Looking Northward vast wilderness
The last time walking this circuit was around 9 years ago its mentally tiring and a challenge to all hikers
We decided to do it over 3 days , yeah stupidity. Partner in crime Spira was also up for the challenge , no doubt will be another epic. Leaving Melbourne late Thursday afternoon and arriving at 5 mile car park around 10pm we were soon off to bed , I slept in the back in the van , full moon was out and having speaking to the park ranger the previous day about permits and filling out a Hiker self Assessment form, she told us we were the only ones out on the Circuit for the next 3 days.
So hearing a car and headlights shining coming towards the car park I shat my pants , I peered out the window and a black van drove in and drive back out again... some time later I heard footsteps and flash from a torch my heart racing again I could only think Spira was going to be murdered and hopefully "Mr Murderer"will not see me in the van.....and I could still go hiking tomorrow 😆... I soon fell asleep after telling myself off for having silly thoughts, I watch too many true crime stories.
After breakfast and last minute preparations we started the walk up the vehicle management track was a little after 7am , weather was coolish crisp and sunny very pleasant for walking. Reaching the trailhead to Lower Barry Creek we turned left, the walking was nice until we hit a road block in the track which required a bit of a bush bash and where the hell is the track, like a pair of old wogs there was a bit of disagreeing and trying to agree to disagree on correct way to use the GPS, and which way is the best way to go, we both had our own ideas "you do it your way and ill do it my way!" took us an hour longer than expected to reach L.B.C, the track was def not over grown in this section last time so was thinking we are in for a hell of a day ahead.
Lower Barry Creek
Reaching the creek was a relief already feeling stuffed we collected water and filled up our water bladders as there is no water until the next days camp.... I stripped down to my dickjocks and got in the creek so refreshing!..... I tried to climb out of the creeks walls but kept slipping .... before I knew it I was falling backwards back in the water I felt a sharp tree branch stabbed my leg calf at least 4 cms deep, looked horrific I quickly pulled it out which felt disgusting & blood spewing out, with a bit of a panic Spira helped me out and I gave it a clean and wacked a band aid on it. Decided not to walk out back to the car and just keep walking and hope it gets better , was a discomforting ache for the rest of the day and knew when I stopped and cooled down was going to be pain to extend and walk on.
After a long break we got going again , the trail varied with Banksias to sharp prickly Heathland bush head high on non existent trails , was a constant battle of pushing down walking thru the shrub, the GPS was invaluable, pink flag tape would appear and a orange star picket would come into site sometimes, guiding us in the unforgiving wilderness.
I stowed my trekking poles as they were no use for them as the scrub was just too thick for them, poking out above the side of the pack as they are not the fancy collapsible type proved problematic , as they kept on getting caught above the over hanging tree branches and whatever else was in the way would stop me from walking , forcing me to duck down or wrestle with it until I broke free was really frustrating , Spira told me to snap them in half or ditch them , but no way was I going to let my old crappy poles behind as I'm quite fond of them so I persisted with them... Yes I should have the collapsible type and not use shitty ones according to Spira but yes I agree mate!
Happy to see a marker.
Reaching Chinamans swamp was somewhat a relief which marks approximately the half way point to the beach on the west coast. The swamp had an inch of water and boggy to walk on sinking down past our ankles, the second arm of the swamp was like quick sand Spira sunk both legs to the knees while I tried to take a different route across I sunk to one leg up to knee, now all muddy from head to toe I changed tack and bashed on the sides and reached the other end it was fucking exhausting, but wait "There is more!' as Pete Smith from CopperArt would say ,
Was never ending as another part of the swamp was knee deep water now wet boots and feet and an ache on my calf was worried about the mud that would be getting into my wound.
Bogged down
After both having a fair share of tripping and falling more than a handful of times, the trail mentally was wearing thin and become real grind trying to reach the beach before sundown, was a sense of frustration and angst.
Finally after 13 hours the bushland thinned out, the ground become sandy and could see thru the trees the shoreline, the bush spat us out on the beach was a welcoming sight with the bushbash ordeal finished I stripped my muddy sweaty clothes off to dickjocks again and jumped in the water in the beautiful sunset and disinfected myself hoping my injured wound would benefit from the salt water.
Sunset
A sight all day
We setup our tents on opposite sides of the beach and settled in for the night, feeling somewhat nauseous I forced my vegetable vindaloo down was missing an appetite surprisingly , my leg was hard to move as I had cooled right down and very sore, I knew it wasn't good but hoped tomorrow once I get walking I would warm up and be all good to push on.
As I looked up in the sky I saw something out of a sci-fi movie I thought maybe I was hallucinating due to fatigue and a slowly infecting wound, a perfect line of stars stood out in a series of 5 in a row stood out, it started moving at a rapid pace and disappeared . Next morning Spira also saw this and exchanged opinions of what it could of been, he captured this photo
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanocallaghan/2020/04/21/what-are-those-strange-moving-lights-in-the-night-sky-elon-musks-starlink-satellites-explained/?sh=3dce9ed17cbc
After breakfast and tea and a slow pack up of tent etc... we headed north up the beach towards Tin Mine Cove and the turn off inland to reach the east coast and Johnny Souey Cove for the next camp and water source another 20 something kms away, the wind was cold and overcast which was good for walking.
Started off ok walking, putting up with pain with each step and hoping to warm up , but kept getting worse and hobbled the 3 kms to the trailhead , was physically impossible unfortunately had to abort the hike , luckily having some phone signal and not needing to set off the PLB I rang the rangers office at Tidal River and asked what best option of rescue is, suggesting 000 and after an hour of talking to police and ambulance services they decided to send out Air Ambulance by 11ish am 2 hours later a chopper came and circled us a few times was thinking have you not seen us, turns out they were figuring out where to land on the beach and if not too soft to plant all 3 wheels on the sand.
A paramedic was lowered down from the chopper onto the beach "Bear Grylls style" and came over to give us instructions on evacuation, original plan was for us to be winched up from the ground but the chopper changed idea and landed the two back wheels on sand and kept the front above the ground so no Bear Grylls style this time damn it!, given ear plugs and being sandblasted with sand from the down draft from the propellas we were loaded onto the chopper and flown to Tidal River where a ambulance was waiting for us to give us a lift back to the car, the views were awesome over the Promontory.
For safely reasons my trekking poles and gas canisters couldn't be stowed on the helicopter so left them behind stabbed in the sand , was a little sad but oh well Spira. thought it was amusing.
Once back at the car a quick coffee and made our way to Foster hospital for some antibiotics and a tetanus shot, was 43 years ago I had entered the world at the same hospital... a full circle.
A trip to remember and one hell of a days walking , we will return another day to hopefully complete the circuit but in 4 days what "normal" people do
Coffee post hike
The Route
Pink Waypoint rescue
Kudus to Air Ambulance Vic and its paramedics for a smooth get out of jail... the 15 minute trip back to Tidal River cost 18k but with Ambo membership free of charge.
3 and bit months later 13 June
Some 3 months later I was passing thru Preston on my way home from Coburg
I thought why not pop in and say hi to Spira for a catch up, after some chit chat on arrival
He tells me he has a surprise for me as he is reaching under the outdoor porch couch he pulls out my crappy trekking poles & im looking at them in shock and surprised and thinking what the hell!??
Spira went back 2 months later and completed the circuit and yes my poles were still there upright in the sand and hauled them back to Melbourne, gas canisters were still there mine all rusty but still works.
Happy to have my poles back ill put them to rest and keep them as a souvenir.
A good memory and trip thanks mate.
