Choose a diary entry31/03/2004 - Retrenched! 02/04/2004 - Farewell Lunch 03/04/2004 - Preparation 1 04/04/2004 - Preparation 2 05/04/2004 - Packing 06/04/2004 - Sydney to Hobart to Mt. Field NP 07/04/2004 - Tarn Shelf, then into the Southwest 08/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 1 - Up Alpha Moraine 09/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 2 - Lake Cygnus 10/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 3 - Lake Oberon & Square Lake 11/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 4 - Lake Oberon to Lake Cygnus 12/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 5 - Lake Cygnus to Junction Creek 13/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 6 - out to Mt Field NP 14/04/2004 - Back to Hobart for resupply and on to Southport 15/04/2004 - Southport, Hastings springs, Cockle Creek 16/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 1 - Cockle Creek to South Cape Rivulet 17/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 2 - South Cape Rivulet 18/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 3 - back to Cockle Creek, then Hobart 19/04/2004 - Hobart to Lake St. Clair 20/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 1 - to Vera Hut 21/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 2 - Tahune Hut and the Summit 22/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 3 - Tahune Hut to Vera Hut 23/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 4 - out to Derwent Bridge 24/04/2004 - Derwent Bridge / Lake St. Clair to Hobart 25/04/2004 - R&R in Hobart 26/04/2004 - Hobart, buying a new Camera 27/04/2004 - Hobart to Port Arthur 28/04/2004 - Port Arthur Historic site, then to Fortescue Bay 29/04/2004 - Tasman Trail Hike - Fortescue Bay to Eaglehawk Neck 30/04/2004 - Eaglehawk Neck to Hobart, Targa 01/05/2004 - Hobart R&R, Salamanca Markets 02/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 1 - to Wombat Flat 03/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 2 - to Mt. Ramsay 04/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 3 - Mt. Ramsay to Huskisson River 05/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 4 - Camped at Huskisson River 06/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 5 - Across the Huskisson 07/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 6 - Out, then to Strahan 08/05/2004 - R&R in Strahan 09/05/2004 - Dissapointing Gordon River Cruise 10/05/2004 - Strahan, R&R, Preparation for Overland Track 11/05/2004 - Strahan to Lake St. Clair 12/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 1 - Lake St. Clair to Pine Valley Hut 13/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 2 - the Labyrinth and Acropolis 14/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 3 - Pine Valley Hut to Kia-Ora Hut 15/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 4 - Kia-Ora Hut to Mt. Ossa to Pelion Hut 16/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 5 - Pelion Hut to Windermere Hut 17/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 6 - Windamere Hut to Cradle Mountain Village 18/05/2004 - Sick!, Cradle Mountain to Launceston 19/05/2004 - Recovery 1 20/05/2004 - Recovery 2 - Doctor, and Cataract Gorge 21/05/2004 - Recovery 3 22/05/2004 - Recovery 4 23/05/2004 - Recovery 5 24/05/2004 - Launceston to Bicheno 25/05/2004 - Freycinet Hike - Day 1 - the Hazards to Cooks Beach 26/05/2004 - Freycinet Hike - Day 2 - back to Bicheno 27/05/2004 - Exploring Bicheno 28/05/2004 - Bicheno to Launceston 29/05/2004 - Exploring Further in Launcestion 30/05/2004 - Cataract Gorge 2 31/05/2004 - Launceston to Liffey Falls to Deloraine 01/06/2004 - Trowunna, Devils Gullet, Walls of Jerusalem National Park 02/06/2004 - Walls of Jerusalem Hike - Day 1 03/06/2004 - Walls of Jerusalem - Day 2 - Out, then to Hobart 04/06/2004 - Mt. Field NP, Styx Valley & on to Triabunna 05/06/2004 - Maria Island - Day 1 06/06/2004 - Maria Island - Day 2 07/06/2004 - R&R in Launceston 08/06/2004 - Flying Back Home

Tasmania Diary

[ Up ]

[ Prev ][ Next ]

Friday, April 16, 2004

South Coast Track - Day 1 - Cockle Creek to South Cape Rivulet

Today I got up and, as no-one else was up, went for a walk along the beach as the sun was coming up. It was very pretty – the sky was still clear. I walked out to a headland where there was a sculpture of a whale – the views were much more interesting though.
The weather came over cloudy, and we sat around reading and relaxing. The sun came out again, and we went and layed on the beach – it was nice, but despite the warm sun, the air and sand were still cold. while were were sitting there, we saw a pod of dolphins swip past, it was pretty cool, but they were too quick for photos.

We decided we'd walk the first day of the South Coast Track as it was not supposed to be very muddy, and was only 3.5 to 4.5 hours, hence we could even start at 1:00pm and still make camp before dark.
Jennifer had been ribbing me about taking ages to get packed in the morning, so I made sure I was packed and waiting for half an hour for them, so I could get my own back.

By 12:50 we set off, the track traverses dry bush, open grassy plains, and occasional rainforest. We saw a snake, which I came close to stepping on.
After about two hours walking this very well maintained track, we came to the Southern Ocean. We were on top of a short cliff, from which we had great views – we could see two surfers below (I don't know how they got there) and South Cape – the most southerly part of Tasmania. The road I walked on at dawn near the whale sculpture is also apparently the most southerly road on Tasmania and in Australia.

The waves in the Southern Ocean were big, but not huge. We could see cloud rolling in, and with the wind off the sea, it was fairly cold. We walked along the beach to lion rock, where there was a campsite (with toilet), and where we took the high tide route up over a bluff to the next beack. The track was a bit muddy, but not deep mud. At one point there was a lookout from a cliff which had great views.

After walking along the second beach, the track went briefly inland again past a headland, and came out on a third beach, at the end of which was South Cape Rivulet, and our intended Campsite.

There were several small campsites at the rivulet, but no toilet. As we were checking out the campsites, it started raining again – the weather here seems to force you to be unsocial, as it often rains around dinner, hence necessitating cooking from inside your tent. I ate heaps for dinner, and it was very satisfying. During the night it continued to rain, and at one stage Gaye was disturbed several times by some animal trying to get into her tent – It woke Jennifer and me as well.

Admin login | Original script by Alex