This Adventurous Age

August 2, 2017
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1999 Travels December 6

MONDAY 6 DECEMBER WHITE BEACH

The mail was in. There was only routine stuff, including the share paperwork we needed.

Refuelled Truck at Nubeena – first time for a while – 84cpl. With the small distances in these parts, we are saving fuel money!

Packed lunch and drove to Lime Bay, to the north of the Coal Mines ruins. It was a really pretty little spot, with a large bush campground there. It is on a little outcropping bluff, and has a lovely sandy beach stretching away to each side.

Went for a little walk on one part of the Lime Bay beach. John retrieved a used fire extinguisher from the beach and put it in the rubbish back at camp, later.

Ate our lunch at Lime Bay, enjoying the great outlook.

Then followed the walking track from Lime Bay to Lagoon Beach, on the other side of the peninsula. This faces Sloping Main Island. Lagoon Beach must get its name because there is a sort of a lagoon area – dry now – stretching almost the full width of this narrow peninsula. The walk track paralleled its northern edge. This appears to have been created by the big sand dunes behind the beach, which seem to be encroaching on the land.

One of the shifting dunes at Lagoon Beach – and the meadow on the dry lagoon bed

We saw a big tiger snake – one snake walk! Just one of many wild things we saw on the walk. There were lots of skinks and devil lizards. They are scary because they don’t move until your foot is right by them – and of course you haven’t seen them until then, so a big fright ensues. Particularly because we were so alert for snakes.

There were wallabies – including one we surprised when quite close. It looked at us in total amazement for about a minute, before hopping off. There was a blue tongue lizard, and an echidna digging up the track. We saw plenty of rabbits, of course.

Birds were abundant – black cockatoos, thornbills – and we saw the rare Forty Spotted Pardalote, which we considered a real achievement.

It was an easy walk, and a most enjoyable afternoon.

Lagoon Beach was empty, with big sand dunes behind it. There was a very nice “meadow” in the dry lagoon behind the dunes.

We walked along Lagoon Beach for a way.

Lagoon Beach

Walked back to Truck at Lime Bay and thus back to camp. Drove 72kms today.

Tea was cold roast chook and coleslaw.

August 2, 2017
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1999 Travels December 5

SUNDAY 5 DECEMBER WHITE BEACH

Another quiet day for me. Read, sewed, enjoyed sitting outside in mild sunshine.

John went to bowls after lunch, with C. They enjoyed themselves.

I roasted the little chook John won at bowls, last Tuesday, for tea, with some vegies.

We have decided to stay on here for another week and spend time organizing our Xmas letter, cards and mail out.

View over the bay at White Beach

August 2, 2017
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1999 Travels December 4

SATURDAY 4 DECEMBER WHITE BEACH

We had another quiet day. Spent the morning reading the papers.

There were a lot of people in the park for the weekend.

It was not a bad day, weather-wise. The wind had dropped.

After lunch, went for a walk right around the beach, and back. A local warned us to watch out for jellyfish, if we were going to walk in the shallows. Apparently there were stinging ones about.

Had bought fish and chips for tea.

The caravan park was very rowdy this night. Obviously, many of those with semi-permanent structures are regulars who know each other, and like to carouse together! Still, it is only a couple of nights a week that the mob is here – the rest of the week we have the peace and quiet pretty much to ourselves.

August 2, 2017
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1999 Travels December 3

FRIDAY 3 DECEMBER WHITE BEACH

We did our food shopping at the supermarket in Nubeena, and also at the shops near the White Beach road junction. I had found that the fruit and vegies there are much better than the ones at the Nubeena supermarket.

Apart from that, we had a quiet day. It was very windy and so not conducive to doing much outside.

We expected mail today, but there was none at the PO when we went to collect it. John then realized that when he spoke to P on Tuesday, he told her to send it Priority Paid, rather than Express, so guess that may have made a difference. He knew what he meant, just didn’t say it!

The power went off for most of the afternoon – due to the wind, we guessed.

We could not have bought fish and chips for tea. Due to the power outage, the shop had shut! So we had toasted cheese, and sardines on toast – no hardship, as we think these are yummy items. The grill in the van stove is too feeble to do meat, but great for toasty things.

The weekend influx to the caravan park started this evening.

August 2, 2017
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1999 Travels December 2

THURSDAY 2 DECEMBER WHITE BEACH

I did our washing in the morning – before the park got busy at the weekend. It included our bed linen, so I had to turf John out of bed!

That done, we drove to Waterfall Bay, north of Port Arthur, and just around from Eaglehawk Neck. We went via Port Arthur, where I picked up my photos. The shop there did an excellent job on them.

Waterfall Bay was reached by road – unsealed of course. The views from the car park at the road’s end were of vertical, high cliffs – quite giddy making! The cliffs on this eastern side of the Tasman Peninsula are amazingly high.

From the car park, we followed the slightly rough walking track around the Bay, south, to Waterfall Bluff. In places the track was very close to the cliff top edge – that sort of drop really makes me tense! We crossed a series of little streams, which became waterfalls as they plunged over the top of the cliffs – hence the name, I guess.

12-02-1999 Waterfall Bay track along cliff tops.jpg

The cliffs at Waterfall Bay

From Waterfall Bluff, there was a good view south to Cape Hauy, with its distinctive island stacks.

12-02-1999 cape hauy from waterfall cave tk

The coast to Cape Hauy from the Waterfall Bluff Track

We went back the same way – the whole walk took us about 90 minutes.

From the same car park, we then walked the other way – to Patersons Arch, on a properly formed path, which was easy going. The Arch was really a cleft or cave in the steep cliff face.

12-02-1999 Patersons Arch & Eaglehawk Neck

Patersons Arch, with the beach of Eaglehawk Neck in the background

Patersons Arch

The walking path was made really pretty by lots of wildflowers, including orchids. John saw a big tiger snake on the path! A one-snake walk! This jaunt took us about 40 minutes, return.

At one stage, on the path, we heard a ripping, tearing noise – it was a little group of black cockatoos, demolishing a tree in their search for grubs.

We got back to camp in time for me to get in the washing before it got damp in the late afternoon.

Tea was leftover barley pilaf from last night.

August 2, 2017
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1999 Travels December 1

WEDNESDAY 1 DECEMBER WHITE BEACH

This first day of summer was a grey and windy day with some rain showers.

John really wanted to try fishing at a place that C had told him about, near Remarkable Cave, where there were rock ledges.

Remarkable Cave is just south of Port Arthur, so we went to the shop at the settlement that processes film and put in the used rolls I had.

We continued on to the end of the road, then walked down the path and the stairs to the Cave. This was worth a visit in itself, but we could not find any paths that looked safe enough to get to the rock ledges for fishing. It looked distinctly dangerous, with quite a swell running.

The cliffs at Remarkable Cave

The Cave is actually a cavern open at both ends. It was possible to walk into it.

Remarkable Cave

The view from the lookout at the top of the cave track was along the cliffs to the south, to Cape Raoul in the distance.

Looking along the coast to Cape Raoul

So, after what turned out to be just a bit of sight seeing, we drove back to Nubeena and fished off the jetty there. It was extremely windy, which took away some of the enjoyment. I caught a pike, and John caught two flathead. We also bought a fish from a fishing boat that was tied up at the jetty. So – enough for a little re-stock of the fish supply in the freezebox.

After the fishing I had time to cook a reasonable dinner. I made a barley, broad bean and pumpkin pilaf – something different. It was alright, but not as nice as I had anticipated. The recipe actually called for kumara, but I only had pumpkin, which may have made a difference.

Just as we were finishing tea, C came round to look at the van. He stayed and talked for a couple of hours. He is good company, and is obviously interested in our life style.

August 2, 2017
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1999 Travels November 30

TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER WHITE BEACH

John had committed us to play social bowls this afternoon.

After doing not much at all in the morning, we got to the club at Nubeena for a 2.30pm start. However some club competition was happening, and we had to sit around waiting for ages, before we eventually played.

John was in a team with C. They won the day and won a small frozen chook each. It just fitted into the van’s freezebox!

We were not very hungry so tea was just salad.

John phoned K and asked him to send our mail Express – we were expecting some paperwork to do with shares.

July 31, 2017
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1999 Travels November 29

MONDAY 29 NOVEMBER WHITE BEACH

Today is the start of our 100th week on the road! Hopefully, there will be at least 100 more!

We set out to drive to Sloping (Slopen on some maps) Main, an area and settlement near the Saltwater River Coal Mines site, but facing west. There is a lovely curved beach there, with the totally unsuitable name of Stinking Bay.

I was rather intrigued by the two versions of the name and initially assumed that some early explorer or settler couldn’t spell “sloping” correctly! However, found out that the first farmer to settle there – in the 1820’s, before Port Arthur was even established, was a Mr Slopen. Hence Slopen Island, etc.

We had a little cruise around and look at the Gwandalan shack/village area by the bay. Even though this is really not very far from anywhere, it feels quite remote. There are the usual magic views – in this case, across to Sloping Island, with the arm of land that is the eastern shore of the Derwent, hazy in the distance.

Left Truck parked by the long, sandy beach at Sloping Main and walked along its length to the end – about 3 kms. Then followed some rough vehicle tracks towards Lagoon Bay. They took us to Lobster Point, where there were even better views across Frederick Henry Bay, past Sloping Island.

11-29-1999 Lobster Point & Slopen Island.jpg

Lobster Point, with Sloping Island behind it

11-29-1999 Lagoon Bch from Lobster Point

Lagoon Beach from Lobster Point

John decided that, since our walks book said there was a track that followed the coast, and he saw some tape that seemed to mark this, that was the way we would walk back. It went through a lot of bracken and cutting grass, and was not really a track. It was a hot day, and I was in shorts, but luckily had my knee high gaiters on, as the way looked really snaky. My legs did get a bit scratched and I didn’t enjoy that section much. The coastal scenery was great, though.

We walked a short stretch of beach in a little cove called Whalebone Cove, before eventually emerging back onto the main beach.

11-29-1999 whalebone Cove and slopen main bch.jpg

Whalebone Cove, with Sloping Main beach in the distant background

A critter on the beach

We returned along the beach to Truck. This had been another reasonable length walk, and an enjoyable one, overall. The Tasman Peninsula is so varied. The many visitors who only visit Port Arthur do not realize what they are missing!

The outlook inland, as we walked along the Sloping Main beach

Tea was a herbed lamb stew with pasta spirals. It was very nice.

July 31, 2017
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1999 Travels November 28

SUNDAY 28 NOVEMBER WHITE BEACH

We had a leisurely morning reading the papers, and the like. After yesterday’s exertions a quieter time today was called for!

After lunch, John went off to play bowls with C. He came back about 5pm, saying we were to go to the motel, for a drink, which we did. Met C’s wife, who made some snacks to go with the drinks. We were there for about an hour, mostly talking about the local area and a bit about our travels. C used to be a professional fisherman.

Tea was penne pasta with a sauce made from grated zucchini and garlic, cooked with butter and cream.

July 31, 2017
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1999 Travels November 27

SATURDAY 27 NOVEMBER WHITE BEACH

We had a rather slow start to the day, which, given our plans for the day, was not the best.

Mid-morning, drove to Fortescue Bay, in the Tasman National Park. This involved crossing the Peninsula, towards Port Arthur, then turning off the Arthur Highway onto the unsealed but good gravel Fortescue Bay road. We followed that, through tall forest, to its end at the bay.

Fortescue Bay reminded us rather of parts of Wilsons Prom, in Victoria. There was a pleasant little campground there, which was clearly popular, being a weekend. There was a Ranger in place there.

Our goal for the day was to do the walk to Cape Hauy, which the books said was a 4 to 5 hour walk.

11-27-1999 cape hauy

Cape Hauy consists of the columnar dolerite rock that has created some of the most spectacular Tasmanian landscapes. We had encountered this in the past, in the Cradle Mountain National Park, when we walked the Overland Track. Around the Tasman Peninsula it has resulted in really tall sea cliffs – some rising about 300 metres, abruptly, from the sea. Off the end of Cape Hauy are a couple of rock stacks – The Lanterns, and a really narrow vertical sided rock column called the Totem Pole, that is a challenge to intrepid rock climbers.

The fluted dolorite columns of the coast, and our track

It was a rather demanding walk. In places, the track was quite close to steep drops.

11-27-1999 coast view from cape hauy track

Looking south, towards Cape Pillar, from the Cape Hauy track

The track followed the coast, at the start, for a short while. Then we turned away from that and climbed up and down, across to the narrow Cape section. Much of this was heath lands. There was one really steep downhill section – it would be uphill on the return trip and so not something to look forward to. It was really hard on the legs – it is a long time since I have done anything that tough. John managed really well.

Excellent views and scenery made it a worthwhile exercise, and there were lots of wildflowers in bloom, to add to the beauty. We saw three tiger snakes along the way – dubbed it a “three snake walk”. That is going to be our grading system for Tasmanian walks, from now on!

The early part of the Cape Hauy track – wonderful wildflowers

The last section of the walk, going up and along the Cape, was quite open and exposed, with wonderful outlooks. We ate our packed lunch at a point along here.

11-27-1999 04 view nth from Cape Hauy track

The outlook to the north, from a section of the Cape Hauy track

At the very end of the Cape, we did not tackle the last little section, which was signposted steep and dangerous. It would have taken us down almost to the level of the water, and given some excellent views – but we would have had to climb back up too! The views from the top were quite good enough for us!

Cape Hauy

This was as far as we went!

Anyway, we knew we had to do that rotten uphill climb on the way back. The walk took us five hours in all. We did not encounter any other walkers on the track, rather surprisingly.

Junction of the Cape Hauy and Cape Pillar tracks

We really felt a sense of achievement after the walk. It was about 10kms.

Back at the van, a hot shower on the weary bones was most welcome.

Tea was tinned tuna, and salad. I was too tired to cook much, and neither of us was very hungry.

We noted that the caravan park is busier, as people came into some of the permanent vans for the weekend.