March 15th
Narcissus Hut-Cynthia Bay
Mileage: 15.8km on track
OLT Trip Total: 74km on track + 59km off track=82.6mi/133km
We had just 10mi/16km to do to get to the end of the Overland Track. Since this is a wooded stretch along Lake St Clair (Australia’s deepest lake), some choose to instead take a ferry from Narcissus Hut where we stayed last night. It really wasn’t eventful. Mostly just rooted woods with the only views of the lake being if we went off the track towards the shore.
Morning sun and clouds over Lake St Clair.
The dock at Echo Point.
A man named Andrew who was out for a day walk gave us a 10min ride to have lunch at the Hungry Wombat. THANK YOU to Andrew from Canada for the ride and post hike conversation!
Just down the street is where we were booked to stay for the night. The Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel has bushwalker rooms. I stayed in a similar place last time I was in Australia and like these personal rooms rather than a hostel and they are pretty similarly priced at $35AUS/$27US. It’s very dorm-like and Griggs and I are neighbors.
Many people that finish the Overland would head to the city of Hobart about two hours away, but we are staying over here because we intended to head towards the Western Arthurs and Hobart isn’t that direction. There is nothing here but the Hungry Wombat Cafe and the hotel restaurant. There isn’t even wifi, but it is just what we needed. A place to shower, laundry, and charge up our devices before heading out for another weeklong hike. I did however, have yet another big spider at the head of my bed! It looks very much like the huge one that was in the hut a few nights ago that may be a Huntsman spider, and was the size of my palm. It apparently rarely bites and an cause nausea, headaches, and vomiting, but isn’t deadly, ha. I was brave enough to scoop it up in a cup on my own this time. I do wonder what kind it is if anyone knows?
My second one of these. I think a Huntsman spider…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsman_spider
But.. I am now fixated on never encountering one of these doing cartwheels.. And hoping the giant version stays in Laos.
Looks like we have some version of these here in So Cal, but any I have seen are much smaller..
Love the trail end photo ops.. Griggs cracks me up.
I hope that sign isn’t the only platypus sighting.
Looks like a huntsman spider to me – harmless to people unless provoked =)
I concur with the huntsman verdict
You are certainly having some “up close and personal “experiences with the local wildlife ?, and not ones that is consider “enjoyable ” !! Love the photos and updates ,as usual they are fabulous . How good is it that the trails you’ve been hiking seem to be “paved “for you …. they are definitely yelling out “follow me “….
Overland Out!! Congrats.
Haha, how did I not think of that title!?
You’re just such a bad ass! The huts are sure nice when the weather’s soggy, but the sight of a really big huntsman spider in a hut might be enough to keep me on a tent platform on a rainy night. I know they’re harmless, and I think they’re cool in the wild but I don’t want them in my personal space. My Aussie friends are fond of pointing out “But you have grizzly bears!” True. But for some reason bears seem less insidious than creepy crawlies like giant spiders, terrestrial leeches, jack jumper ants and deadly poisonous snakes. Guess we were sort of lucky it was a couple of weeks later and cold when we went. We ended up taking the boat from Narcissis as the constant damp mist had turned to a deluge and a long slog in a cold, pouring rain to Cynthia Bay seemed less than enticing. Freycinet is lovely. Really cool geology, birds and wildlife, including very persistent brush-tailed possums, which wouldn’t flee the vestibule of the tent even when headlamps were shined on them. At least they seem like very mild-mannered critters, even though they’re pretty big. Yep, I’d sure like to go back. Can’t wait to see what you’ll post next.
Yep, give me spiders, snakes, leeches, ticks (hmmm not so sure about ticks) etc. but NO BEARS please!!!!!!
I with you Neil (ticks actually are the only thing that really worry me in Australia – oh and crocodiles in Arnhem Land) but snakes run away from you, bears run after you!
Not so sure about the snakes running away any more Steve. After years of using the “thump and scare away” approach, I just had a very angry tiger snake rear up and attack me. Luckily I pinned him with my walking stick just before he got me. Live and learn in the bush.
Haha, it is funny how non-US people are so worried about bears!
I do think more people are affected by ticks than by bears.. or oversized spiders.. where I am coyotes are probably more worrisome because they have adaptive to urban locales, but bears are around closer to mountain areas.
Do coyotes attack people? I would have thought they wouldn’t be any more trouble than a fox………????
I am in Orange County CA and the coyote have spread all over the county, They seem to use flood control canals, but are sighted right out in the ooen. A few people have been attacked.. a woman who was texting, a child in a garage, others. All over the county, outside cats have been taken, small dogs in yards of with owners, wild bunnies.. one area where you would see dozens of bunnies at night.. Now you see none. They got over the fence at the shelter where I volunteer and got some farm residents.. Chickens, but a goat.. In two mobilhomes near me the busted through screens to get inside pets.
Used to be after dark, but now can be any time for day.
A coyote was observed acts dog park, play acting like a domestic dog.. Not typical coyote behavior. This one engaged a Labrador retriever and got it to chase.. Other coyote joined in, not to play, but to ambush.. Apparently this is decent behavior, not typical of hunting coyotes. People prevented harm to the Labrador.
So it is a concern.
The child and the woman were bitten, but ok.
The coyote that but the child was later caught and can matched to the saliva in the child’s wounds.
But no Bears this close to the coast.
Needless to say, I believe in indoor cats but want a stronger screen door.
Ticks are more dangerous than leeches and bears are probably the least dangerous, well maybe not less dangerous than leeches. Ticks and mosquitoes carry a variety of diseases that kill thousands (maybe 10,000’s?) every year. Fortunately, we don’t have to deal with most of those diseases in North America, but still worse than leeches.
That boat would totally call me in weather like that too!
Huntsman spider for sure. We called them rain spiders where I’m from. They haunted my childhood – even more terrifying to deal with when you’re about half your adult size!
Congrats on your finish of a “perfectly” amazing trail (I mean track!) Your room reminds me of the ones in the hostel at Manning Park. You’ll have to put something in the spider picture next time for visual perspective for us. It doesn’t look that big, but when you say “palm of your hand” I’m thinking…okay, yeah that’s big! ?
I thought about the perspective thing and didn’t want to put my hand near it!
Indeed.. And you cannot convince a giant spider “would you please pose next to this packet of tuna?”
Haha!
Yep it’s a Huntsman for sure Erin. Friendly little??? buggers aren’t they 🙂
I wouldn’t want one wandering over my face in the night…not the risk just freeky and unattractive 🙂