Autumn at Lake Hayes

I arrived at Lakes Hayes to find a man peeing in the bushes. There really is nothing like arriving at a family holiday and picnicking spot to be greeted with a bit of public urination. While Lake Hayes is relatively small as lakes go (276 hectares), it’s big enough for there to be plenty of options to park, meaning I could get well away from where he was standing. As far away as I could in actual fact. 

Finding a spot that wasn’t being used as a public toilet, I abandoned my car and set off on foot enjoying my recently purchased morning sustenance. While the coffee was good, it was the cinnamon scroll that was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t had high hopes for it but feeling the need to eat something, I gave it a go and was rather pleased with my selection. I ate as I enjoyed the still, tranquil scene in front of me. 

The morning was still relatively young and the lake was as calm as a mill pond as the sun rose from behind the hills. Every so often a group of walkers would pass by, or an overly enthusiastic couple on a bike. Out on the lake in the distance a rowing crew seemed to be enjoying having the whole place to themselves, only sharing it with a scattering of ducks and a gaggle of geese that looked like they could turn ill tempered at any moment. Still, I worked on the theory that they would leave me alone, if I didn’t disturb them. An arrangement that seemed to work just fine. Finishing my nourishment, I walked for a bit taking in my surroundings. The whole lake is surrounded by mountains that remain covered in snow for most of the year once winter hits. This gives the place a spectacular dream-like feel. Enjoying the autumn colours, I could have stayed for hours. Just as I was tempted to start negotiating with myself regarding my time of departure, A campervan with markings on its back bumper indicating a recent entanglement drove past. It was closely followed by a very expensive looking SUV. It arrived and parked almost directly beside me. In an instant, three kids ejected themselves from the backseat and in the blink of an eye they were at the edge of the lake, throwing stones at the ducks and geese. Just then one of them announced they needed the toilet! I took this as my cue to leave!

Autumn on Lake Hayes

Before I go any further with my tale, I feel it best to clear up a little confusion. Lake Hayes (or Hay’s as it was first officially named) is not named after local Arrowtown legend and notorious scoundrel Bully Hayes. Nor is it named after pioneer Ernest Hayes who settled in the Ida Valley. The lake is named after Donald Hay, an early Scottish farmer who came to New Zealand via Western-Australia and discovered the lake after surviving a winter storm and freezing conditions while sailing over Lake Wakatipu. It seems that at some point in history an erroneous ‘e’ was added to the spelling of hays between the ‘y’ and the ‘s’ giving the spelling of Hayes instead of Hay’s. My guess, and I’m just speculating here, is that local pub landlord Bully Hayes got whammed on whisky one night and told a whopping great big lie claiming the lake was named after him! Then, history and gossip did the rest.