Rabbit Island is about two kilometres off the east coast of Wilsons Prom National Park. In March 2019 a group of us spent a weekend of adventure at this idyllic part of the coast. This is a short (4 min)
video of our trip. At https://youtu.be/ACYIQ7SOGig
During the Labour Day long weekend in March 2018 four of us paddled (and sailed) our sea kayaks around the southern tip of Wilsons Prom National Park, from Tidal River to Port Welshpool – a total distance of 90 kilometres over 3 days.
Shortly after this trip I posted a video on Youtube (see address at bottom) and never got around to doing a blog until now. I thought it would be of value to further cover the adventurous aspect of this trip.
The Prom has a wonderful coastline with so much to offer. Paddling a kayak keeps you close to nature and the elements, and makes for a great adventure but can also be risky as I was to find out on this particular trip as I capsized with the sail up, out from the coast with a strong offshore wind.
DAY TWO
On day 2 (Sunday) of our 3 day kayaking trip, we were planning to paddle from Waterloo Bay to Refuge Cove. The forecast was for 15 knots from the West so we weren’t too worried about the conditions. We were on the protected side of the Promontory. As we rounded Cape Wellington we pulled into a small sandy beach below Kersops Peak. After a brief stop we then set off for Refuge Cove – or so we thought!
Peter was navigating, and up until this point had done an excellent job, so Steve, Derek and me didn’t personally pay much attention to the landmarks nor refer to our maps or GPS. Unfortunately Peter somehow missed Brown Head, which is when we should have hugged the coast into Refuge Cove. Instead we continued on across Refuge Cove towards Horn Point. The distance between Brown Head and Horn Point is 1.75 km. It was halfway across the Cove when I got into trouble.
Willy Weather chart for Sunday 11 March 2018. Note that Wind Real-Time after midday was over 30 knots – well above forecast!
At the time there was a strong off shore wind which was trying to blow us out to sea. I was a short distance behind Steve, Peter and Derek on the lee quarter and was attempting to get back close to them. My sail was fully up-hauled but I was struggling to make any progress in closing the gap to the others. I was contemplating dropping my sail and paddling upwind when without warning a strong gust tipped me over. I had to wet exit because the sail was up, which makes it very difficult to perform a roll. Upside down I pulled my spray skirt tab and was out of my boat. By the time I packed my sail up, which took a few minutes, I noticed that Steve and the others were still heading off in the distance unaware of me out of my boat. The time was approx. 11:15 am.
I immediately tried a re-enter and roll but was unsuccessful. The seas were getting choppy and I was drifting away from the coast. Getting back into your boat is not easy in these conditions. With a re-enter and roll it takes at least 15 seconds to place your feet in the cockpit whilst upside down (underwater) and set the paddle up for a hip flick and roll back upright. My first attempt failed partly due to my water container coming loose in the cockpit and restricting placement of my legs. Holding your breath for a second attempt is a real challenge. The next alternative action for emergency self- rescue is to use a paddle float. Mine was stored away in my day hatch, not ideal but still accessible. Before I went for my paddle float I had another look around and to my surprise noticed a large boat in the distance. It was approaching my direction so I waited.
As luck would have it the wildlife tourist ferry Brianna Lee from Port Welshpool was doing its daily run to the Light House. They had seen me and motored alongside. The skipper kindly took my kayak in tow with me on-board and dropped my off at Horn Point, which was where the others had by this time got to. It must have been a good kilometre to land (upwind).
The rescue definitely saved me many more hours on the water. I have often thought of how this would have played out if I wasn’t rescued by the Ferry. I had sufficient water and food for two days along with a marine radio, GPS and PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). Firstly I would have performed an emergency self -rescue using my paddle float. I have trained in self rescue with a paddle float in similar conditions and am confident that I could have got back in my boat. My technique is to do a re-enter and roll using the paddle float, and then use my electric bilge pump to pump the cockpit dry. In this scenario I would have been over a kilometre from land. I would have soon realised that paddling upwind in a 25 knot wind to get to Wilsons Prom would have been “touch and go”.
Would Steve, Peter and Derek have put themselves at risk and paddled out to sea to get to me? This is a good question which would have depended on when they noticed I was missing, when they noticed the ferry on the scene and various other factors. As it was they had a strenuous battle upwind to get themselves to safety which was a real effort in itself!
In the scenario of being by myself with an off shore wind, increasing to 30 plus knots by 2pm, I would have firstly faced the shore and monitored my paddling progress against the wind. If I was making 1 or 2 kilometres per hour headway I could have possibly been successful in making the distance over a few hours. I must experiment one day to establish my limits in this regard. The only other option (apart from activating my PLB) would be to strike out towards the Seal Islands (19 km to the NW), or Hogan Island (47 km to the SW). I have paddled to, and camped at, both these locations before and had the way points programmed in my GPS. If I would have taken the Seal Island option the wind would have been on my port quarter or what’s described as a broad reach – this would have taken approximately 3 hours to paddle. To Hogan Island the wind would have been on my starboard quarter (broad reach) and taken approximately 7 hours of paddling. Therefore I would have hopefully reached either landfall by dark. I had camping equipment, food and water for a few days so this wouldn’t have been an issue. It would have been important to contact friends and family as soon as possible. If I couldn’t raise anyone using my VHF radio whilst on the water I would have had mobile phone coverage on both these islands (tested on previous occasions).
The event was quite embarrassing at the time, but was also an invaluable experience. Lessons learnt:
Blue water Kayaking is for the adventurous person. The conditions we experienced on that day were demanding, and I ended up in a very precarious situation. This situation could have easily ended up with me getting blown miles offshore, as well as the other three. Once away from the coast it would be hard to predict if I/we could have effectively paddled upwind back to the Prom against 25 knot winds in three metre seas. With an off-shore wind the further away from the coast and protection of land the rougher it gets. On the whole I was extremely lucky to get picked up by a passing boat. Fortunately this incident hasn’t scared me from doing similar trips again. I consider myself to be much more learned as a result.
You can also see a video of this trip (8 min) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74jV16C2McE&t=121s
The Grampians Peaks Trail is one of Victoria’s proposed icon long distance hiking trails. The first section is now complete – a 38 km, 3 day/2 night circuit departing from Halls Gap.
Margie an I did the hike in Oct 2017. You can see a video of our walk via the link below.
We are looking forward to future sections of the trail being completed.
There is so much beautiful coast to explore around Wilsons Promontory National Park. Skull Rock, otherwise known as Cleft Island, is located in the Bass Strait about five kilometres south of the most southern point of the Park. I did a memorable return paddle to Skull Rock from Tidal River in April 2017.
I was lucky enough to see seals on this trip. They are captivating to watch in their home environment. Unfortunately there are not as many know as there once was. Early in the 19th century men flocked to the Bass Strait Islands to kill the seals which were valued for their fur and oil. Between 1800 and 1806, about 100,000 seal skins from Bass Strait passed through Sydney, and by 1820 the seals were almost completely exterminated.
Three different seals were originally present in Bass Strait: the Australian elephant seal, the Australian sea lion and the Australian fur seal: but only the fur seals still live there in very small numbers. The elephant seal and sea lion colonies were completely destroyed. The only way these two species will ever return to the Bass Strait is with a significant population growth at colonies south of Tasmania (elephant seal) and west from Kangaroo Island, South Australia (sea lion).
You can see a short video of my paddle via the link below.
A group of us from the Victoria Sea Kayak Club paddled from Port Welshpool along the east coast of Wilsons Promontory National Park, staying at Johnny Souey Cove. You can see a short (5 min) video of the trip at https://youtu.be/PBcOhY9_Gyk
40.3km, 2180m total ascent.
After descending the final 900 metres on the third day I had finally completed this walk – this was my second attempt. Two weeks earlier I set out to do this walk with Margie, however we were forced to turn back on the second day after it proved harder than expected and we weren’t equipped with water bladder/bags to carry sufficient water. See previous blog (Long Hill via The Crinoline – October 2016).
I was keen to try this walk again and tick it off before the end of spring as I knew with summer fast approaching it would become even harder to find water and with the warmer weather you can’t walk far without water. This time Margie was happy for me to set out by myself. The main addition to my pack was a Sea to Summit 10Ltr water bladder.
DAY 1
I parked at the Breakfast Creek carpark, Tamboritha Road at 10am and had a steady climb to The Crinoline. This was good work out as the elevation went from 340m to over 1100 metres. A few times that morning I could hear a wild dog/dingo howl from the opposite ridge. This primeval sound made me think about the hardships of animals such as dogs surviving in this country and was one of the moments I love when walking in more remote parts of our bush.
After a brief stop at The Crinoline I continued onto Long Hill. During the final few kilometres my thoughts were focussed on whether I would find water in Long Hill Creek? I’ve heard that during summer this creek completely dries up which is a real issue as it is a time and energy consuming walk to lower elevations to find water. If the creek could not provide me with water my three day circuit trip was over. Two weeks ago I could see water dropping over the falls from a good distance but this time was different. However when I got within a few hundred metres of the falls I saw a small shower. I was instantly relieved and knew that virtually nothing could now stop me from completing the walk.
After pouring 7 litres in the bladder I coaxed myself into walking a bit further. It was 3 pm – a bit too soon to stop for the day. From here on it was slower going. The absence of markers and onset of low cloud caused me to double check my GPS to make sure I was still on course. At about 5.45pm heading east on Long Hill plateau it got really foggy and I was struggling to see 20 paces ahead. On the plateau with no markers I was reliant on my GPS. At nearly 1300 metres elevation I didn’t expect the weather to improve so on finding a nice flat area I set up my tent. It was a good day’s walk. I had covered 15 km and ascended about 1200m.
DAY 2
The next morning I was blessed with blue skies and amazing views across the Caledonia River and to the north. There were open faces stretching down towards the river and I’m sure in a remote and undisturbed place like this, with some time and patience, you would spot deer feeding well away from cover. Anyway photographing deer was not on my agenda on this trip so I kept moving.
Persons before me had gone to lot of trouble placing piles of rocks at strategic locations along the route. These rock cairns were the only visible marking system along the section between Long Hill and the Rock Shelter. Occasionally I missed a few rock cairns and ended up on the worst part of the ridge soon realising there must be an easier way. I then retraced my steps until the last known cairn and did a brief search until I identified the next stack of rocks. I was thankful that whoever originally placed the rocks knew the best way to avoid the most difficult terrain. Sometimes the route dropped 20 metres down the side of the ridge and at other times it crossed the ridge at right angles to go from one side to the other side. When there was a shortage of rocks the path had been lined with dead branches!
All the time there was a new inspiring view to look at. In contrast to the walk up to the Crinoline there were no unnatural blemishes in the distance such as cleared farmland. It was 9.15am and I was in one of the many saddles. What I thought was going to be an easy walk along a contour turned out to be a fair amount of up and down. I finally arrived at the Rock Shelter for a snack, drink and another fantastic view to the north. The trail was becoming more discernible and to my surprise a few hundred metres later it transformed into a 4WD track! Although there wasn’t much evidence of vehicle traffic I would have preferred a narrow walking track. Now for a steady climb towards Mt Tamboritha.
After what seemed like ages I had reached the next intersection, McMillans Track (elevation 1370m). This took me over Mt Tamboritha with views to Bennison Plains, and down to a saddle before Little Tamboritha. By this stage I had covered 30 km, and with a total ascent of 2000 metres no wonder my legs were feeling tired.
I was also thirsty. Looking at my water situation was disconcerting as I barely had enough to last another day? On the first night I had used a couple of litres and so far that day consumed the same again. At this rate I was going to run short. My options were to drop down a gully and hope I didn’t have to go too far, continue on and tough it out, or take advantage of a number of constructed fire dams situated along the track. I came across the first dam on the saddle between Mt Tamboritha and Little Tamboritha. This dam like the next two I encountered must have been constructed over a decade ago before an existing track was downgraded to a walking track. If it was good enough to sustain frogs it should be good enough to drink. Although it was not currently being fed by a stream it had obviously been flushed during the winter/ spring rains and was still reasonably clear. I took a couple of litres and boiled it before drinking just to be on the safe side. There were no side effects. The next time I will take a water filter.
It was my intention to cover some more ground to make it a shorter day tomorrow so I walked past the last dam and camped on a nice grassy top at 1260 metres. I had walked just over 18 kilometres that day.
DAY 3
This was going to be a short day. The last seven kilometres was all downhill. Again there were very few markers with little or no track to follow. There was evidence there once was a track but it was now quite overgrown. One of the spurs was a bit tricky with a slight turn to the west before dropping off – if you went straight ahead you would have some bush bashing to do. With clear views across to The Crinoline so I could see where I had been two days earlier. Slowly I was descending and by looking in the distance I was able to compare my elevation with landmarks on Day 1. Leaving camp at 6.45 I arrived back at the car at 10am.
If you were really fit and didn’t mind pushing yourself you could do this walk in two days but personally I don’t think it would be enjoyable. It’s better to take your time and absorb the scenery and natural wonders. This walk is in remote country on mostly unconstructed tracks with limited marking. There is a fair bit of steep walking and uneven ground. This is a great walk for improving your level of fitness, planning and navigation skills combined with beautiful scenery. It had a bit of everything.
What was going to be a three day walk was cut short. Our original plan was to complete a circuit walk starting from Breakfast Creek car park and finishing at the same location, however the first day was harder than expected and with a few uncertainties, including the unknown conditions ahead and availability of water, we took the safe option and turned back. On the positive side this was a good recce for a future walk when we would be better prepared.
The Saturday (29 October) was essentially all up with an ascent of 1020 metres over 10.5 kilometres and the Sunday down in reverse.
DAY 1
The first 4 km, from the car park to Sugarloaf ridge, was a steady climb along a well formed track gaining an altitude of 500 metres. This was a good heart starter and in the warm 25 degree October sunlight I could feel the sweat forming. We topped up our water bottles 10 mins earlier after hearing water trickling in the creek near the track (it should be noted that this water supply is very intermittent). We then had two litres each which would serve to keep us hydrated until the next water opportunity at Long Hill.
Then we had a steady stroll for 15 min before a steep climb up a grassy slope with numerous switchbacks. The track was becoming narrower all the time – it could be better described as an animal trail. As we looked behind us we had views of the Sugarloaf, a quaint picturesque hill to the south. At the top of the slope the track gave way to rocky ridge to The Crinoline. At 6.7 km (from the car park) we stopped at the side of The Crinoline for a relaxing cuppa whilst taking in the views of the expansive Wellington River Valley. Travelling from home that morning meant we didn’t get started until 1pm and given that the afternoon was fast disappearing we thought we had better get a wriggle on to ensure arriving at our camp site on the Long Hill prior to dark.
Some orienteering was required on the NW face of the Crinoline as it looked easier to skirt around the face rather than going up and over. We simply stuck to a contour just above one of the upper rock tiers and managed to avoid most of the shrubs. Then it was an hour plus of boulder/ rock scrambling and gentle walking for the next 3 km before reaching our camping spot for the night.
It had taken us longer than expected. Margie in particular was feeling fatigued from the ten plus kilometres walk and thousand metre ascent. We arrived at the tent site just before dark and quickly dropped our packs to walk down the gully to Long Hill Creek for water replenishment. Fortunately there was a nice flow of clear water at the headwaters of the Creek just above a waterfall. We could see that others had accessed the creek as there was a discernible path from the main walking track. Someone had marked “water” with an arrow on a rock to show us where to turn off the main track.
This was a bigger day than expected. To continue on might have been unwise as Long Hill was likely the last practical water access for the next two days! I had thought that we would simply drop into the head of a gully at our next camp but not having local knowledge or good information on water sources could have put us in trouble. Upon realising the lack of a constructed track and difficulty of finding water, and our lack of carrying sufficient water, we made a decision to turn back.
DAY 2
We got up at day break and made a quick visit to the creek to refill our water bottles. The weather conditions were deteriorating with strong winds forecast. Before daybreak there were strong wind gusts. Fortunately our Big Sky Chinook all season tent was proving resilient on the exposed site. With the wind getting stronger we packed up and were on the way by 7 am.
We soon made it to The Crinoline but had to take it slowly traversing the north west face as the wind was really packing a punch. We both had our hats blown off and had to scurry after them. Walking on the tops of the boulders and rocks was precarious and we occasionally had to stop and brace ourselves until the gust had passed. We were thankful to drop lower into the shelter of Breakfast Creek. A few drops of rain with what looked like worse to come. We got back to the car at midday.
Although we didn’t complete the full circuit we still had a great experience in some very nice remote country. We will certainly be better prepared next time when walking in this part of the Victorian high country. The main thing is to be self sufficient with water. There are a number of walks that have similar water challenges in Victoria including the Crosscut Saw section of the Australian Alps Walking Track. Carrying water for two days can be demanding as most of us prefer to travel light, however this appears to be a necessity for this walk.
I was given an opportunity to join an overnight rafting trip down the Mitchell River. I hadn’t been rafting before so I was keen to give it a go. All up there were five rafts and four white water kayaks in the group. Mitchell River is popular for rafting and kayaking, with long flat sections interspersed with large rapids.
We launched at Angusvale (Mitchell River Project Access Rd) and paddled to Final Fling (Alexanders Rd). This was roughly a distance of 30 km over the two days. We camped about half way.
Amphitheatre Rapid was one of the highlights of the trip. We tackled it on our first day. Unfortunately we didn’t get a good start. A small stopper had turned us around to face the wrong direction and upset our chosen obstacle free downstream ‘V’ path. Our raft flipped at a big stopper moments later. The four of us were flung out and went for a nerve-wracking swim.
Emma and Holly managed to catch a throw bag from the guys along the shore. I got hold of the raft grab loop and stayed with the raft until it stopped against a big flat rock two thirds of the way down, whilst James missed the throw bags and got swept downstream past the rapids before finally making it to the bank. Even with a PFD you can sink and it seemed to take ages for me to come up after the initial dunking.
Amphitheatre is a Grade 3 rapid. However, given the level of 1.85 metres on the day it was probably a Grade 3+. Apart from our guide getting a cut above his eye we escaped injury. I lost a bootie and water bottle. Two paddlers in a following raft got thrown out but kept hold of the safety OS line running around the outside, and were quickly dragged back in. All our paddles were collected downstream at the first flat section.
This trip made me really appreciate the challenges of rafting, such as reading the water, working as a team and deciphering the safest path.
See my short Video of the Amphitheatre Rapid at https://youtu.be/xhB6o9IzG84 (footage from my helmet mounted GoPro).
It had been two years since my previous back pack trip into this amazing part of the Alpine National Park (See post – Stalking Sambar with a Camera, Sept 2014).
Doug, my brother-in-law, joined me on this trip. Doug, like me, enjoys bush walking and outdoor adventure. This was an opportunity for Doug to see Sambar in a scenic and rugged landscape. He was keen to take his firearm with him as part of the experience. Being physically fit and feeling at ease in a remote area away from roads and tracks is a pre-requisite for this type of activity. It does not appeal to everyone. There are risks and hazards with potential for slips, trips and falls. We took it slowly when negotiating rocks, steep slopes and loose ground. It helps if you are sure footed with a good sense of balance. If you sprain a knee or ankle it would be extremely tough going to get back to the car. We did some fitness training leading up to this trip including an overnight walk with all our gear. This also helped us test our equipment and explore ways of keeping our pack weight down to a minimum. Lugging in a big lens and tripod wasn’t easy for me but I suppose it’s akin to Doug taking his firearm. Our intention was to be away from the car for five days so planning for food and provisions was important. Water was scarce on the way in so we had to carry sufficient water to last for a day or more.
Glassing with our bino’s from the camp site soon revealed a deer. A young stag was bedded down on the opposite face quite a distance away. He was partially hidden behind a mound of earth -we could only see his head protruding to the side. We quickly set up our campsite, donned our day packs with torch and snacks, and set out to try and get a closer look. It took us over an hour to get directly opposite the stag. He was still bedded down, which was unusual given it was 5.30PM! After some stalking through a patch of Casuarina we managed to close the gap to 120 metres before he sensed our presence, became unsettled and moved off. I was lucky to get a photo as he stood up. By this time the sun was setting. Having dropped a few hundred metres in altitude from our camp, down rocky escarpments and through steep gullies, it wasn’t until well after dark when we returned back to base. Travelling during the night is when our GPS proved itself once again and I’m sure it saved us considerable time. We were both exhausted after our big day and questioned whether we had crammed too much in. However, we couldn’t resist the urge to get a closer look at this stag!
The next day, after a leisurely start, we explored along the river. We saw a few deer during the day but nothing worth following up. On the third day we walked for miles up a tributary and through some interesting and promising country, however it didn’t produce as much as we were hoping. We got honked at in the morning, watched two hinds for a while wandering around on a distant face near midday, and later stumbled onto a small stag bedded down in a rocky spur on the way back that afternoon. I wasn’t quick enough with the camera as he quickly dropped down behind low scrub and rocks. We later filled up our water bladders at a side creek before the steep climb back to camp.
On day four we dropped down to the river just after daybreak and were pleased to observe a number of deer on the opposite face across the river. I reckon they had returned from a nightly feed on our side of the river.
We noticed two stags well apart from each other along with a number of separate hinds. The farthest stag was 250 metres away with the closer stag half that distance. All I could see of the closer stag was the rear section of its body with its head obscured by a tree. In an effort to get a better photo I sidled to the left. I knew this was risky as deer can easily pick up lateral movement. The safest technique to get closer to a deer is in a straight line between you and the animal. However I had no choice but to go sideways in what was fairly open country. I eventually got to a good position for a photo. No sooner had I clicked the shutter I noticed a flash of a much bigger Sambar with large antlers about 10 metres behind the younger stag. Obviously the more mature animal was keeping watch for danger from the safety of cover. When it identified me and felt threatened it took off. I was hoping it would cross a couple of open clearings on its departure but being as smart as it was it kept to a narrow strip of thick vegetation as it climbed its way up the face, with the younger stag following. We crossed the river and gained some height but did not pick them up again. It’s always much more difficult stalking when you’re on the same face as the deer.
After a few hours walking we gained some altitude as we headed into a new gully system with steep faces reaching up to the clouds. There were a series of sweeping horizontal rock fault lines making the terrain all that much more challenging. We separated and kept in touch via our two way radios. Our intention was to poke our way along the side of the face hoping to see some animals. That was until Doug said on his radio “I’ve just spotted a hunter on the opposite face”. Doug at this stage was a few hundred metres above me. After a few minutes of searching I picked up a hunter wearing a blaze orange hat and Moroka 30 half blaze hunting shirt. He must have been at least a kilometre away as he was just a dot on the landscape. If it wasn’t for a couple of deer we were keeping an eye on in the general location of the hunter we wouldn’t have spotted him. We then noticed another hunter following the same line about half a kilometre behind the first hunter. They were well ahead of us on the opposite face heading in the same direction. We heard a few deer honk well up ahead so they had obviously caused alarm amongst some of the deer. Soon after the first hunter left our field of view we heard a shot. It must have been from the first hunter as we were watching his mate at the time. We then made the decision to turn around, not knowing if the other hunter was successful or not.
It doesn’t matter where you walk in the Victoria High country these days you are never far away from deer hunters. More and more hunters seem to be back packing into remote areas in search of a good hunting experience. This part of the Alpine National Park is open to hunting 10 months of the year. Even though I am taking pictures I am concerned about my safety and always wear a high vis blaze orange hat in this back country.
Something we heard nearly every day on this trip was wild dogs. We were hoping to catch sight of them but they were too smart for us. I remember one afternoon, as we were watching a couple of hinds bedded down, the dogs situated less than 400 metres at an angle away from the deer (and us) started howling. It was interesting to see their reaction to the dogs. I was expecting the two deer to get up and get some distance from the dogs; however they stayed where they were. After 5 mins of howling the dogs went quiet. The Sambar were still bedded down! I can only surmise that they were used to living in proximity with wild dogs and because they were fairly mature size Sambar, did not see the dogs as a threat.
The advantage of this type of country is that you can spot Sambar a good distance away, but stalking close enough for a good sharp picture is often not practical due to the difficult terrain. I found that once you get on the same face as the deer you need everything in your favour including visual contact and a quiet approach. Getting closer than 100 metres is rare. The normal situation is to have a river, creek or gorge between you and the deer, which can take more than an hour to cross. By that time the deer have moved on. This country is more suited for long range photography.
Another very enjoyable trip. It was very physically demanding but well worth the effort.
In mid-July 2016, after 30 cm of snow had fallen that week, my wife Margie and I decided to go snow camping in the Alpine National Park. On the Saturday morning we loaded our back packs, snow shoes and gear into the Toyota Prado and headed for The Bluff. The Bluff, at 1714 metres, is a spectacular rocky plateau situated in the Victorian high country east of Mansfield. I had not been there for two years since doing an overnight walk towards Mt Howitt with Joe, my youngest son (See: Towards Mt Howitt – Winter 2014). I was looking forward to this trip with Margie as it would be her first snow camp.
Our start was delayed on Saturday due to Margie’s work commitment so it wasn’t until mid-afternoon when we hit the intersection at Eight Mile Gap (10 klm past Sheepyard Flat/Howqua River). Because of the recent dumping of snow a number of drivers had decided to not risk driving further and had parked their cars at Eight Mile (1092 m). We fitted our snow chains to the Prado, and continued on towards Refrigerator Gap. After a few kilometres we came across a Subaru which had pulled over due to the depth of snow and low ground clearance. We then passed more vehicles parked with similar clearance issues. They consisted of XC skiers and a group from the Victorian Climbing Club on a mountaineering training weekend.
We were intending to drive as far as the seasonally closed gate on Bluff Link Track below Bluff Hut, however we were forced to park at Refrigerator Gap carpark (1260 metres) due to the amount of snow and difficult track conditions. Only one serious 4W driver with a modified vehicle had risked to travel beyond this point. Stopping at the Gap carpark meant an additional 6 kilometres walk. By heading off at 4 PM we weren’t going to get far before dark. We were originally hoping to walk to Mt Lovick and camp but the day was getting on. We now decided to walk about 5.5 kms before camping for the night and then walking to the Bluff Hut in the morning.
Fortunately it was a full moon night with clear sky so it proved light enough to continue our trek after sunset without the aid of a torch. The walking was relatively easy. In the early evening we set up our tent at 1280m under the light of the full moon, about 500m before the Bluff link Track gate.
The next morning we walked to the gate and a further two kilometres to the Bluff hut (1500m). The weather was perfect with a bright sunny sky. Our plan was to walk to Mount Eadley Stony and either return via the way we had come, or continue onto The Bluff and do a circuit back to the car via the Refrigerator Gap walking track.
At the hut we encountered three other skiers who had spent the entire previous day travelling via The Buff and Refrigerator Gap walking track. They said it was a difficult climb up the steep track to The Bluff from the Gap car park and advised that a walk down the face would be considerably risky in these current conditions. The skiers had decided to go back to their car via the Bluff Link Track. They convinced us to do the same. Not aiming to spend another night out we decided to explore the nearby Mount Eadley Stoney and return back the way we had come. The 1 kilometre walk up to the top of Eadley Stoney from the hut was most pleasurable with breath-taking views at the top (1662 metres). We could see the snow-capped Mt Howitt to the north, Mt Buller to the west and Mt Darling to the east.
Even with good MSR Evo Ascent shoes we found ourselves sinking deep into the extremely soft powder snow. It was a different experience to walking on the more granular and crusty snow of the previous 2014 trip. Obviously it was a wise decision to not continue along the loop circuit as it would have been very slow going and challenging particularly during the descent down to the Gap carpark.
The walk back to the car from Eadley Stoney was 9 kilometres. In addition to the 3.5 kilometres walked earlier that morning we did a healthy 12.5 kms of snow shoe walking for the day. After having lunch at the Bluff Hut on the way down we arrived back at the car at about 5 PM. We were the last to leave the mountain.
During the previous week 30 cm of snow had fallen. The recorded snow depth was 55 cm (based on records at nearby Mt Buller). This compared to 109 cm at the time of our 2014 trip. Although the snow was only half the depth compared to my previous trip it was more difficult to traverse as it was very powdery and had not consolidated from the thawing and freezing process. Overall it was a great weekend and we look forward to returning one day soon to this wonderful part of the Victorian Alps.
This was our second family summer holiday at Mount Kosciuszko National Park. Margie, Joe and I left home on Boxing Day afternoon 2015 and camped that night near Cann River. We could have done the trip to Thredbo in about 8-9 hours but decided to do the driving over two days. Jack, our eldest son, chose to stay at home this summer and catch up with his mates. The following day, after stopping at the busy tourist town of Jindabyne for some last minute shopping, we arrived at Ngarigo camp ground in Kosciuszko National Park around midday. Ngarigo was a different camping location to the previous year but because Margie’s brother Michael and family – wife Paula, and three kids, Willem, Tessa and Evie, were camping there, and it was a scenic spot close to the river with ample recreational opportunities, we decided to join them. It was also free camping which was an added bonus.
We conveniently parked our Jayco Dove next to Michael and Paula’s Jayco Expanda. Joe and Willem were focussed on riding their mountain bikes on the Thredbo downhill/flow trail. With a chair lift ticket they could spend an entire day getting lifted to Eagles Nest Restaurant at 1937m and riding at break neck speed down to Thredbo Village (1370m). The only thing that slowed them down was sore arms and for Joe a flat tyre.
Walking is always on the agenda. On the previous holiday we did a family day walk to Mount Kosciuszko summit – from the top of the chairlift. This year we wanted to do a slightly different day walk with good views combined with an element of fitness training. The Merritts Nature trail sounded appropriate. Our plan was to walk up the Trail starting from Thredbo Village through different vegetation types and scenery arriving at the Eagles Nest restaurant (Australia’s highest restaurant). The Eagles Nest also happens to be at the top of the Thredbo Kosciuszko Express chairlift. Our plan was to walk to the top and then catch the chairlift down. No tickets were required for the return journey. Michael was intent to take his mountain bike with him on the walk up so he could ride back down.
At the start – Margie,Tessa, Evie, Paula and Michael
We organised ourselves with water and snacks for the steep and continuous ascent. We set off about 10 AM in the morning. The weather was in the high teens and not too hot. The Trail follows the native bushland to the east of the chairlift. Most walkers catch the lift up and walk down the Trail doing the circuit in a clockwise direction. We wanted to do it the opposite way, primarily because it would be more challenging and rewarding, and not costing more than a few dollars (for a cuppa at the restaurant).
So off we went. After winding our way around the Bob Sled we entered a cool gully with a crystal clear water tumbling over the rocks. This was a perfect place to cool down and take a break. The Trail was about 4.0 kilometres in length, climbing over 560 metres in altitude, so it proved to be quite strenuous. We were mostly in the shade for the lower part of the walk. We passed through some nice stands of mature messmate stringy bark which survived the bushfires of a nearly a decade ago. There was stark evidence of the trees killed by the 2007 fires in close vicinity.
I reckon by half way up Michael was wondering if bringing his bike was such a good idea as he spent much of his time with it on his shoulder lifting it up the numerous steps! Margie, Paula and the two girls were doing fine taking in the scenery and enjoying the physical activity. As we got higher we started to experience the change in altitude as it became slightly harder to catch breath after a continuous grind up a long section of steps. Great aerobic exercise to say the least . At the two thirds point we were all asking how many more steps? I had done this particular walk by myself 12 months earlier, but my memory was vague on the extent of steps. My statement of “not many more steps” seemed to be a re-occurring theme.
About 2 hours into the walk we criss-crossed a service track. At this point Michael departed company and detoured hoping for an easier way to the top. Half an hour later we emerged at the Snowgum Chair to intersect the start of the bike downhill track and met Michael waiting for us – he wasn’t lost as we thought. We were now quite close to the top.
As we gathered together a rider on a mountain bike stopped to ask Michael in a somewhat officious tone where his helmet was. Michael had left his helmet with Paula in her day pack. Michael nicely explained that he had pushed his bike up from the bottom and that he was about to get his helmet from his wife who was only moments away. The rider voiced his concern about Michael not paying for a lift ticket as riders riding the trail are apparently required to do. He then told Michael in a provoking manner that he wasn’t to ride but push his bike down. Michael stayed calm and common sense prevailed with an acknowledgment that in the future Michael must pass the mandatory rider briefing and purchase a ticket before riding on the track. He then left.
After this interlude with a member of the downhill bike riding fraternity we resumed our walk to complete the last three hundred metres to the top. 10 minutes later we reached our destination at the top looking out over the valley and mountains beyond. We sat down in the restaurant nicely relaxed with a cuppa and took in the atmosphere with a satisfying feeling of accomplishing a hard walk. Michael waited for Willem to come up on the lift to join him for the ride down. Unfortunately our son Joe was stranded at the bottom with a flat tyre.
What a great experience the walk was, and to have the convenience of a restaurant with outstanding views at the finish. Camping with the family in Mount Kosciuszko National Park, close to Thredbo, with its numerous walking opportunities, activities and amazing scenery is a great way to spend a week in summer. What an ideal location Ngarigo camp ground proved to be. We are yet to discover a place in the Victorian high country that offers a similar range of family experiences.
A video showing some footage of the 2015 Vic Sea Kayak Club AGM held at Cape Paterson in Nov 2015.
There were a variety of trips, workshops and training options available over the weekend, as well as guest speakers. The planned Cape Paterson to Inverloch paddle on Saturday was cancelled due to rough weather. Instead we transported our kayaks to Inverloch and did a paddle near Anderson Inlet. On Sunday I joined a group to do a leisurely paddle from Inverloch boat ramp.
See the video at
A few pic’s of Terry and me trying to get out past the breakers during a club day paddle at Waratah Bay (Gippsland Coast), in June. As the tide went out the waves got steeper. It was all a matter of timing. Sometimes we misjudged, as you can see by the images below. It was all good fun. Thanks to Bronwyn for the photography.
For more than 10 years I had been thinking of crossing Bass Strait from Victoria to Tasmania in a sea kayak – a distance of 330 kilometres. There was something fascinating and alluring about such a venture on the wild seas of the Strait, more so than any other place in Australia. I knew it would be challenging and demanding, with a number of long days (in excess of 10 hours) sitting in a small craft, traversing large stretches of open water. The whole trip could take up to three weeks, although the actual days of paddling are often less than half the total days away as weather conditions play a big part in determining when you can paddle, particularly on the longer distance runs.
You need to be self sufficient in terms of food and water and undertake extensive preparation and training. In addition to the physical requirements it was important to be mentally ready and in a state of mind to feel comfortable in rough ocean conditions. I felt I could do it.
In early 2013 I made the first step towards realising my dream by purchasing a second hand sea kayak. I then joined the Victoria Sea Kayak Club (VSKC) to gain experience and skills with an underlying purpose of undertaking this trip. There were many opportunities to participate in VSKC events and training days with friendly and helpful members offering advice and suggestions on everything from techniques to choice of equipment and gear.
There were islands with safe landing sandy beaches located strategically across the Straits eastern side to enable a paddle from one place to another in a single day (there were two occasions when we left in the dark before sunrise). The longest distance is between Killiecrankie and Erith Island, at approx. 70 km. There are settlements on the larger islands (Cape Barren and Flinders) but many of the smaller islands are uninhabited (apart from penguins and rats).
My kayak is an Australian made kevlar Mirage 580. I chose the Mirage 580 (at 5.8m long) mainly because of my height (191 cm). Most sea kayaks are between 5.3 to 5.5 metres in length. I was able to find a second hand Mirage 580 in Melbourne for a reasonable price in very good condition with accessories including an electric bilge pump and compass. Oddly enough the previous owner sold it after an unsuccessful Bass Strait crossing attempt in 2012 (his group wasn’t prepared for cyclic weather changes and got stranded on Hogan Island with insufficient water and supplies)!
After a couple of years of routine kayak training in a variety of different waters and conditions including Port Phillip and Westernport Bay, Phillip Island and Wilsons Prom, I was confident that I had acquired sufficient skills to be able to successfully cross Bass Strait as a member of a group.
An opportunity came about when Julian a VSKC member who had previously done the crossing a number of times, posted a Bass Strait crossing trip on the VSKC’s event calendar. The trip was originally planned as a VSKC trip from Vic to Tassy, then Julian was going to help lead an army ‘Mates4mates’ group back to Victoria. However the Vic to Tassy component was dropped and Wim, Bill and me, as a semi-independent group, would start with the Mates at Tassy.
The Mates4Mates are a military group made up of the injured, ill and wounded former and serving Australian soldiers. Some Mates have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). As part of their program they have available different challenges for post-combat rehabilitation and to push them physically and psychologically. The Bass Strait challenge was one of the activities on their program.
Many of the Mates had minimal kayaking experience and were introduced to the activity only months before the trip. There were nine kayaks (six singles and three doubles) in the Mates group. We stayed with the Mates4mates for the first week between Little Musselroe Bay and Killiecrankie until leaving them at Killiecrankie when a strong wind forecast caused the Mates to remain on land in accordance with their paddling rules.
During the two and a half weeks of our trip (from March 15 to Apr 1) we encountered three other kayaking groups (apart from Mates4mates) – three from NSW (all brothers), four paddlers from WA and Jake and Tyler from Victoria (whom we spent four days with on Erith Island). There was another group of two that evidently by-passed us travelling in the opposite direction at Erith/ Deal Island (they stayed at Winter Cove on Deal whilst we were at Erith Island).
DAY 1 (Sun 15 Mar 2015) – Little Musselroe Bay to Preservation Island.
It was to be an eventful first day on the water. There were 12 kayaks (nine Mates4mates and us three Victorians) all lined up on Little Musselroe river beach. At 9.00am we departed for our journey across Bass Strait. First of all we had to cross the notorious Banks Strait – a sub strait of the Bass Strait. We had a 20knot SE wind which was favourable weather for our 03 ° north magnetic bearing crossing.
It was an interesting first days paddle. To start with one of the Mates got grounded on the rocks when negotiating the Bays entrance on the ebbing tide.
When only 10 minutes from the beach I made an embarrassing mistake when I lost a paddle. My sail was up to take advantage of the following wind. My paddle leash was a plastic coil type and at times it annoyingly ties itself in a knot so I left it off. The sea was quite choppy. When I was fitting my Gopro camera to my head with the use of a head strap I placed the paddle across the deck to free up both hands. As I went to grab my paddle it wasn’t there! By the time I got organised and dropped my sail, grabbed my spare paddle from the rear deck and did a 180° turn I couldn’t find my paddle. It was gone. From then on I kept my paddle leashed.
By afternoon the seas were increasing to about 2 metres with whitecaps and the occasional breaking crests. This was a real test for some of the Mates who were fairly new to paddling and it wasn’t long before a double kayak capsized. Both paddlers ended up in the water after an unsuccessful brace following a breaking wave. We assisted them to get back in and stabilise their boat until all the water was pumped out and everything squared off. After the second capsize that afternoon (by the same crew) we emptied the numerous water bags that were secured above the deck to lower their centre of gravity. The electric bilge pump ceased to work after their first capsize so they were forced to use their hand pump. This was tiring work for already fatigued paddlers. I reckon they would have slept well that night. Banks Strait lived up to its reputation as an unpredictable stretch of water.
We arrived at Preservation Island at 4.00pm after covering some 40 km. Preservation Island was named following the wreck of the merchant ship Sydney Cove in 1797. During the early-to-mid-19th century the island was a base for sealers exploiting fur seals and southern elephant seals. This might explain why we didn’t see any seals on the island?
DAY 2 (Mon 16 Mar) – Preservation Island to Trousers Point
We left Preservation Island at approx. 11.00am and paddled to Cape Barren Island and its only settlement, called The Corner, for a pie and ice cream. The residents of Cape Barren Island consist of an Aboriginal community of approximately 70 people. Most of the residents are descended from a community of mixed descent (European and Aboriginal people) who had originally settled on several smaller nearby islands but relocated to Cape Barren Island in the late 1870s. Australia’s only native goose, the Cape Barren Goose, was first sighted on this island.
We then crossed over to Flinders Island arriving at Trousers Point, part of Strzelecki National Park, at 4:00pm. The wind was approx. 12 knots (kn). The sails assisted us for the final 10 km. After hauling the kayaks up on the narrow beach above high tide level we set up camp. Shortly afterwards three kayakers (all brothers) from NSW arrived closely followed by four paddlers from WA. Both of these groups were travelling in the opposite direction to us. They had been away nine days since leaving Port Welshpool. Trousers Point beach had 19 kayaks parked on it that day!
DAY 3 (Tue 17 Mar) – Trousers Point
There was a strong wind warning and the seas were quite choppy so we didn’t mind taking the day off and walking to the top of Mount Strzelecki at a height of 756m. It took us about 4 hours return to complete the walk which got our leg muscles working – more calories lost that day! We couldn’t see much from the summit as we were in the clouds but had good views on the way up. It reminded me of Wilsons Prom with the spectacular scenery of huge granite boulders and rock faces.
DAY 4 (Wed 18 Mar) – Trouser Point to Whitemark
We were looking forward to a meal at the Whitemark pub and a visit to the bakery. We covered the 17kmpaddle that morning without a hitch and landed on the beach at the public park. The wind was 15knots but the bay was fairly sheltered from nearby islands.
After setting up camp we used fresh water from the sink in the toilets to wash the salt off ourselves. We then got dressed into dry clothes for lunch at the pub. It was chicken parma for everyone. The meal was one of the most generously sized meals I have ever had and was very tasty. Most of us went back to the pub that evening for dinner after a relaxing cuppa at the cafe. I thought that if I keep up this routine I won’t lose any weight at all on this trip.
DAY 5 (Thu 19 Mar) – Whitemark to Roydon Island
The biggest day so far – 46 km. We set off at 7.30am and didn’t get to our destination until 6.00pm. We had a break for early lunch near Long Point whilst waiting for the 20knot NW wind to abate. After rounding Long Point at midday we stopped at Emita for a 30 min break and then proceeded for Roydon Island against a 12 knot headwind for what seemed like ages. There was a pleasant relief when we got a favourable breeze for the last hour after turning west and running for Roydon Island. The sails went up to make the most of the conditions.
Roydon Island was an idyllic location. The landscape was picture perfect. The penguins were very noisy, calling to each other that evening, as they wandered through our camp site to their burrows. The same chorus was heard early the next morning.
DAY 6 (Fri 20 Mar) – Roydon Island
Remained at Roydon Island for the day. No paddling given the 20 – 25knot wind from the west. Sunny, mostly at 21°C. There was good drinking water in the tank at the hut. We did some exploring of the Island.
DAY 7 (Sat 21 Mar) – Roydon Island to Killiecrankie
Departed at 11.15am at high tide for Killiecrankie. It was a bit choppy around the headland and we kept clear of the rocks. The wind was about 10 knots from the west so once we passed the headland and turned east we put up our sails to assist. We arrived at Killiecrankie at 2.00pm, unpacked our boats and proceeded to The Deep Bite Cafe for arvo tea and back again for a meal that evening. Seeing Deal Island on the horizon beckoned us.
DAY 8 (Sun 22 Mar) – Killiecrankie
No paddling – too windy. The Mates arranged a rental house at a nearby town. We were invited so we all went to Palana by vehicle. The Mates looked after us again. The kayaks were left high up on the beach at Killiecrankie.
DAY 9 (Mon 23 Mar) – Killiecrankie
We shifted back to Killiecrankie beach with intentions of paddling on Tuesday. Occasional showers in the afternoon.
DAY 10 (Tue 24 Mar) – Killiecrankie to Erith Island
Bill, Wim and I got up at 5.00am to hit the water at 6.00am. We ended up leaving the Mates4mates at Killiekrankie when we went by ourselves to Erith Island. The Mates were restricted on paddling on high wind warning days, whereas Bill, Wim and I were happy to take advantage of the forecast 20 knot following wind that day. We were three individuals who had made a decision to paddle together from here on. (The Mates didn’t get an opportunity to leave Killiecrankie for another week!)
Low tide was at 9.30am and with a bearing of 301 ° north magnetic and a 2kn tide we left the beach in the dark and paddled into Bass Strait. It became quite rough a few kilometres from the shore and by then, with a 25kn wind behind us, we were fully committed. The next stop was Deal or Erith Island.
As the hours went by we passed Craggy Island (20kmfrom Killiecrankie) and Wright Rock (40kmfrom Killiecrankie). About 20km from Deal Island we decided to make for Erith Island as it was closer for our next leg to Hogan Island and we had sufficient daylight. We arrived at Erith Island at 4.00pm. 10 hrs and 70 kms.
Normally we would cover this distance given the tail wind in much quicker time than 10 hours, however, the 25knot wind and rough conditions caused us to do a fair amount of bracing in between paddling and it was too rough to raise the sails. Bill attempted to sail but broke his mast after broad siding near Craggy Island that morning so I was the only one with a sail (Wim didn’t have a sail fitted) which assisted me during the last 20km when winds dropped below 20kn.
The seas in the morning were rougher than forecast. This was confirmed by the updated forecast which increased the wind from 20kn to nearly 25kn. Had the forecast been updated before we left we may not have launched that day. This was the roughest day of our trip and it required constant focus and concentration. Fortunately we had the skills to be able to safely handle these conditions. It was not as a s bad as one of our training days. In the afternoon I was actually enjoying surfing down the face of the 2-3m waves.
All the same I was glad to hit the beach at Erith Island. My bum was sore and I was looking forward to standing up after 10 hours in the confines of a kayak. We decided to stay in the Erith hut. Built in 1958 and maintained by Friends of Erith it was quite comfortable with a glass front wood heater and good drinking water. Just as well as high winds were approaching. I battled through the scrub that evening to get to the West of the Island for phone reception not realising that there was a cleared track taking off at a point from the beach which I didn’t discover until the next day!
DAY 11 (Wed 25 Mar) – Erith Island
At 10.00am we did the 2km paddle across the Murray Strait to Deal Island and met the caretakers, Tim and Lyn , and two yachties, Ian and Snowy who had their Yacht anchored at East Cove. Evidently Ian and Snowy had sailed their yacht from Flinders the same day as we had paddled from Killie. They too had a wild ride. Next we walked to the lighthouse and scaled the stairs to look at the commanding 360 °view. The lighthouse was de-activated in 1992 and replaced by beacons on two rock islands nearby. The museum was well worth a look. There were lots of Bennett’s wallabies and Cape Barren Geese on the Island. At 3pm we paddled back to Erith Island and met two paddlers who had just arrived from Hogan Island in a plastic double kayak. Jake and Tyler were tackling the bass Strait but in a different direction. It was good to have their company for the next three days. Tyler caught a nice Short-finned Pike for dinner. The daily temp was 16°C.
DAY 12 (Thu 26 Mar) – Erith Island
Too windy to paddle with 30 – 40kn wind from the west. We cleaned and sorted through our gear and tidied up. Ian had shifted his yacht across from Deal Island. Lit a campfire in the evening and got a visit by Ian and Snowy.
DAY 13 (Fri 27 Mar) – Erith Island
Still windy. Stronger gusts than yesterday with spray being whipped up on the bay. Murray Pass and the ocean looked really rough with a big swell and white water. Ian and Snowy offered to take us across to Deal Island in their yacht. Wim and I chose to stay back in the comfort of the hut. The other four got quite wet just getting shuffled from the beach to the yacht in the small inflatable tender. Ian visited us that evening and brought a large hot baking tray of roast potato and vegies which we gobbled up in no time.
DAY 14 (Sat 28 Mar) – Erith Island
The weather had settled somewhat so we decided to get some exercise and paddled with Jake and Tyler across to Deal Island so they could walk to the lighthouse before us three did a circumnavigation of Dover and Erith Island in a clockwise direction. As we hit the south west coast of Dover Island we hit a 15kn headwind and the residual swell from the day before . It was tough going for a while. Once we turned the corner I could spend more time relaxing and admiring the spectacular coastline and rugged cliffs of Erith Island. I wish I hadn’t left the Gopro behind as I would have loved to get a photo of this north side of the Island. Three hours and 17km later we arrived back at the Cove. This was a training day so no sailing. Before hitting the beach we boarded Ian’s yacht to have a much welcomed cuppa with him and Snowy, and say goodbye as they were leaving for NSW the next morning.
As we were disembarking from Ian’s yacht we observed a large catamaran entering the cove. It had sailed from Port Albert with a dozen walkers from the Melbourne Bushwalkers. They we going to spend the next three days camping at Erith Island and walking daily on Deal Island – being ferried daily by the catamaran. They were a friendly group and camped near the old stockyards.
The rats were getting bolder by the day and made themselves home at night scampering everywhere, including over us as we slept. All food had to be hung from hooks and well secured in the kayaks. To leave a muesli bar in your pfd pocket was asking for a rat to eat a hole in it – as Wim found out. The Friends of Erith had left a tub of poison so I gave the rats a daily feed. By the end of the stay the tub was empty but the rats were still very active so there must have been quite a few around.
DAY 15 (Sun 29 Mar) – Erith Island
For Wim, Bill and I it was rest day whilst Jake and Tyler had departed early that morning for Killiecrankie. They had a good west wind. That evening we were invited by the bush walkers for dinner at their camp. Lots of food was prepared which was a good change from dehydrated and freeze dried packet food. They made us very welcome and really looked after us. We said we were going to Hogan Island the next morning. I think they took pity on us paddling all the way back to Victoria in our lightweight narrow boats but wished us well. We met some of them on the beach at dusk that evening to watch the penguins come ashore. This was our sixth night on Erith Island.
DAY 16 (Mon 30 Mar) – Erith Island to Hogan Island
This was the day to get to Hogan Island. The weather was not great with a headwind and ebbing tide against us but we were keen to make a move as we had been on Erith for six days and the forecast showed a small window the following day when we should be able to get to the Prom (and Victoria). There was no fresh water on Hogan so we didn’t want to get stuck there. We took about 14 litres of water each.
The Kayaks were packed and in the water at 7.20am in time for high tide. We were able to knock a couple of kilometres off the trip that day by using the Swashway between Erith and Dover Islands. The Swashway is so shallow that it can only be paddled about 30 min either side of high tide. Even then you have to carefully choose your path. See video.
We battled 12-14kn winds in our face for 42km that day arriving at Hogan Island at 3.50pm. This was the most grueling and demanding day of the trip for me – 8.5hrs to cover 42kms (less than 5km per hour ave. speed). It was constant hard paddling with no stops. To stop would mean being beaten backwards by the wind and tide so we ate (and did everything else) on the move.
We had heard that there were rats on Hogan Island but we didn’t think they were so brazen. No sooner had we landed that we observed a large rat heading towards our boats on the beach. I investigated to find it in my kayak cockpit up on its back legs gnawing into my under deck bag. It wasn’t too worried when it saw me and I had to bang the boat to get it out. I then removed all traces of food. To stop the rats from eating holes through our tent walls we left a free feed of oats close by that night.
DAY 17 (Tue 31 Mar) – Hogan Island to Johny Souey Cove
The day was looking good. We set off at 8.45am. 20 minutes later we had paddled around the islands north side and steered a magnetic bearing of 276° towards Wilsons Prom. There was virtually no wind. It was a glorious day. I don’t think we had paddled in such perfect weather conditions yet. A superb day to cover the 52km to Refuge Cove. As the hours melted away the mountains on the Prom were gradually getting larger. Half way across we noticed a ship on the horizon. 20 min later at a few km away it seemed to be bearing down on us and we were thinking about evasive action or getting on channel 16 and contacting the ship. But as the minutes passed we could see that it was going to cross our path less than 500 metres ahead. It was a large container ship probably doing 30kn. You have to be alert in the shipping channel.
The going was good so at midday we decided to change course to Johny Souey Cove. This would enable us to easily catch the flooding tide to Port Welshpool the following morning before high tide at 10.30am. We pointed towards Rabbit Island on the horizon and started thinking about the pleasures of getting out of the kayak and stepping foot in Victoria. We arrived at 6.15pm and congratulated each other on the achievement. This was our second longest day on the water. Paddled 9.5hrs and covered 60kms that day (6.3km/hr).
DAY 18 (Wed 1 Apr) – Johny Souey Cove to Port Welshpool
Not wanting to miss the advantage of the flooding tide we set of at 6.40am with torches. Absolutely no wind and calm conditions. The tide was taking us along at an ave. 9km/hr. The closer we got to Port Welshpool the more fishing boats we saw and heard. The high water allowed us to cut across the shallow end of Little Snake Island. Three hours later at 9.40am we arrived at Port Welshpool. Hooray, we made it. We all danced on the beach. I was soon giving my wife Margie a hug. Bill kindly shouted us a beer at the pub to celebrate the victorious crossing.
On reflection I was physically in shape for the big days, had the energy and felt confident in handling the conditions. The physical complaints were minor such as a few blisters on my fingers and a sore bum from many hours in the seat. Some moments were personally testing and I was out of my comfort zone, however these experiences are definitely positive and character building. On a few occasions I was reckless and made a mental note to do things better next time. I only lost one kilo in body weight during the expedition but I suppose I was quite lean from all the training before leaving.
During the trip I learnt heaps. Expedition kayaking is quite a bit different to a day paddle in the bay or on a river. It’s important to make yourself familiar in the full use of all necessary electronic equipment such as GPS, (PLB) Personal Locator Beacon/ EPIRB, Spot tracker, UHF radio etc and take sufficient solar panel charger or power bank external batteries with USB and phone cables for charging your smart phone. Monitoring daily weather uses up battery life. Use only Telstra service phones – service is available within a reasonable walking distance of all camping sites.
Having a sail certainly assisted. In a tail wind, or up to 45° into the wind, its advantageous to use the sail to augment paddling. Its better if all kayaks in the pod have sails fitted. In certain conditions paddlers without sails can’t maintain the speed of the other paddlers who are using sails. Having a sail means less time on the water and less calories burnt.
Wearing a high vis hat and colourful layers helped retain visual contact between paddlers, particularly in rough weather. It’s surprising how hard it is at times to keep track of a fellow paddler in rough seas. The sail is also an excellent means of making a kayak more visible.
In retrospect I think it was better that we split from the Mates4mates after the first week. Not that they weren’t a nice bunch of guys – quite the opposite, they were great company and fun to be around. It was more a case that so many paddlers in a group made it unwieldy, and the paddling structure that was implemented made me feel restricted. We found that once we separated as a smaller group we could practice navigating and making strategic decisions which we weren’t able to do as part of the larger group. Also I felt that being a member of a smaller group of three, that successfully completed the crossing, gave me a bigger sense of overall achievement.
As it turned out the Mates4mates arrived at Port Welshpool four days after us. After reaching Deal Island they didn’t have to wait long to make their run to Victoria.
This was a fantastic trip that will stay with me forever. It was a dream realised, full of adventure and excitement. Meeting all sorts of people on the way made it more interesting and memorable. Thanks to Wim and Bill for the good times and friendship, to the Mates4Mates for their assistance and company and to Julian from the VSKC for the opportunity.
I have put together a video showing some footage of the trip. See it at https://youtu.be/533qb5CLtXY
A video of a weekend kayak trip to the Seal Island Group off Wilsons Promontory. Our destination was Cliffy Island, one of the four islands in the group. George and I watched Julian as he managed to pull his boat up out of the water onto the rocky shore. This was a training trip for our planned crossing of the Bass Strait in March 2015.
Over the past six months my 15 year old son Joe has taken a strong interest in mountain climbing. He has been actively researching data and information on the tallest peaks in different countries and looking at opportunities for climbing. Joe soon learnt that he would have to accumulate an assortment of specialist equipment, items and clothing required to undertake this activity and gain relevant skills and experience; all of which would take time and cost money.
As parents we have been supporting Joe as much as possible in his latest endeavours. Joe has also made a big effort himself. Some of his clothing such as base layers, fleece, down and a gortex jacket was discounted by sponsorship from Katmandu outdoor and camping store after he was successful in an application. His earnings from part time work at a local restaurant have helped fund other items.
Many of Joe’s dream mountain climbs, including Mt Cook and Mt Aspiring NZ, were not yet reachable. Australia does not provide real mountaineering opportunities so overseas travel would be necessary.
Therefore at this stage we wanted a basic mountaineering experience that would be realistic and affordable for us at a suitable location in New Zealand. Something that would test and challenge us but not expose us to an unacceptable level of risk.
Joe wanted to do Ball Pass at Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. Ball Pass Crossing is a demanding three-day alpine route, crossing the Mount Cook Range between the Hooker and Tasman Valleys. Between Dec and Feb in the right weather conditions it looked possible.
There are numerous great walks in New Zealand most notably the Routeburn, Milford Track and Kepler Tracks. Ball Pass is less known but considered by many to be the pinnacle of New Zealand walks. Ball Pass provides close up views of the Hillary Ridge and South Face of Aoraki Mount Cook and its ice avalanches, beautiful alpine grasslands, boulder fields and steep scree slopes. The route also provides spectacular views of Mt Sefton, the Copland Pass and the Hooker and Tasman Glaciers. We decided to go for it.
The recommended route is to start at the White Horse Hill camping area and travel up the East Hooker, over Ball Pass (sidling around under Mounts Rosa and Mabel) and down the Ball Ridge to the Tasman Valley and Ball Hut. However we decided to do the walk in reverse, starting at Blue Lakes carpark – Tasman Valley and finishing back at White Horse Hill camping area. This was because we weren’t sure of our ability to tackle the snow/ice conditions at the Pass and if we decided to turn back it would be a less demanding walk back.
We set off at 9:00 AM the Monday morning after flying into Christchurch and driving our hire car to Mt Cook (Monday 8 Dec 2014). The weather report obtained from the Mt Cook information centre was for good weather on the 1st day with rain forecast late on the 2nd day and occasional showers on the 3rd day. This wasn’t ideal but locals also said that because the rain was approaching from the west it may not reach us over the Copland Range. What we didn’t know about was the wind warning for Tuesday! We arrived mostly self sufficient including a Macpac four season tent and locator beacon. The only items we sought in NZ were ice axes and crampons hired from Alpine Guides Mt Cook and Backcountry dehydrated food purchased at Christchurch.
We set off from Blue Lakes carpark – Tasman Valley at 9.00 AM (720m) and walked for 3 hrs to Ball Hut (1030 m) where we filled up our water containers. Shortly afterwards we stopped for a quick lunch and break before the steep climb up Ball Ridge to the south west. We could not find a marked route or much of a worn trail on Ball Ridge. It was a case of negotiating the boulder scree and picking a way through the alpine scrub. We saw a few other walkers meandering up the slope lightly equipped for a day walk. It appeared no one took the same path. The day walkers must have soon turned around as we didn’t see them up ahead on the snow slopes.
At about 2.00PM we bumped into a guide leading two clients from South Australia to Caroline Hut for the night. As there was no defined track Joe and I often took a different path across the boulders and rocks and along the ridgetop but our pace was similar to the other group as we stayed close together for the next three hours of climbing before arriving at Caroline Hut. After 500 m (in elevation) of steep climbing my legs were starting to feel it so I was forced to reduce my speed to a sustainable pace which was quite slow. Joe was obviously fitter and was always up ahead.
Around 3.00PM we met two young women in their twenties who had just crossed the Pass from west to east and were on their way down to Ball Shelter for the second night. They had camped at ‘Playing Fields’ on the west side the previous night and reported that conditions for crossing the Pass was good and commented that we will find it easier walking down the snow slopes below Mt Rosa and Mabel than what they did having to climb up the snow slopes. Similarly they were moving quicker than us as they were going down Ball Ridge! Being one day ahead of us they had a better weather window than us and would be back to the car park well before any rain (and wind). We would not be crossing Ball Pass that day so we hoped for the good conditions to prevail. We were to appreciate them leaving fresh footprints in the snow up ahead as this clearly showed the route to follow.
We reached Caroline Hut (1820m) at just past 5.00 PM. There was another guided group staying at this private hut who was undertaking glacier training. They kindly offered to fill our water containers and remarked how far we had come that day on hearing that we had departed from Blue Lakes carpark. The Caroline Hut commercial operator has a key to the carpark gate and drive their clients about 7 klms up an old rough management track towards Ball Shelter. This saves them about two hours walk.
As they don’t like private campers near the private hut we had to keep going. The climb from Caroline Hut up directly along the ridge to gain Fergins Knob was very gruelling. We stuck to the rock as much as possible as the snow slope was steep and disconcerting. From Fergins Knob we identified a possible spot for our tent further ahead. By 7.45 PM after excavating some snow to make a level surface we had our tent erected (1980 m). It had been a tough first day with over 10 hours of walking.
We had mobile reception so was able to receive an updated weather report from home -“Rain coming tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon after a cloudy morning. Westerlies rising to severe gale for a time. Wednesday rain or showers and snow lowering to 1500metres”.
What we hadn’t heard in our earlier report before leaving was ‘Westerlies rising to severe gale’ the following day. Not having experienced winds in the New Zealand Alps before we were a bit naive about what this meant. We were soon to find out how ferocious wind can be in places like this. It was a beautiful evening and the night was calm.
The next morning we were on the move soon after 7.00 AM and made it to the base of Kaitiaki Peak by 9.00. To fulfil another objective we dropped our packs and took half an hour to quickly climb Kaitiaki Pk (2222m). The Peak provided panoramic views of the surrounding Southern Alps. We then crossed Ball Pass at 10.00 AM (2121 m) and spent the next few hours sidling and descending around under Mounts Rosa and Mabel on the Hooker Valley.
The snow was relatively soft and we were able to kick good steps so we didn’t fit our crampons, however the ice axe was extensively used as a third point of security by jabbing the pick into the snow. The degree of slope on the route was often greater than a staircase and it was vital to have an ice axe to maintain balance and support. The axe has a spike on the shaft end and on steep slopes and in the wind we drove it in deep with each step. Self arrest with the spike wasn’t really an issue given the conditions as the snow was soft and we would sink well above our ankles.
On our approach to the “Playing Fields” ,at just before 1.00 PM on our second day, we started experiencing the forecast strong wind. At first we didn’t think much of it but the alpine environment soon unleashed its full fury. I was at the edge of a boulder scree just about to cross a patch of snow at the Playing Fields when without warning a gust of wind threw me over backwards and somersaulted me onto my hands and knees. I was lucky, apart from bruises on my right leg I was okay. Fortunately my pack protected my head as I went over. I now know why many other walkers on this route wear helmets! What amazed me was the lack of warning before each gust of wind. There was no sound of it approaching. Winds of 100 km/hr are frequently recorded in the Southern Alps. Winds associated with a nor’wester, also known as a foehn wind event, regularly exceed 140 km/hr. These winds can easily blow people off their feet. The forecast ‘Westerlies rising to severe gale for a time’ had reached us. I’d say what we experienced was a foehn wind event as the velocity was much more than I had ever experienced. The exposed saddle of this location didn’t help. There was nothing we could do but shelter beside a boulder until the wind had subsided. It wasn’t safe to move at all.
From this point we had about 500m of steep snow filled distinct gully to traverse with a drop of 400 m – ie a 40 degree slope. There was no way we were venturing on that snow face in these conditions. After an hour’s wait the force of the wind seemed to be decreasing so we plucked up enough courage to attempt the gully. There was no viable alternative route. The ice axe was our best friend and was thrust in deep at every move to brace ourselves from the inevitable unpredictable gust. The dissected gully offered some protection from the wind and by 3.30 PM we had arrived at our camp area for the second night – a shingle fan in the East Hooker Valley. It then started to rain but it wasn’t very heavy. That evening several strong gusts shook the tent and stressed the main poles.
The next morning we were shrouded in fog and low cloud with drizzle. We packed up and walked along the top of the Hooker Glacier moraine wall towards White Horse camping area. Several side streams were deeply incised causing us to make detours. We walked for 3 and a half hours on our third and last day.
Ball Pass is the ultimate of New Zealand hiking. It is quite an arduous trek and up there in terms of difficulty. If you’re fit and keen, you can do it. With little or no mountaineering experience it wasn’t a problem, however you do need to have done lots of overnight hiking, be good on your feet and have a high level of fitness. Obviously having the right conditions is also important. Rangers advised that we were one of the first people to cross the Pass this season.
The walk met most of Joe’s expectations. In terms of physical demand and duration it was more or less what he anticipated. Joe was very fit prior to the trip and did not complain once about being tired or needing a rest. He just kept on going. Joe said that he was surprised by the amount of avalanche and rock fall activity across from where we were on the face of Mt Cook and how audible this was. We were not in danger but this brought home the risks of climbing directly on Mt Cook and higher slopes. Joe also said he was astounded by the extreme change of weather pattern and the severe wind on the second day. What was scary was dropping down the last 500m of steep snow slope in the gully from the Playing Fields to our camp near the Hooker terminal lake during the afternoon when there were still severe gusts of wind. Not knowing when the next gust was coming was the biggest issue. Joe concluded in saying that it was an awesome and incredible trip.
We both learnt a lot, especially how quickly the conditions can change in New Zealand.
It was early spring. The days were getting longer and the snow was melting. I decided it was once again time to venture into the untamed and remote parts of the Victorian high country to experience the awesome landscape, the resident wildlife and have an adventure. Finding a paradise untouched by others is getting harder these days with more of us backpacking well away from roads and tracks. My mission was to photograph Sambar deer. It was my intention to get to a place where not too many hunters get to. The Snowy Bluff Wilderness (part of Alpine National Park) located roughly between Licola and Dargo is such a place.
As well as being in wilderness, the rigors’ and self reliance of backpacking through rugged bush land adds to the experience of seeing wild Sambar in a breathtaking environment.
It is my intention to not provide exact details of the location. One of the challenges of hunting is to explore new areas and discover for yourself a ‘special’ place. I have few of these special places, all of which are on public land, and accessible by the intrepid person.
I first went to this particular area in 2010. Back then after studying maps I identified a location that looked promising and intriguing. The walk in wasn’t too difficult, as the shrubs and regrowth from the 2007 bush fires wasn’t overly thick. After 2010 I returned in 2011, both times accompanied by mates (Cliff in 2010 and Cliff and Rod in 2011). My first two trips were fantastic and I was keen to return.
This time I was joined by Danny a keen deer hunter who chooses to hunt deer with a firearm and who likes the adventure as much as anything else. Having responsible mates with firearms join me wasn’t a problem. We often go in separate directions from the camp site and hunt alone. I wear a blaze orange high vis cap so I can be seen. My hunting mates and I all love seeing Sambar and the country we were going to would be big enough to fulfil each other’s needs!
In my earlier years the first and foremost goal was to shoot deer. However, photography has replaced my desire to shoot. So for me the ultimate challenge and reward is taking images of wild deer. I suppose I call myself a passive hunter – one who searches for and seeks out deer with the final act being the press of a camera shutter.
Outwitting and outsmarting an animal with an acute sense of smell and hearing, in their domain, is what I like best about Sambar hunting. Successfully photographing wild deer by manually operating a camera is trickier than shooting deer. I am reliant on the animal staying in position long enough for me to focus. There is every possibility that the animal will be moving and I will miss out on getting a photo. All it takes is a crack of a stepped on stick at a considerable distance, often more than 100 metres, and the animal is alerted and fleeing.
This would be a three day trip so we need not worry about packing dehydrated or freeze dried food. The bare essentials would do – we would basically carry pasta for carbohydrates and chocolate for energy. Because safety was a primary concern in this rugged and remote country we would carry adequate first aid items and a personal locator beacon. The accommodation would be a fly and bivy bag for Danny and a One Planet Gunyah tent for me. At less than 1.2kg respectively this was considered lightweight camping. With Danny carrying his 30-06 centrefire and me with my digital SLR Nikon, a 300mm lens and a Gitzo tripod we were evenly packed.
After the walk in, and pitching camp, we got the bino’s out and a had a good glass around. Ten minutes later Danny picked up a good size Sambar stag on the opposite face. It was thought to be about 700 metres away as it walked along fairly open country slowly descending at right angles to us towards the river. My range finder only operated out to 500m. At this distance we estimated the stag had a 25 inch head (width of antlers).
With not much daylight left Danny was content to stay put so I thought I would drop down from the campsite in an effort to get a closer picture. With two hours of daylight left and the extremely difficult terrain there was no way that I was going to get very close to this animal that afternoon, however a potentially closer photo was possible. Because we were camped high up on the side of a hill I used my GPS to mark a waypoint ensuring a quick return to camp.
I descended at an angle towards the stag, stopping every few minutes to keep track of it as it moved along the face. All of a sudden I put up a couple of young spikers directly in front of me. With a clatter of hooves they both charged off. I had been so focussed on the stag across the gully that I wasn’t watching out for animals ahead! I continued on. After 20 mins of both making an angled drop the stag decides to change direction and move slowly back uphill into heavy cover. I was still over 500 m away with a big gorge in between me and it so the stalk was over. That’s deer photography. You can never count on a close encounter with a Stag. It is a very rare experience.
A concern in this country is the availability of water as we would be camping and generally hunting well above the river. I was half way down to the river so I decided to drop down and fill up my water bottles.
There was good fresh sign everywhere so I kept my eyes peeled. I soon picked up a couple of young deer just across the river. I stalked to within 120 metres, sat and watched two spikers feed in the fading light before dusk. It wasn’t possible to get closer without crossing the river in full view and spooking the animals. I quietly observed them feeding while taking a few photo’s.
Sunset in September is at 6.00 PM. By 6.20 there was insufficient light for further photo’s so I started my climb back up to camp. With a bit of help from my head torch I arrived back at camp at 7.00 PM to rest in front of a camp fire with Danny, have a meal and talk about the day’s events.
The next morning we picked up some deer through the bino’s a good distance away but as far as we could tell there were no stags amongst them. They were moving amongst the trees and shrubs. Anyhow we decided to get closer and spent the next hour closing the gap. As often is the case, by the time we got within a 100 metres from where we had last seen the deer there was no sign whatsoever – they had disappeared. For the rest of the day we walked and glassed high and low seeing a few deer but they were all moving and too far away for a stalk.
We covered a fair bit of ground that day and saw some nice country but I did not get any opportunities for good photo’s. The highlight was probably disturbing a small Sambar calf lying concealed in the grass only 10 metres away and watching it awkwardly run off. It was too quick for a sharp photo.
We filled our bottles with water and headed back to camp. The next day it was time to pack up and head back to the road and our vehicle.
Danny and me on the way out.
Walking out of country like this with our packs and camping gear requires a good level of fitness. There are steep ascents and descents with obstacles such as rocks and unstable ground to contend with. We were exhausted by the time we finally made it back to the car. The physical demands and subsequent fatigue are all part of the hunting experience. It was an excellent hunt in an inspirational area.
