During my time doing Search and Rescue I noticed that people would risk crossing flooded rivers rather than stop until the water levels had fallen. I have done exactly the same thing myself. I think one of the factors which influence the decision to cross is the perception that the wet bush is a hostile environment so the risk to get to a “safer” place clouds judgement. I was boogying down the Tauranga Taupo one afternoon starting to get concerned about getting out of the bush before nightfall. I recognised that my thinking was irrational as I was in no danger where I was. Taking a grip on myself I decided that to demonstrate to myself that I was capable of overcoming my concern, I would light a fire in the middle of the river. Found a clump of boulders in midstream  with some driftwood lodged in between them. Rearranged the driftwood slightly then found some dryish kindling under an overhanging bank. Perched the kindling on the driftwood and soon had a fire going. Warmed my hands, tipped the fire into the river and went about finding my way back with a completely different attitude.

The single best example of bushcraft I’ve seen was up in one of the rivers east of the main Raukumara Range. It was clear that the weather was going to break big time. We’d made our way three hours down river to our lower campsite where we had stashed polythene and tucker on our way in on the chopper. Before it started to rain I gathered in a good supply of dry kindling and tucked it under the shelter. My turn to cook the next day, no worries, got the fire going,  cooked all the meals that day. Bucketed down all day. We got out in our raincoats and collected all the driftwood we could find on our side of the river. As we were collecting the wood saw the carcass of the bull I’d shot upriver floating past in the floodwaters. The next morning it was Keith’s turn to cook. Still pouring down.  I thought the old b…….. would never get out of bed. Eventually he did , put his raincoat on, picked up the axe and disappeared outside. He was gone for ages. Eventually he came back dragging a log which he’d pulled out of a swamp. What is he up to? He hacked into the still dripping log building up a pile of progressively smaller pieces of wood. Got a bit of candle and got his fire going. The wet wood burned as though it were dry with an intense heat. He cooked breakfast. I had to tell him how impressed I was. He said that the log was broadleaf, it would burn wet. He’d learned this trick when hunting Stewart Island.

The other trick I learned was in the Waikare. Got into camp where I met another hunter on the block who I I hadn’t met before. As was the custom, I set about gathering some kindling to get a brew fire going. He said “You’re new to this country, aren’t you. I’ll show you how we do this.” He proceeded to gather up armfuls of teatree brush and filled the fireplace completely with it. He placed the billy full of water well up in the chimney and set fire to the brush. There was a roar like a jet engine as the fire raced up the chimney and in nothing flat the water was boiling. I didn’t use this technique very often.

Being able to get a fire going in the bush is an essential skill and worth practicing. I find carrying a billy and making a brew fire at lunchtime is very worthwhile.