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Seans visit and some of the mischeif we got up to.

Well Sean has been here for about 12 days or something now for his annual visit.
First up we headed out with the usual gear and fly camped over in Port Underwood, but there was nothing really new there.
We did some shooting (I got a few quail which made a tasty dinner) and the fishing was shit.
While hunting on the hill, I got a text from some good friends asking if we wanted to go sailing so why not.
This time the fishing was better and the sailing was spectacular with consistent winds (rare for this area) and some good times with good people and good drink.
Looking forward on our way out:


A Red Gurnard each for me and Sean:


Me and Theo steering on the way back in the next day:



We were confined to home for a few days due to the weather so we took the time to work on a few projects, one of which was to modify Seans axe to more of a lightweight style reminiscent of the old time Trade Axes.


Well when the weather started clearing we re-attached the handle, gave it a sharpen and then packed our bags lightly.
I carried the grand total of:
Winchester 67 Boys Rifle
50 rounds .22lr
Wool blanket
Wool Jacket
Thermal top
Oilskin Drizabone
Buck Saw
Swiss Army Knife
Canteen and cup
Spoon
Lighter and matches
Tobacco and pipe
Cord and hooks
Flour, coffee and muesli bars
And a good book (the 'Plains of passage' by  Jean Auel)

Sean went lighter and carried only a Survival Blanket for his sleeping gear.
This particular bag was apparently THE one to get and a lot of people raved about them.

We hiked on in to a little bay I know of:


There is no flat ground here so a platform was built up using saplings and then Ponga fronds for padding.
My oilskin was placed on this for my bed:


Some food was gathered and a fire started.
That night we dined on a seafood chowder filled with mussels, cockles, oysters and dumplings.
A feast fit for a king:


We had a visitor in the form of a Weka looking for scraps, she became a common sight over the next few days:


It was a pleasant evening which was made more enjoyable with good company,  good coffee and my pipe:


Sean tried out his survival blankets and likened it to sleeping inside a condom.
It didn't breath at all and so condensation built up after only 2 hours to the point he needed to change his clothes and he ended up sitting next the fire all night.
(We were prepared for such an eventuality and had plenty of warm clothes and firewood on hand to at least be warm if a little uncomfortable.
Hypothermia is not a problem at this time of year.)

Meanwhile I was warm in my woolen blanket and oilskin riding coat.
The second nights dinner was a possum that I picked off with my Winchester 67 Boys rifle I was packing. 
It made a great stew that night with some bannock.

Sean made sure there was a heap of dry firewood on hand and spent the night curled up next to the fire. 

All in all it was a great few days out in the bush and we learned some more stuff and had a heap of fun.

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Did indeed! My kit all fitted inside a small satchel, with my knife(Svord 370BB), torch(Fenix LD20), and Canteen(Old French Aluminium Canteen and Cup) on my belt.
Had my Swanndri and Poncho rolled up with the sleeves tied around my waist.
My kit was basically a small bag of rice, a hunk of salami, some snare wire, a few hanks of paracord, some spare torch batteries, a notebook, a pair of dry socks, my small 'trade axe', my survival bag(Adventure Medical Kits Survival Bivvy), A billy can(just for the ease of it) and a few barley sugars and coffee sachets. Would have attempted to make a bush bow, but could not find any suitable wood that wouldn't have taken me two days to shape and form.

Sounds like you had a good time! Yea sleeping in those survival bags sounds good in your head beforehand but works out pretty miserable! Nice minimal kit too very cool.

Thanks for sharing!

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