzags steeply up the hill.

When we're nearly at the top, the Upper Huia Dam Track veers off to the right, and the Nugget Track continues on up the hill.

We carry on up a few yards, and the Nugget Track continues on the other side of the dam. While it looks calm enough on the lake, the wind up here today is strong enough to move me bodily across the surface of the dam. I grab Alice's leash.

Now there's no way I'm going to fall over, but it's a weird sensation standing out there with an unrelenting wind giving you all it's got.

There's a sign, too.

Dogs, too. We drop back down the track a few yards and find a sheltered spot to sit and break out the thermos and the bacon sandwiches. It's nice to sit down without worrying about snakes or spiders or poison ivy or or or....

We pack up. Alice has indicated that she was born for bacon sandwiches, and I save a little for her. Me too, I tell her, and grab her just as she is about to head back up to the dam for an explore.

Most of the trip back is comfortable downhill, and I make good speed, mostly not stopping for photos, though those were a couple of wonderful looking kahikatea spires.

Further on, the Smith Rd bridge makes a nice capture as I pause to regroup before the only uphill part of the return journey.

Up to the top and down, and along the flat. and the Watercare Services truck is still parked in the middle of the road, it's radio still loud. We have made good time back to the dam, about an hour less than it took to get there.