October 21st
Denmark(564.3)-Intersection w/Lake William Track(587.3)
Mileage: 23mi/37.1km
Campsite Elevation: 364ft/111m
As expected, the birds were up before the sun rose and there was quite the natural alarm clock at 4:30am. I unsuccessfully tried to sleep through it. Earplugs don’t work and I’m going to work on finding some even better ones. Today was the day that we needed the ride around the Wilson Inlet. We arranged for a 7am pickup from Jacko, who has the best deal in town for $40 total. He can be reached through his B&B, Casa Libelula, and does many services along the track if you’re looking to cache food or do a car shuttle as well. Jacko did the Appalachian Trail in 2013 and wore his AT blaze shirt. I have a blue one of those shirts and it was fun to see it out here in Australia.
It was about a 30min ride around the inlet, and we had Jacko drop us off at the dock where the original ferry would have taken us. It feels odd to get a ride, but the original route was a ferry across the inlet that no longer exists and closed about 10yrs ago. There are pricey options to cross the water, so most do the car shuttle. Yes, it can be walked, but it would be about a day of walking and there isn’t a path made for it, so much of it would be road walking. It did feel odd to get a ride on a thru hike, but knowing it was intended to be a ferry, it seemed to make more sense.
The first 8.5mi/14km to the first shelter today flew by! We were along the inlet for much of it, so it was a dirt trail and really flat. Since our bodies are used to sand and going up and down, we cruised it and were there in just over two hours.
The rest of the day’s walking was in sand dunes, mostly removed from the views of the coast. It was much more obstructed than I expected, but there were many viewpoints at moments where there was a view looking back on the inlet or out to the coast. They have these great benches where one part is slightly raised behind the seat of the bench. It is there for backpackers to rest their pack and is a great idea!
The day went by pretty fast and uneventfully except for some great animal sightings from Dave. He likes to be in front “snake patrol” and I am quite happy about that, but he gets the animal sightings and they tend to run off before I can see them. We saw countless snakes. At times, when I was up front, I’d see one just skirt away barely before I could even tell what it was. Dave killed a small dugite that is venemous. It was funny because when I asked how to spell it, Dave’s army self speedily said ” Delta, uniform, golf, India, tango echo.” Cracks me up. Dave saw two feral cats that were big and ran off before I could see them. They are a huge problem all along the track (and the whole country) killing many birds. There are a lot of signs along the trail about poisonous traps that are out in the bush. Apparently, they are quite large and all different colors.
We got to West Cape Howe Shelter just before 3pm and there was a group of six women there out doing a section for the beautiful weekend. I’m actually surprised we didn’t see more out as this is the first beautiful weekend all trip. Tomorrow is Saturday, so maybe more tomorrow. We did see one other woman later doing a section that was hiking north to Denmark. Well, these women were a hoot and quite talkative. There was a lot of energy in that shelter. They call themselves the EMUS (Early Morning United Sisters) because they all walk together in the mornings in their hometown.
EMUS (Early Morning United Sisters) sans one that was resting.
Once we were past the shelter, we were on bonus miles for the day. The plan was to go a couple hours til 5ish, but keep an eye out for rare clear and flat campable spots. We came to a nice view of the coast about 4:30pm that coincidentally was the T-junction with a defunct old track called the Lake William Track and it was the most perfect camping spot we could have found. We couldn’t pass up a sheltered spot with an ocean view to watch the sunset and took it. It was great!
I’m getting pretty spoiled by these early stop times and this may become a habit. It still gets dark before 7pm here and I find my body wanting to sleep soon after. I went to sleep just after 8pm tonight. I definitely think I’m feeling the cumulative effects of hiking a decent pace for the last 27 days without taking a day off, so I am welcoming the early stopping and extra sleep. Each night I think I’ll surely watch a show, but I’m ready to sleep by the time I finish journaling.
The sunset was awesome!
Thankfully you have hit perfect weather for the coast weather in your favour now enjoy the last day. Dave should have killed the Cats!! and maybe don’t post that he killed a Dugite :). I so wish I was out there
I did hesitate to put it in, but it is what happened and I felt gave a fuller picture of my day and who I was with. It wasn’t like he went chasing after it. It was a quick reflex of someone who has been outdoors in many dangerous jungles and woods. Just what he’s been trained to do over decades of that.
That makes sense.. his reaction and you giving a full picture.
Almost there -and the sun is out for you ! I think Albany is expecting 21 today , so I think you should get roughy the same . Great photos , thanks .
Yep, don’t mind that a taller person knocks out all the spider webs first, but they also block the view when they hike first! lol So did you convert to AUS $ or are you able to spend USD? I’ve only travelled outside the country to Mexico and the Caribbean, so haven’t had to convert thus far. Absolutely beautiful shots of your camp site!!
There is a conversion that works quite well for Americans. So, although things (mainly food) are more expensive here, it’s still a fair price for me.
So glad that you are having good weather at last!! The views are beautiful – thanks for sharing your pictures with us. Hard to believe that you are almost done with this adventure and will soon be on to the next.
I’m disappointed that there are still Australians who feel that they should kill snakes because they are venemous. I thought that this was a practice that had died out in my father’s (long gone) generation, it certainly isn’t legal.
I was thinking the same thing Steve, but WA law states …..”The Department of Park and Wildlife has confirmed WA residents can kill snakes without penalty – so long as they feel immediately threatened….”
Definitely a serious no no here in Victoria.
Yeah, it was a reflex to it right by his foot suddenly.
Can’t kill them in Tassie either. I once had to move a dugite off the track with a stick (bush too thick to go around) but I lifted it and put it down again gently.
Apparently it is legal here and just a defensive reflex he had when it was right there next to his foot. He didn’t go chasing after it anything. Yes, it may be a generational thing.
Apparently it is legal here. It was just a defensive reflex when it was next to his foot. He didn’t go chasing after it or anything. Yes, it may be a generational thing.
omg those backpack benches are genius!!!
When will we humans learn to stop interfering? We bring in the cats (other animals too) and then complain when they go feral and cause problems. And we kill animals (that might like eating cats?) just because they are venomous, which they can hardly help.
We all should stand back a bit and let nature manage itself, not be so quick to think we know best
Yeah, I saw it more as a reflex from someone who’s spent decades in some of the most dangerous jungles and forests in the world. Just a reflex for him and understandably so when one is by his foot all of a sudden. It wasn’t like there was a snake hunt. I don’t love it either, but do understand the reflexive response.
Wired, you are a little lady. Should use you to inspire my wife, at 4ft 10inches she always says she can’t get a backpack that is comfortable for her size! The Cape to Cape is great, although the large amount of sand walking will be a challenge. Hopefully the weather won’t have warmed up too much when you are on it.
I would love benches like that in every day life, as I routinely use a lack in lieu of a purse.
I hate to hear about killing anything (other than termite or ants if they are eating my home or swarming my home, or mosquitos.
I love cats, but they are safer inside.
I would think the smarter birds live to reproduce. Those wind farms probably take out more birds than do the feral cats. Here, the coyotes have reduced the outdoor cat population and wild bunnies are disappearing. But the coyote have started coming into garages and through screens to get at pets… and children.
Oh, I would want to be in front for the animal sightings! Love your ocean views and the airborne Roos.
Hope your stomach settled.. I have been told about peppermint too.
Enjoy your shirt time off between trails. Hope that involves time stellar chocolate milk. ?
Wired,
Glad you and Dave are safe. Things are what they are.
That pack-rest bench is pretty rad. Great idea for sure.
Great sunset photo, both of them.