ANZAC - TAKAKA - 2 Milestone birthdays 25-27 April 2025
Day 1
Our (OMO, JABBERWOCKY and I) long weekend started on Monday evening where we caught up with GYPSEY & REWD for dinner, they were about to embark on a South Island tour. By Thursday lunchtime we were fizzing to be on our way down south too. Flying into Nelson we were reacquainted with fellow Mount Hashers (BOULDER HOLDER and KING NOB ROT).
Our intrepid 2-hour car journey, to Takaka, the jewel of Golden Bay, required assaulting the monstrous Takaka hill (what a mission). After finding our bivouac, in somewhat salubrious accommodation we wandered (all of a ten-minute walk – everything is really close) to the hash venue.
WENDY & TOYBOY’s shed. Well, it’s not really a shed, it’s more like a Hashers Alladin’s cave, fitted out with everything a hasher could desire i.e., a bar, fridges for Africa, chiller parked at the doorway, hash paraphernalia e.g., flags, mugs, evidence of their wanderings (dead collectors cans, whiskey boxes and whisky bottles), themed sections e.g., James Bond cars, crash accommodation (on the mezzanine and MOLE (apparently he is a regular fixture) in his cot!
Although it was Thursday evening, it felt like a Friday, the ~50??, or so, people there mingled renewing old acquaintances and making new friends and having a few quieties.
There were a lot of the usual suspects from both the north and south islands (MONGO (and SARAH), DAGGY, FINGERS, SHORT PLANKS, WEE KNACKERS, a couple of CLARKE GAYFORD’s (and their significant others), Nelson hash in force - of course - and even some visitors from Aussie (ROMNEY & SOAK – brilliant to see you again guys).
Our hosts then announced the options for ANZAC day
1. If you wanted to march, be at the rock at zero five forty (05:40 am).
2. If you didn’t want to march, be at the rock at zero six hundred (06:00 am)
TOYBOY made it very clear, there were no other options. We were all expected to be at the dawn parade or else! (Actually, don’t tell TOYBOY but we all wanted to be there – that’s why we had come).
And so, the military precision had began.
End of day one so off to our billets.
ANZAC day
After marching (or shortcutting) somehow all the Hashers had managed to assemble with a lots of locals and weekend holiday makers (I’d be guessing at 300 people) before dawn at the war memorial.
After a 30-minute military service (with some moving tributes – lest we forget - and guest speakers) the last post was played, the service people and the horses were marched off.
As a beautiful, sunny, clear, windless – day (been from Welly we are not use to this) and this is the twelve year in a row that the weather has blessed ANZAC day - dawn cracked across the skies and the parade began. The parade marshal was TOYBOY who was barracking out orders, to the service men & women (including allied services like fire, police and ambulance). Marching I saw LOFTY, GROVER, WENDY, DAGY, MASTERBAKER (Nelson). Sorry if I missed anyone!
At the conclusion of the march adjournment was required at the Fire Station (which doubled as the RSA). Where we were all treated to breakfast (yummy croissants filled with bacon, egg and tomato) and cuppa tea or coffee (with the compulsory shot of rum).
By 08:30 (I’m getting used to this military vernacular) we needed to back at the war memorial for the civil service. I reckon the number of people must have doubled at this service. Scheduled at 09:00 was a Poseidon fly by, which happened as scheduled! Photo below and the carved gateway is into the war memorial
At the conclusion of the civil service, we all traipse back for morning tea (great spread by the ladies (and blokes?) from the back room of the RSA (fire station) - I especially liked the chocolate brownie, yum!) at the RSA and then the bar was open, cheap beers ($5) so, quite a few got consumed until the bar closed late afternoon (just in time for dinner).
Whilst there my gatekeepers suggested that we newbies, to Takaka, should explore the local attractions. The font of all knowledge, GATECRASHER , suggested the Te Waikoropupu Springs and The Grove. We visited both, they were awesome, in the afternoon and finally, we wandered down to the Pohara beach to chill and watch the fish jumping.
Thank you to the RSA and fire service for hosting the hash
Back to “the shed” for tucker (thanks for the no onions special brew) to continue the fun, stories (aka bullshit) and imbibing.
End of day two.
HASH DAY / BIRTHDAY DAY
Another brilliant day in the bay (sunny, warm, no wind!). Adjacent to the mess, run regos opened at 10:00 hours with a tee shirt & patch and TOYBOY’s instructions. The command to assemble at 11.45am to board the bus. But there was a bus malfunction, someone forgot to clean the bus (hash didn’t care) and that same someone didn’t fill the bus with liquid motivation (diesel) we did care about this though, as we didn’t want to push that bus. So, we were delayed in a tad before embarking to the run site.
Finally reaching the run site there were two trails laid (by the birthday girls), a walk and a run. There were about ten runners and the rest of us were walkers. After being warned by the hares that we would need to take a complete change of clothes we expected the worst. But fortunately, the weather gods were smiling on us and the deluges’ experienced in the previous few weeks had drained away to nothing.
Before much of the trail was behind us MINI HAHA brought out a brew but so intense was she on this brew that her footing went askew. Over she went grazing her knee, and butt, but not spilling a drop. While I’m on about injuries, 69ER who’s inhaled both beer and bee which promptly stung him on the lip and SPROGGY, face plant!
So, the trail continued traversing farm tracks and bush and quiet country roads (except for the EV’s that kept sneaking up on us). Until we reached the utopia of comestibles that we fondly sought. Our feet were not wet, and the walkers only had one crossing that was indeed ankle deep (but most used the adjacent bridge).
The piss stop, fines session and lunch were held at a house in the middle of no-where a great spot! A lot of hashers got fined but none more so that XEROX who had to drink whenever, someone else had to drink. This amounted to quite a few fines. XEROX when will you learn to keep your big mouth shut. Just by suffixing comments with “Sir” - when addressing the HARES, owners or NZGM, will not ameliorate your consumption rate (regardless of whether your point or question was relevant or not).
After lunch we were back on the bus to the River Inn and on into their garden bar. Nice spot! Here we were regaled by a local identity who told 3 interesting stories in rhyme (one of which was about the senior citizens bowling club – you had to be there). A great feed was had and after sundown and suitably replete we adjourned to the bus and back to “the Shed”.
T'was a special day for the two hashers too, WENDY & SEIRRA HORNIE welcome to the new decade. ROMNEY, that creative whizz, had crafted a fantastic birthday gift for each of the birthday gals, a blanket out of old hash sarongs. Not bad ROMNEY, well done. There was also a cracker carrot cake, crafted by CC (COULDN’T CUM), that was shared.
Where, surprise, surprise we had a few more beers. But then the HARES/HOSTS had another surprise, the local DJ appeared to aid the party to dance the night away. Most who were able, were up on the floor dancing, what a great night, others though introduced their lips to a fierier brew (and judging by the remnants in the morning they had a good night too). In fact, had it been ANZAC day again they wouldn’t have had to rumple their sleeping bags before going to the dawn parade.
SUNDAY
It’s home time again, what a great weekend, thanks heaps to the team for turning on a stunner. Takaka what an un-spoilt golden bay jewel, glorious weekend weather, WENDY & TOYBOY you are living the dream, but I promise not to tell anyone.
Now it was time to say goodbye to all, friends both old and new, see next time for another fun do, adieu.
I‘ll be lining up for ANZAC 2026.
ONON
IQ20
PS: On a sadder note, we were sorry to hear of Sticky Wickets daughters passing earlier in the month, our collective hearts go out to him (and Ducky). Those there all signed his remembrance book for her.
And in reply from STICKY (and TIOLET DUCK)
“… thanks to our beautiful hash family for all the loving support. ♥ “