| We can plan events but we have no
control over nature and consequently the miserable start to the New Year dampened the
spirits of half the people who booked on our annual picnic to Warwick and Glenn Marsh's
holiday home at Kaiaua. But despite the rain we decided to carry on with plans as not
everyone who rang, rang to cancel. Some asked enthusiastically whether the run was still
on because they wanted to get out of their house, give the car a (non-literal) spin and
blast off the rainy day blues. For those who braved the weather it turned out to be a
surprisingly enjoyable day. The run was quite mystical with the clouds whispering around
the hills, like tropical rain forest in some parts, then the 17-odd kilometres along the
coast, north from Miranda, was quite surreal. With just 30 of us, we were able to make the
best use of Warwick and Glenn's deck and lounge overlooking the beautiful bay, which was
in the lee of a little point and totally sheltered from the breeze. Even the rain had a
few breathers. Technically the event wasn't a picnic
but a value-packed barbecue. Warwick had picked up a sack of mussels that morning and
cooked up steamed mussel and fritters. The Social Subcommittee supplied sausages, chicken
kebabs, bread, salad, cheesecake and eclairs. Everyone was well sated. See the Gallery
pages at Annual
Picnic Page 1, Page 2.
Don't worry if you missed out this time because Warwick has generously invited us back
next year. It's an idyllic spot and the offer has been accepted. We just need the weather
to behave!
The next Social Subcommittee event is a trip on the Mahurangi River on the restored scow,
Jane Gifford, on Saturday March 10th.
The Jane Gifford was built in 1908 in nearby Whangateau and has a 19.8 metre length on
deck, a 6 metre beam and a displacement of 60 tonnes. Initially she carried granite from
quarries in Coromandel to Auckland. She then carried shell from Miranda to the cement
works on the banks of the Mahurangi River, road metal from a quarry at Motutara Island to
Warkworth and stock to and from Great Barrier Island and occasionally to Little Barrier
Island.
In 1938 she moved to the Tamaki River and in later years was owned by Subritsky Shipping.
She was acquired by the Waiuku Museum Trust in 1980 as a powered barge and taken to Waiuku
on the Manukau Harbour to be restored back to sail. She was rebuilt and launched in about
1992 and operated until she no longer passed survey because of rot in the deck and hull.
In 2001 a new Jane Gifford Trust bought the vessel and moved it to Okahu Bay but they
couldn't raise enough money to restore her. Then in 2005 a number of Warkworth residents
purchased the Jane Gifford to save the near derelict vessel from 'extinction' and moved it
on a house-moving trailer back to Warkworth. She was relaunched on the 16th May 2009. See www.janegifford.org.nz for more
about this historic scow.
We have chartered the boat for this MG Car Club outing. It's just $15 a head for the
cruise and there will be options for you to enjoy the rest of the day in the area - just
hadn't worked them all out by the magazine deadline. Please see the notice on the Events
page in the magazine and book via the website - where post cruise options will be posted.
Payment is required in advance and we look forward to this being a great MG day.
Click HERE
to read the previous Social Speak column.
On behalf of the Social Subcommittee,
Sue Courtney
Social Subcommittee Chair
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