As promised, I ll write this time about my adventure in english as well!
Pictures in my estonian version CLICK HERE
Trek to the end of the world.
The main reason I came to Tassie, was to come back to the wild and enjoy its nature by trekking.
So first two months I was working here, but in very nice neighbourhood, in the middle of the rainforest, having some occasional daytrips and 2-3 days hikes. But wanted to see more of Tassie and do something more callenging.
So where...
Definitely I didnt want to do something too touristy. Excluded the famous Overlander track. Well the South-West NP and its tracks seemed to be wild and remote enough.
So I`ve heard about SouthCoast Track- 85 km from south part of NP, Melaleuca to the south east, Cockle Creek, before.
Most bushwalkers fly in to Melaleuca, as there is little airfield for light aircrafts and then walk out. But I didnt want to fly, wanted to walk all the way, and as there is a 65 km Port Davey track starting from the place called Scotts Peak Dam, from the shores of lake Pedder at the northern boundary of national park - there was no question, why should`nt I do them both.
Specially if you can fly in your food pack, by those aircrafts, dont have to carry all the food at once.
Have to say, it seemed a challenge at those days I was first planning it and also the last day before I started: remote track, boat crossing by my own etc, never done in OZ longer hike than 3 days ..., but just seemed to sweet not to try.
Cant say, I did too much planning or prepared too much. Luckyly had most of camping equipment already, so on one beautiful day I started hitchikeing from the start of the highway from Launceston to Hobart.
It took me less than 30 sec, when I met you, Steve. Thank you so much for all you help. As you helped me so much preparing this trek, I kind of felt you are with me on my trek. And you GPS definitely was, thanks again, thank you heaps.
And I really wish you get the opporunity to return and to do it as well.
In Hobart, well there were more people, who were very interested about my plans. Thanks Nikola, my roommate, listening my stories. Yep, I took a break and had a KitKat!
Cheers, Andi, your concern, kind a felt as well you are with me on this trek. Well, yep. although I was doing it alone, I never felt alone.
Mission continues.
Well its a long way from Hobart to Scotts Peak Dam. But not if you meet all these kindest people. Took me 3 cars and 3 hours, so I was very lucky. Big-big thank you, Geoff, 60 km-s extra lift from your destination..., it was a mission for you as well. Still remember as we got closer and closer to the Scotts Peak and the sky got more and more grey and you just started to laugh. Yes, it was kind of the point to think again... And then you even said that you are jeleous, that I can start it now and you not, and then on my first days in the middle off the rains, winds and mud, I was thinking you shouldnt be, at least not at this preticular moment. But now, summarizeing it all, yes you should be, but I know you will take this journey as well one day. Cheers, mate!
So, there it is, on the southern shores of lake Pedder, two fishermen saveing tent from crule winds, it rains, it rains. Scotts Peak Dam. Journey begins.
As I kept my travelling journal during this journey, I add some comments from there now on.
I day, 4 april
...track goes over the open moorlands and hilly plains, it is very muddy, sippery, windy ... Track reminds me more of the constantly running creek, water is raining from up, splaches from the track under feet and sprinkles occasionaly up from the grayfish burrows as well...
As I had late start, walked only 3 hrs today, spending the night in the random spot in the bush. It rains all night long, strong winds speeding through ,..
... II day
Morning starts with wearing yeaterdays wet clothes and on the road again, huuhh ... on the half way making the hot stock in winds and rains, as I feel, only thing what produces warmth here is my own body, but it must be heaten. ..
..
... III day
Day starts with river crossing. Pretty strong flow, chilly-freshing water. "Smokeing" mountains, does`nt rain, YET. There is occasional light shineing through the thick thick clouds. Whistleing, no worries in my mind, walking through, as suddenly I hear familiar noise accompanied with pain in my anckle. Yep, I`ve done it, twisted my anckle. Whats next, well, quick cool compress straight from the track - chilly water and mud, useing all my bandanas to tape/support the anckle, luckily have my anckle-support sock in the bottom of my bag. There is nothing to do than walk anyway, better further than back, I just wanna walk it. Its a mission... Makeing some more tape from my polar fleece blancket later on for better support, that`ll do, I have nothing better...
IV day
Morning, its still raining. Clothes, which I left outside to the line yesterday, are ofcourse covered with thick waterdrops. Twist the water out and wet cold clothes can be worn again. Well, its kind every morning of routin now anyway. After extra long hot coffe and heaps of nutella and crispybread I can do it again, prrhh....
Today I see even more light through the clouds, but still not sun itself. Its pretty nice actually, beautiful plains, beautiful shaped green hills. Yes, Im wet, but doesnt feel cold, between the hills there is less windy and anyway, being a northern woman is an advantage here.
...But mud continues...
I think, by now I should know every colours of mud, but think again...
V day ....
Morning is very promising. I tye my wet clothes to the bag and hit the track again. Nice walk over the range, views to the other ranges, river landscape, plains and forested hills. So many interesting-shaped hills, like from the children`s sandbox.
Just beautiful!
Sun! Yep first day, when I can see my shadow for longer than 10 sec already. And later on, its all sunny.
Nice colourful little rivers on the forested sites and open landscapes you can see so far. Can spot my boatcrossing site (BATHURST HARBOUR), i`ve been nervous about most, already 3 km-s ahead.
This boatcrossing is actually most enjoyable event. Sunny, not much waves. Its quit hard alone to trag those really heavy boats to the water and out from the water. Need to cross harbour three times, why - well there is one boat each side and after your crossing it has to be one boat each side as well.
...So much sun, finally I can dry all my stuff... Hanging everything to the bushes, feels like a scene of survival movie...:)
This is, 8 april, the womens day. Most beautiful evening and night, camping in random spot at the grassy beach lawn, mirrorsmooth lagoonwater, reflextions of magnificient mountain and hilly rangers, rocky beaches and mangrove bush on the water, its almost full moon. Im just so happy, I am, where I am in the moment, I couldnt want anything more...
VI day
Morning is cloudy, very humid air, but it does not rain and all day long, juhhuu .......
Have`nt seen any people for 4 days. ......
Hitting the Melaleuca today, and all these airplaines, boats here, too much... Collecting my food parcel from shed... There are 2 huts- luxury, roof, walls.... Have a lovely chat with birdwatching ladys, they offer mere dip, cheese and crackers, tastes like heaven... Port Davey has been finished ........
VII day
Start of the new track ; south coast track. As ranger, I met yesterday, promised to me, it seems like a highway compared to Port Davey, bridges to cross rivers, wooden tracks, less mud... But pack with new food supply, its dam`n heavy...
... More people, or just, there are other people:) - party of 5, father and son (catched me up, also did port davey) and 2 lovely backpackers I met at campsite later - Dieter from Belgium and Francois from France.... Interesting beaches, a lot of heavy algae, called kelp.
VIII day
Specially corgeous bright and warm morning sun. So pretty...
.... Walking on quite hard track and thinking currently about my anckle, I fall and twist it again. Cool compress beside the track and carry on ... till after 1,5hrs it happens again, its painful, its painful now...
Crabbing a walking stick later on from the bush, .. limping ...
There is a doctor in the bushwalkers party of 5. Doctor looks my anckle later on at campsite and diagnoses I degree injury, very likely to become II degree, if I twist it again, when I wont be able to walk out on my own leg anymore. No point to have day off, it doesnt heal that quickly anyway. Reccommendation is to carry on and not to injure it again, doctor has better tape for me... But tomorrow Im faceing the hardest part of this track...
Day 9
Ironbound range. Climbing up 800 m from sealevel and then descending it all back. You can see endless ascend ahead of you, track goes on and on. 13 km-s.
Well the only way is to keep on walking. Ascend is not too bad. But descend is endless, in the bush, you cant see, how much is done and how much it is to be done. Endless. And track crosses slippery roots and deep mud holes almost all the way down.
Im calculateing every step I take, being as much concerning about my anckle as I can, only once I almost slip.. Only thing is to stay positive and keep on going, there is know other way... Seeing more and more sections of muddy descend after each corner, I just say thank you, well you can cry or you can laugh, crying doesnt help anyway.. Takes for me, the limping girl, 11-12 hrs to finish, arriveing to campsite with sunset...
Day 10
Beautiful sun...
Miss the boat crossing site somehow and faceing the mouth of lagoon river at beach. Its low tide and instead of quick sand I`ve faced desert looking beach. ... Im not only one, according to the footprints ahead me, more people have chosen that route,,, Well river will be grossed, packing important stuff on the top of my back, head and shoulders stay dry anyway, not too deep... relaxes muscles very well... all good ...
Day 11
Haveing a leasure day, just 4 km-s further,,, My body and ofcourse the anckle are too tired for more...
Gentle thunder and rain in foggy coastal oldgrowth forest, smells good there... mystical ...
Campsite at most beautiful cliff...
Rains.
With sunset arrives radiating mr Maurice, hikeing barefoot, also walked the Port Davey and catched me up now.
...
Day 12
Well, morning starts with takeing the dropping wet clothes from the line, twisteing the water out and wearing them all. No worries, school from first days!... I invest on warm dry sleeping gear...
...and I`ve reached to the end of the world, its Granite Beach for me... ... there is most beautiful spiky cliff and waterfall in the end of the world, yep its foggy, its rainy, but its absolutelly absolutelly beautiful....
and when it starts again.. endless muddy-boggy sections from mud and waterfilled knee deep holed hill tracks up and down - up and down ... my right leg muscles are too tired to do all the work, Im tragging myself out with pain from the muddy sucking holes... Hardest section ever ...
Day 13
Warm bright morning sun
We, me, Dieter, Francois and Maurice stay in the beach and enjoy the day, whilst all the other bushwalkers have had early start and left... Sharing is caring, to get different tasting experiences, we share our camping food and cook nonstop, breakfast to lunch... Its warm, good company, tasty food, ,, its beautiful...
Walking slowly out at afternoon. Powerful cliffs, rock formations, views to the ocean...
And then it comes, COCKLE CREEK. ... really... , yep here it is. .. what to do next..
well there is good company, place and food, many course meals. And so next day and next day in next place...
ahh sometimes life is too good, yep,
..............................................
Well trekking must go on,,,
Being knee deep in the mud, all wet and in pain, I promised to myself to fly straight out to Queensland after this. Enough!
But Im still in Tasmania, and been trekking nonstop after this. Having occasional trips to Hobart to resupply myself. Hitchikeing, camping in random spots.
I have to agree with the saying of nice friend I met on South Coast track - I love Tasmania, beautiful weather many times per day (Francois G.) And thats true! You just love this beautiful place and its moody weather or not. Well, anyway it helps, if you are from the cold country. Works at my case...
So where else I`ve been
Relax 3 days trek to the Mt Field NP - recommend lake Dobson area, pretty colourful alpine vegetation, highland moorlands, but no fish
3 days with my good mate Tierney on Maria island, where to see the beauty, go as much south as you can and hitching to Triabunna harbour- change you identity, cant look too hippie or green, logging town. But has a very friendly pub, they let you to put you camp up at their backyard.
Short camping trip at the start of the Frenchmans cap track, Franklin Rivers NP. Heaps of beautiful rocks, not much wildlife, cool shaped mountains. Heaps of mud - so you understand why it stayed just for 1 night trip:)
5 days Gradle Valley - Never Never - Walls of Jerusalem. Did famous overcrowded Ovelander partly do get to the Never Never track to walk to the Walls of Jerusalem NP. Thanks Maurice for hint. Never Never track is definitely the most beautiful track in OZ, as there is no confined track, its pristine and all those so diffrent shaped absolutelly beautiful waterfalls on the way. Powerful: waterfall, you climb on the top there, and there are other ones on that top...
Well, I have only one thing to say -
ITS SO GOOD, ITS LIFE
reet
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