Carrying water to the Tasman

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32874, 24 March 1972, Page 1

Carrying water to the Tasman

An American, Allan Priddy, aged 25, is trekking 140 miles overland from Christchurch to the West Coast with a fluid ounce of the Pacific Ocean. When Mr Priddy completes his tramp up rivers and across the Southern Alps next week, he will ceremonii ously pour the water into the ; Tasman Sea. A Florida mechanic who

has just completed a 16month contract with the United States Antarctic Research Programme, Mr Priddy is walking from coast to coast “to get fit again and see New Zealand!” Before setting out last Thursday, he collected a phial of water from the mouth of the Waimakariri River. He plans to empty it into the Taramakau River mouth, 15 miles north of Hokitika. He has covered about 100 miles. He followed rivers up through the Waimakariri Gorge, crossed the Bullock

• Hill to Cragieburn and yes- - terday walked along the road--1 side to Arthur’s Pass. > He said last evening: “I’ve i had to go up riverbeds and r bare rock ridges, across paddocks, irrigation ditches and t tussock plains, and along the I railway and both dirt and tarf seal roads. s . “Usually I just sleep outs side with a groundsheet, but >1 have slept in an abandoned hut with some mice, and in a ) pile of hay.” > Mr Priddy is delighted by I the friendliness and interest t shown by railway and road

■ construction workers and far- ■ mere he has met on the way. "I constantly get offers of s lifts on the road. And a jetI boat even stopped below the gorge to see if I’d like a ride, I but I refused—my effort is to ! walk from coast to coast.” Today he may continue his journey along the roadside to . Jacksons, where he is to fol- : low the Taramakau River for I the final 30 miles. i But he may spend the next few days around Arthur’s 'Pass to take some bush i walks.