Lost Family Slept By Flooded River

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29893, 6 August 1962, Page 10

Lost Family Slept By Flooded River

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND. Aug. 5. A "short walk” m- the Karekare bush on Saiurday afternoon, turned out to be an all-night ordeal for a Mount Albert couple and their three children. Karekare is 25 miles south-west of Auckland. The couple. Mr and Mrs W H Edgat. have often taken their .hree children—John, aged 11. Brian, aged 8. and Catherine, aged 3—for walks and small tramping expeditions m the past and had never before encountered any trouble. Shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday they set off along a small track from Karekare road which they understood led to Ohaka head, no more than three miles away Shortly after 9 o’clock this morning, the family, cold and wet. returned to their car for •he drive home. Track Got Worse “The track we followed ran alongside a badly flooded river and the further we travelled the worse the track became. It wasn’t long before 1 was carrying Catherine and we were crossing and recrossing the creek looking for an easier path.” said Mr Edgar.

"We had travelled about a mile when we came to a waterfall which we had to climb round. At times climbing was quite difficult. “No sooner had we got past this waterfall when we were faced by another. This time, the banks were far too steep tor the -emainder of the family to climb so I went ahead to see if I could see the beach from the top. “I couldn’t and so I decided we should head back as fast as we could. We hadn't travelled far ivhen it started to get dark.” he said. Slipped In Dark “We slipped and stumbled quite a bit and were all wet up to our waists through crossing over the flooded stream. We found a little ledge and settled down 'for the night.” said Mr Edgar. To keep the children reasonably warm. Mr and Mrs Edgar lay on either side of them The family were all wearing raincoats and thick sweaters, “but it was still pretty cold.” said Mrs Edgar.