The South West

With the weather looking very settled for the rest of the week and into the weekend, heading on down the west coast was most definitely on. If we had been held up in Strahan for any length of time we would have pulled out there as it would have been getting a bit late in the year to continue.

Such a settled long term outlook was essential as once we left Cape Sorell, we would have little or no access to weather forecasts until well down the coast when we would pick up the Hobart Coast Radio weather broadcasts from Maatsuyker.

Loaded up with 3 weeks food we left Strahan late on Tuesday afternoon and headed out to camp at Pilot Bay just outside the Heads, ready for a long day the next day to Point Hibbs. We still had phone coverage so Dave texted us the latest coastal forecast, which couldn't have been better. The swell had dropped considerably too opening up the opportunity of more landing spots if needed. As we rounded Cape Sorell at dawn the next morning we couldn't believe how calm it was, a gentle easterly was blowing too so the sails went up and the final leg of our circumnavigation was under way. It would have been nice to explore some of the coast but even with such a settled forecast it was no place to hang around. Point Hibbs provides one of those invaluable sheltered landing spots which are very few and far between on this coastline, we came ashore in the very aptly named Sanctuary Bay. A beautiful spot with lovely camping.

The next day too was another 60km to Low Rocky Point. Such a familiar name from the coastal forecasts and met observations I was quite looking forward to actually being there. Again with such settled weather it was tempting to explore the coast and check out landing spots for future trips but our focus was on reaching Cowrie Bay another reliable landing spot a few kms past Low Rocky Point. A very welcome northerly wind picked up when we were about 15km north of LRP so we had a great sail down to the point and around to Cowrie Bay. It was very tempting with the wind being so favourable to continue on a further 20km or so to Nye Bay, but first we needed lunch after 6 hours or so in the kayak. Earlier in the year with longer days we would have definitely continued but not now with the days so short.

Our two days of settled NE/E weather were over with strong SW winds forecast for the next couple of days. As landing spots were now a little more frequent we continued on as we could land if the headwinds became too strong. Leaving Cowrie Bay at first light we had a good couple of hours of calm before the south westerly picked up and we headed into Nye Bay. This was not a very sheltered landing spot but again with the relatively low swell we were sure we would get ashore ok. It was tempting to head straight into the Giblin River but the surf looked a bit complicated so we landed on the beach through horrible big dumpers a few hundred meters north of the river mouth. This proved a bit of a mistake as there was absolutely nowhere to camp. We walked along the beach to look at the river mouth and felt sure we would find a camp on the southern bank of the river.

There was no alternative but to head out through the surf where we had landed and come into the river. It was a very tricky steep beach to get off; any surf beach is hard in the heavily laden double but this beach was so steep with big dumping waves just meters from the shore. Our tactic in this situation is for me to stand at the bow holding the boat at right angles to the surf, Lynne jumps in and puts her spraydeck on and I jump in as she paddles out past me. There is often no chance for me to put my spraydeck on but this is not so important as usually only a little water gets in. In this instance with the surf as it was the boat had a lot of water in it even before I got in, even more got in as we paddled out through the dumping surf so by the time we got completely trashed by the last 1.5/2m dumper we were awash!

So our first capsize of the trip!

Back to the beach and really not wanting to face the horrible dumping surf again there was nothing for it but to unload and carry our gear then drag the boat along the beach to the river mouth. At least this kept us warm.

Once in the haven of the Giblin River and settled into an absolutely magic camp on the duck banks we could relax.

The next day was much the same but no capsize. We headed off into the south westerly but only made it to the next bay south, Mulcahy Bay, as it was obvious there was no way we would reach Port Davey. We had read about a couple of sheltered gulches in the northern tip of the bay and sure enough as we weaved in through the rocks we entered a sheltered haven but the very rocky beach made landing a bit tricky. Once ashore we gathered driftwood logs and made a wooden 'slipway' for the kayak to keep it off the rocks as we dragged it above the high water mark. There were no obvious campsites but with a bit a clearing we just managed to fit the tent into a tight spot in the scrub.

I climbed up out of the gulch and up to the top of small hill as I guessed there may just be a chance we would pick up the weather broadcast from Maatsuyker at just after 6pm. I was right but only just, it was very broken but enough came through to give us an idea of what was happening in the next couple of days. Most importantly it seemed the south westerlies were abating so tomorrow we had a good chance of reaching Port Davey.

And we did, paddling the 39km to Spain Bay on a glorious sunny morning with hardly a breath of wind, then spent the afternoon having lunch and relaxing in the sun on the beach.

Again the trip to the top of the nearest hill for the weather at 6, which came through loud and clear this time, giving the green light for rounding South West Cape the next day.

Even though we knew we still had a good few days of exposed coastline to paddle before we could really relax, reaching Port Davey and the very familiar surrounding hills and coastline definitely lowered the stress and pressure we had felt all the way down the west coast. Knowing the coastline from here to Recherche so well it really felt like coming home.

I had heard of kayakers having to deal with really rough conditions off SW Cape due to the rebounding swells off the cliffs south of Window Pane Bay so we started about 3km off shore slowly heading in closer to see what the conditions were like. We needn't have worried though with the low southerly swell we ended up less than 500m from the Cape as we rounded the tip and the oh so welcome sight of the south coast opened up before us.

A hour or so later and we were ashore at Ketchem and another slight lessening of west coast stresses. The next day's forecast was for 10-20kn north easterlies with 25kn offshore, so at first we thought at least we could paddle around to New Harbour or even bash all the way to Louisa Bay. On second thoughts though the idea of a day bashing into a strong headwind didn't appeal and we had a day off.

As it turned out there was hardly a breath of wind all day but I think a rest day, the first since leaving Strahan was definitely needed.

The next day's forecast was very similar but feeling refreshed a few hours bashing into a strong headwind was slightly more acceptable. First we had to get off the beach. The swell had picked up on our rest day but had dropped back a bit but there were still some quite large 2m+ dumpers, which was surprising given the almost flat beach at Ketchem, it must shelve off steeply just offshore. The waves were dumping then running smoothly into the beach so getting off was easy and I had plenty of time to get my spraydeck on this time, we held our position waiting for a large set to finish then put the power on to get out beyond the break line before the next lot. But suddenly having committed ourselves and judged it wrong we copped a big dumper just as it broke.

Capsize number two! Bugger.

Second time we got it right and we were off.

Despite the forecast the sea was glassy, not a breath of wind as we glided along past Cox Bluff and headed for Louisa Bay. Just off Coxs a small motor launch came alongside and we were more or less berated by the skipper, "Don't you know there is a strong wind warning today. I just want to know what you think you are doing out here in that when there is a strong wind warning." He went on to say something about 3m seas as he obviously assumed that we would have capsized and drowned long before they reached that size. The evening forecast had not mentioned a strong wind warning for the south coast though there was one current for Tasman Is to SE Cape and I am not quite sure how he could expect 3m seas with an offshore NE wind when we were only a few kms out at most. A little later at 8.30 we listened to the latest forecast and sure enough there was still no strong wind warning for the South Coast.

I felt I was living a dream, for over 20 years I have wanted to paddle the South Coast and even though we were not sightseeing he we were in calm sunny conditions surrounded by Mount Louisa, the Ironbounds, PB, Pindars, Ile de Golfe, De Witt, Maat etc etc. Luuch at Little Deadmans and the luxury of actually having lunch at lunchtime. There have been too many long days in the kayak with no landing spots until mid or even late afternoon so lunch almost becomes the first course for dinner.

We chatted to some bushwalkers from WA who had had a hard time over the Ironbounds the day before, one of them kept complaining that the walk description didn't describe how hard the day is. They asked me if I knew the forecast, I could only give them the wind strength and direction with any certainty but did say if there was any rain with the change forecast overnight it wouldn't be much.

As we left Deadmans and headed towards Rocky Boat Inlet and got a view of the sky to the NW it was obvious we were in for a blast with big black nasty looking clouds filling the sky, and sure enough within 30mins we were just hammering along with only one sail up and it started to rain. Those bushwalkers would have been cursing me and my homemade weather forecast.

Rocky Boat Inlet is a beautiful spot; it is not on the South Coast Track and is well defended by thick scrub so few walkers make the effort. The offshore rocks seem to keep the fisherman away too as there were very few fire sites and virtually no beer cans which too many of the west coast sheltered bays and campsites are just littered with.

Lynne was pregnant with Louisa the last time we were at Rocky Boat - 20 years ago. The food drop for the South Coast Track trips we were guiding in those days was located here so every time we walked the track we would come over from Osmiridium to stock up for the last few days out to Cockle Creek.

We thought we had the south coast in the bag as the next day's forecast was for NW 10-20kn backing SW in the morning at similar speeds. Wind strength and directions to give us some exciting sailing and take us exactly where we wanted to go, the NW would take us around South Cape then the SW would blow us around SE Cape and as far north towards Huonville that daylight would allow.

It wasn't to be. Even before the alarm went off at 4.30 I could tell that the wind was already SW and was a very healthy 20kn. We put the billy on for coffee anyway but I knew we would not be heading off towards South Cape as it would mean at least three hours of the wind and a horrible steep breaking sea right on the beam. So we settled in, to at least 11am; if the wind had dropped by then we could have lunch pack up and be on the water by 12 and still get to Cockle Creek. The south westerlies following a front quite often drop out more quickly than the forecasts predict but not today, the rain petered out during the morning and there was even some blue sky but the wind kept blowing.

With NE winds forecast for the following day we knew we would not get an easy ride to Cockle Creek but as it turned out we only had to bash into the wind from Whale Head to our lunch stop at Black Swan Lagoon. Rounding South Cape and SE Cape the seas were pretty smooth just a little chop left from the south westerly the day before.

As we approached Black Swan Lagoon we could see people on the beach which is unusual as there is no easy access, and as we landed of course it was another one of those Tasmanian moments - it was someone we knew, Rebecca and her two girls. She apologised for disturbing the deserted beach we had been expecting but on the contrary having had more than our fair share of deserted beaches over the last two months it was nice to meet up with a familiar face and have a chat.

By the time we had lunch the NE wind had dropped so we could anticipate getting a lot further north than we had originally expected. We were not sure where exactly especially as we did not have a map for the coast north of Southport and much of the coastline is rocky.

We could now though paddle much later than we had on the west and south coast where prudence dictated having at least a couple of hours daylight spare at the end of day. Muscles allowing we could get even get to Port Esperance after dark if we wanted to. Just north of Southport though, Lady Bay beckoned, a campsite Lynne had used in the past with work. We had paddled 65km but Rocky Boat Inlet seemed in another world compared to the benign waters of the lower Channel. The beach was steep and rocky but a very handy pile of seaweed provided an easy landing just above high water and an even easier launch the next morning. Whether it was this or the fact that we were camped very close to the kayak so didn't have to lug our gear very far or the fact that this was our last morning and the lure of Huonville and home was at full strength, or all of those reasons, but we were on the water at 6.15!

It was a nice day's paddle despite a bit of plod at times against a gentle NW wind and then the opposing Huon flow and the urge to just get there and finish. It also felt very strange to be on such calm water, for so many many weeks we had dealt with waves, swells and surf it seemed almost impossible that we were dealing with the same medium.

Then the last corner and a small knot of people gathered at the boat ramp to welcome us home. Meg and Louisa, of course, equipped with champagne and real glass glasses, wow! Kevin, Andrew and Sarah, Elizabeth and Rosie, Michael, Merlin, Kerry and John. Thanks so much for being there.

Dawn and Moonset, Cape Sorell.

Sanctuary Bay, Point Hibbs

Hibbs Pyramid at dawn.

The writing VSKC 2006 carved into this bit of wood at Sanctuary Bay and the ornate ropework and splicing indicate that a Victorian sea kayaking team must have had bit of time on their hands while camped here. I wonder how many days they were held up.

Nye Bay and the Giblin River mouth.

Duckbank campsite on the Giblin River.

Mulcahy Bay 'Gulch'

Mulcahy Bay campsite, the bush needed a little 'improvement' for us to fit the tent in.

Lovely sunny warm afternoon on the beach at Spain Bay.

'Weather Forecast Hill' above Spain Bay.

Approaching South West Cape, it seemed to take forever to get from here to the tip; we were down to 6kph, there must have been a current north up the coast.

Looking back to South West Cape.

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Huonville and our wonderful welcoming friends. 61 days and 1800km from this very spot.