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As the shock wears off and reality sinks in, staff at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre are being comforted by an overwhelming amount of support from throughout the country.
Dozens of cards, faxes, letters and emails offering condolences and moral support have rolled in since Tuesday night's tragedy, as have bouquets of flowers with handwritten notes.
The phone in reception also rings non-stop with well-wishers wanting to pass on their sympathies and to let staff know there are people thinking about them at such a difficult time.
Many of the calls and letters are from students who have attended the centre and have fond memories of their time in the bush.
"I enjoyed every moment of the experience," said one former student.
Others are from other outdoor or recreational centre managers who know that anything can, and does, happen in the outdoors. Several others are from school principals.
"This is such a terrible and difficult time for you all," wrote one group of principals. "Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Arohanui."
Other people offered to come and help with cleaning or other tasks so the staff could have time to grieve.
None of the letters had a bad word for staff or the female instructor who led a group of 10 Elim students and their teachers up the Mangatepopo River on Tuesday afternoon for a river gorging activity that ended in the loss of seven lives.
That instructor has not yet spoken publicly about what happened. Staff say she is too devastated to speak at this stage and is being supported by other colleagues.
The instructor had been at the centre for three months but centre chief executive Grant Davidson has described her as having "years of experience" through similar operations overseas.
Susan Maxted, who doesn't normally work at the centre but was helping at reception to give staff time out, said they were coping by simply supporting one another.
"It is a tragedy and it's awful but OPC has done wonderful things for people for 35 years and it's going to continue."
Last night, the centre's board of trustees offered their "deepest condolences" to the families of the seven who died.
"Like everyone involved we are struggling to come to terms with the enormity of what happened."
Three inquiries, including an internal inquiry by an independent investigator, are now under way.
