Auckland Baptist Tramping Club

Long Bay has always been a popular Sunday afternoon Club trip over the years, and this time was no exception with 16 people turning up. Two car loads left The Bracken at 1:30pm to meet up with more people at the north end of the Long Bay Regional Park carpark. We set out along the clifftop track towards the northern end of the park. At the top of the first hill we took a side track to an old World War II gun emplacement. We continued on along the clifftop track, going up and down till we reached Piripiri Point. A further ten minutes’ walking brought us to Pohutukawa Bay and our afternoon tea stop. We could look out across to Karepiro Bay and Dacre Cottage, a feature of another popular Club favourite the Okura Walkway. As the tide was coming in we had to return the same way instead of along the foreshore. The weather was so hot and muggy we certainly welcomed a swim to cool us off. A large number of us went on to join more Club members for a BBQ to celebrate Jo and Stan’s engagement, at the home of Stuart and Helena in Milford. There were 31 people in total. After a yummy pot-luck main course we gathered in the lounge for the formal part of the evening - that is, everyone except the featured couple. Various chocolate snack bars were handed out, then the couple were called in. Those who received the bars would take their turn in making up a tiny story about the couple based on the name of the bar - Moro, Mars, Picnic, Bounty, etc - before throwing the bar into a shopping bag to be given to Jo and Stan.

Barbara closed off by saying that Jo and Stan will be facing new challenges, new things to do, new mountains to climb, new places to pitch the tent and so on. She quoted Numbers 6:24-26, being the traditional church benediction praying for God’s blessing, protection grace and peace. A yummy shared dessert was then served.