Stuart Trueman took a gamble and posted a proper expedition
to the NSWSKC trips calendar. The trip was to follow the coast along the bottom
of Tasmania from Cockle Creek on the East Coast to Bathurst Harbour on the West
Coast and back. Fortunately for me I was on the list of starters.
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| Adrian, Michael, Campbell, Matt, John, Wade, Fernando, Stuart |
Eight of us ended up on the beach at Cockle Creek with a
less than ideal weather forecast. Any plans we had for a start on the day of
our arrival were scuttled by strong winds. We set up our tents ahead of a storm
and settled in for a rainy night at Cockle Creek.
The next morning we were off, pleasantly sailing out of
Cockle Creek on a nice South Westerly, a wind that would turn from friend to
foe before too long. Things started roughening up after Whale Head and by the
time we approached South East Cape we had a serious head wind and rough sea to
deal with. The group fragmented as I suspect we entered self preservation mode
and it wasn’t too long before Stuart made his first leadership call and sounded
a retreat. We turned and ducked back in to a rocky bay for cover. Although
strewn with boulders, the bay was well protected and we landed, helping each
other carry the heavy boats up the rocks.
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| Carrying the boats up onto boulders to regroup after our first attempt at rounding South Cape |
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| Stuart wondering what he'd got himself into |
We had lunch and set off again hoping
things had calmed down. As we hit SE Cape it was clear they hadn’t. Estimates
of wind strength varied from 25 to 30 knots. My own reliable wind gauge told me
it was over 30, my hat blew off! We all put our heads down and resolved to just
grind it out to South East Cape and beyond to our days destination at South
Cape Rivulet. After slogging into the wind for another ten kilometres after the Cape all we needed to do was negotiate a single
dumping surf break and day one would be behind us. The waves were surprisingly
frequent and my own timing was not quite right as I was only just in front of a
rather large breaker that just missed me, breaking behind me and side surfing
me to shore. Everyone got in all right in the end even though that meant a swim
for one of us!
Although the forecast was improving the previous day had
taken its toll. Michael had struggled to keep up, his skeg boat simply not as
efficient at dealing with the rough conditions as everyone else who had
rudders. Wade had developed rather large swelling in his right wrist and
Fernando had a relapse of a bad wrist he’d developed during our training
paddles over the previous few weeks. Stuart announced that Michael had made a
decision to turn back and make other paddling arrangements. I think everyone
was surprised as he’d got through the previous day and I don’t think anyone was
expecting it to get worse than that. In the interest of the group goal of making it to Bathurst Harbour, Stuart and Michael launched early and headed off
back around the Cape. The rest of us launched and headed for Little Deadmans Bay.
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| Heading out of South Cape Rivulet - The weather was getting better |
Not long before dusk, I spotted Stuart approaching. He’d
gone back to Whale Head, turned around and bypassed Cape Rivulet to make it
to Deadmans in one hit, the rest of us had taken two days and three stops to
make the same distance. We were quietly in awe.
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| Adrian Clayton |
Today we were set to bag a big one – Maatsuyker Island.
As we were just about to head off Fernando raised the fact that thunderstorms
had been forecast and he didn’t think an open crossing was a good idea.
Stuart agreed and we decided to head to Ketchem instead. There was little said,
but some of us were disappointed.
With only slight head winds and falling swell we paddled
along taking it all in. I felt like I was inside a picture.
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| John goes over the days route with the group at our lunch stop at Louisa Bay |
After lunch it was on to Ketchem Bay. The next day was going
to be a long one so we all cooked up big meals and had an early night.
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| Ketchem Bay |
And a big one it was, 42 km into a head wind and current.
Thankfully the swell was low and we were able to sneak into McKays Gulch to
land and have a break. We were all relieved to finally make it to Spain Bay
where an early night was again the order of the day.
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| McKays Gulch |
The next morning was a slow one for me. John, always the
early riser was keen to get going, take in the Breakseas and head to Claytons
Corner about 20 km along the Bathurst Channel. Adrian and Campbell were rushing
about packing but Fernando & Wade were going to take a couple of days off
to rest and recuperate. For a good ten
minutes I struggled to make a decision. As the last of the group headed off I
packed my tent. Although my body would have loved to have simply gone back to
bed my senses got the better of me and I was soon in my eternally wet gear and
paddling out of Spain Bay on route to Claytons Corner. I met up with the rest
of the group a few kilometres later and we headed up the Channel. I had a great
sense of achievement paddling into the harbour as it was in Bathurst Harbour
that I’d first experienced sea kayaking. In the summer of 2000/2001 my then
girlfriend (now wife) and I had walked the South Coast Track from Cockle Creek
to Melaleuca. After the seven day walk we’d arranged to rent a sea bear double
off the then owners of Roaring Forties Sea Kayaking tours. Although it took a
lot of persuading there was a double waiting for us to take out on a self
supported trip. We spent another seven days exploring Bathurst Harbour and Port
Davey in the double. Although I was hooked it wasn’t until 2004 that I finally
bought a sea kayak of my own and began my sea kayaking journey. To be paddling
back past the same spots I remembered vividly, and to have paddled in from
Cockle Creek rather than flew or charter boated in as most kayakers do, gave me
a great sense of satisfaction. I’d come full circle.
At Claytons Corner is a well maintained hut which we quickly
made home. The sun was out and we dried gear and settled in to a very
comfortable night, John and I opting to stay in our tents due to a sign about
the resident quoll who we thought might not be conducive to a good night’s
sleep. In the late afternoon we had a visit from a group of Tasmanian kayakers
who had chartered a boat in. A discussion was had about the injuries sustained
by Wade and Fernando and an offer was made to take our two injured kayakers
back on the charter boat which had plenty of room for a couple more paddlers
and kayaks.
In the morning Stuart headed back to Spain Bay to let Wade
and Fernando know they had an option to get out. The rest of us paddled into
Melaleuca, where I again reminisced on my previous trip. We chatted to some
bushwalkers, some volunteer rangers and a yachty and then went to see the
Orange Bellied Parrots.
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| Orange Bellied Parrots (True!) |
I’m pleased to report that we saw quite a few feeding
and flying around. We headed back to Claytons where Adrian, Campbell and I
climbed to the top of Mount Beattie in the afternoon. Adrian, ever the machine,
had no problem getting up and back, even though the guy has two titanium knees!
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| Everyone helped carry the heavy boats - because everyone needed help to carry their own |
That night Stuart returned with Wade who had decided it best
to get out as he would have seriously exacerbated
his injury if he paddled back. We had another peaceful night at Claytons and
the next morning all went separate ways. Wade settled into the hut, Stuart
headed off to Melaleuca, John went to climb Mt Rugby and Adrian, Campbell and I
headed back slowly, making detours to visit the other kayakers camp, explore
little bays and generally take in as much of this spectacular place as we
could.
As we went past the spot where we’d seen a slight footpad up to Mt Rugby
we spotted Johns boat. He’d obviously decided to go up and so would I. I headed
up what soon turned out to be a hell of a bushwalk. After about ninety minutes
of huffing and puffing I came across John on his way down. We had a brief chat
and continued in our opposite directions.
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| Having a drink |
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| John Wilde |
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| The view from on top of Mt Rugby 773 Metres |
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| Flashback - a photo from my first kayak trip back in 2001 at Bathurst Harbour |
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| The bush is absolutley beautiful in SW Tasmania |
After finally getting back to my boat some three hours later
I cooked up a meal and took in a glorious afternoon, complete with sun shine
and the spectacular back drop of the mountain I’d just climbed . As soon as I left the little bay however, I
was soon battling a solid headwind and had to put my head down for the paddle
back out of Bathurst Harbour and around to Spain Bay.
Another early night was had by all as we knew what we were
in for the next day. On the way back we followed Stuart & John to Wender
Island where it was rumoured there is a tunnel all the way through. John found
it and went straight through with Fernando close by and then Adrian. Stuart
yelled out “this is not mandatory” as he too disappeared into the jaws of this
nasty and narrow looking slot. I went ahead of Campbell and as I got to the
narrowest part at the end struggled to paddle against the back pull as a wave
built up behind. Giant bull kelp cushioned the boat from the rocks but made it
hard to paddle. Just as I negotiated the final little reef Campbell got plonked
on a ledge above me. We managed to get out on the next surge and blasted into a
frenzy of excited seals, one of which bumped right into Johns boat as another
one leapt clean over the back of Fernando’s. There were good numbers in the
water and all over the island itself. I could even see some right up on the highest
peak.
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| Campbell approaching the gauntlet, a narrow tunnel right through the island |
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| Coming out the other side - phew! |
After the adrenalin wore off we settled into our steady slog
mode for the trip south towards South West Cape. A fishing boat came by, with
Wade and the other kayakers on board. They headed way off to the west, probably
to avoid the rebound and left us once again to our isolation and mediative long
distance strokes. This was the most tiring leg of the trip for me, probably
because of the Mt Rugby Climb and paddle the previous day. After our stop
inside McKays Gulch and a good top up of my left over breakfast (porridge semolina
mix) I had a new found energy and was again enjoying the paddling. I should
have cottoned on that something was being planned when Adrian and Campbell cagged
up at the Gulch.
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| Rounding South West Cape |
When we were just off South West Cape Adrian announced that it
was rolling time. Apparently rolling off South West Cape is a prerequisite for the
Maatsuyker Kayak Club and so it was that Adrian, Campbell and myself partook in
this ritual. The cold water dunk did wonders for my speed and Campbell and I
made short work of the remaining run into Ketchem Bay.
The plan was to head out to Maatsuyker Island in a good
North Westerly, and then tac across to South Cape Rivulet the following day but
Stuart announced the forecast had changed overnight and a major change was on
its way. We needed to get out, fast. With slight winds behind us and a calm sea
we did a 61 km day and paddled all the way back to South Cape Rivulet. The next
day we were up at 4 AM and paddling out through the breakers before dawn. We’d
been very lucky so far but with the forecast of a 30 to 40 knot Southerly along
with four to five metre seas it was decided we’d be fools to push our luck any farther
and so it was that we high tailed it back to Cockle Creek early.
On a wet beach we were greeted by Gillian Wilde, Johns Wife.
Her cheery smile couldn’t hide the sling her arm was in or her black eye.
Gillian had had quite an ordeal and had ended up getting helicoptered to
hospital after taking a fall off some rocks and dislocating her shoulder. The fact that she was back at
Cockle Creek, camping, and waiting for John, speaks volumes for the character of
this true outdoorswoman. I hope Gillian makes a speedy recovery and gets back
on the track again soon.
It was a real privilege to paddle in such a special and
pristine area with such a great team. Adrian was an inspiration, approaching sixty
nine and not one issue or complaint. Campbell got stronger by the day and was
the fastest paddler overall. Fernando and Wade did well in
dealing with injuries and I’m sure both those guys who haven’t really done big
expeditions before will have learned a great deal from the trip. Michael made a
difficult decision early on but went on to have a solid solo trip up the inside
of Bruny Island and take in a few good bushwalks. John Wilde is a very
experienced and highly qualified paddler and was a great asset to the group. I
felt like a rank junior alongside John. I would like to personally thank Stuart
Trueman for putting the trip together and for putting out so much for those who
needed (or thought they needed) help. It was an honour to do this iconic trip
with Stuart and I got an immense amount out of it. There is one good thing
about the fact we didn’t get out to Maatsuyker, I’ll have to go down there
again!
