|
Day: |
001 |
|
Date: |
Friday, 28 July 2006 |
|
Summary |
Hiked to South Point, the most southerly
point of mainland Australia , and back, a distance of 42km. |
|
Start: |
Tidal River |
|
Finish: |
Tidal River |
|
Daily
Kilometres: |
21 |
|
Total
Kilometres: |
21 |
|
Weather: |
Mild and sunny with little wind. |
|
Accommodation: |
A cabin at Tidal River in Wilsons
Promontory National Park . |
|
Nutrition: |
Beakfast: ?
Lunch: No lunch,
just snacks of jelly babies and gorp while hiking
Dinner:
Another “blokes” dinner out of multiple cans. |
|
Encounters: |
As I was collecting a small jar of Bass
Strait water from the tip of South Point, a huge whale surfaced
about 50 metres offshore. |
|
Highlights: |
Obviously the whale was a highlight, but
virtually having the whole Prom to myself (I only saw six other
people in two groups) on a perfect day was fantastic. |
|
Lowlights: |
Finding my legs and feet were suffering
badly in the last 8km of the hike. It’s very depressing to think
I’ve lost so much running/walking form. |
|
Journal: |
I headed out at sunrise (7:15am) for South
Point, 21 kilometres away. The route traversed pink granite
headlands, vast sweeping beaches and scraggly forests recovering
from a recent bushfire. The weather was perfect and I was even
singing to myself as I motored along trying to make good time.
When I got to South Point there was a sign requesting (not
ordering) people to stay off the small promontory for conservation
reasons. After some consideration I decided to be a rebel and set
off clambering across some very big boulders to the point. Some of
it was quite challenging for a 55 year old with a bum knee and, on
more than one occasion, I retraced my steps when I felt there was a
reasonable chance of falling some distance and knowing that nobody
would find me for a very long time. Eventually I reached the point
and then descended to a small adjacent cove where I filled my little
jar from an incoming wave. Again it was somewhat risky, although
the worst that probably would have happened was getting very wet.
Just as I finished filling the jar, I saw a black shape out of
the corner of my eye. It then disappeared and I wondered if I
imagined it. However, after waiting another two or three minutes a
large whale surfaced and rolled slowly forward. I watched it slowly
move around the point and head north. Will I see it again at Cape
York ?
I made my way carefully back across the isthmus and
then after a 10 minute snack, headed back for Tidal River at a good
pace, making minimal stops on the way and reaching there at 4:30pm
with very tired and stiff legs and sore feet. I felt like I had run
a marathon. Sad, isn’t it. Hopefully they won’t bother me on the
bike tomorrow. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track
(2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
|
