Bibbulmun Track - Day 39 - 44

Day 39

Awoke to the sound of rain so I opened up BOM and it looks like that may be the theme for the next 5 days. Mostly 1-3mm but a few times it jumps to 5-10. Yay.  Shoved everything into the pack and left it in the common room while we went the 500m into town for breakfast. 

Great breakfast at the Bakery+Cafe and very filling... but I knew I would want more later so ordered a toasted ham and cheese Crossiant and 2 mini pies to take away. It started to drizzle so I plugged my phone in for a final charge and by 11 when it cleared I set off. 

The trail out of town was fairly easy. Following along the Inlet walking track so fairly flat but mostly paved so hard underfoot. By the time I hit the first hill about 4.5km in I started to feel the full weight of a full food load out, both in my pack and belly...  

Near the top is the Giant Tingle Tree which is still growing but the base has been burnt out and is big enough to park a car under! Massive massive trees here. 

Camp didn't feel like too much further and was a L shaped hut, but up on stilts (incase the creek floods I guess) so a bit unique. The river, coloured by tannin, was very cold but looked beautiful and there was a nice log so I dropped in my feet in for a soak. 

Threat of rain tonight (and the next few days...) so 5 hikers in the hut tonight. Plenty of room. Space for probably 16, 20 if shoulder to shoulder. Feels a bit cool by the creek so sleeping bag liner left within arms reach.  

Day 40

Another double hut day today so a fairly early start, getting away just before 7am. Mostly uphill through more Tingle Forest until I reached a tree top walk. Suspended 40m above the floor with the Tingle trees reaching 30m further than that above. $21 price tag was probably a bit much for a 15min loop but it was nice to be among the trees.  

The hut for lunch was only 1.5km past that and I got in just after 11 to find a 16 strong group of day hikers. They are doing "The best of the Bibb" which is apparently 9 days of day hikes. Fancy accom at night at different places along the track and a bus for drop offs and pickups. Today they planned a 10km stretch from the Tree top to Conspicuous Cliffs. 

They set off as I sat down for lunch but after I started again it wasn't long before I caught them. At 3 separate road crossings I saw the bus so the hikers could customise how long they wanted their day to be. Certainly easier than carrying a pack the whole way.... 

After getting past the horde I started to get more into sandy dunes again. Mostly firm but a little bit of soft stuff to keep it interesting. It wasn't long before I was on the coast again with beautiful ocean views. 

Track goes back onto the beach and this time the soft dune beach exit took a bit of effort. 2 steps up while sinking 1 step back. Then as soon as you're off the beach dunes its a 160m climb up the headland. 

The hut wasn't much past the peak of the headland where we found Darcy, the "81 and 11/12ths" year old E2E hiker already setup in the hut. It's pretty exposed and windy up here but a great view. Sunset was mostly hidden behind the headland but there was some great colour in the sky and a friend to enjoy it with. 2 from last night must have single hutted (or wild camped) leaving 4 for the hut. 

Day 41

Throughout the night was on/off rain. Some heavy but mostly light. Darcy was up and about before sunrise to start packing and was off and hiking just after 530am, I waited a while longer before I got out of my sleeping bag. Away just before 7 in a gap in the rain I made it a few km before another heavy shower.  

A few more k and I had already caught up to Darcy. Just moving along at his own pace enjoying the absolutely stunning coastline and bays. I set up atop a little headland, despite only being 3km short of Peaceful Bay, and just took in the view for a good 30min.  

On the next stretch there were a few sink holes, one I didn't manage to avoid, so I had wet sandy shoes getting into town. There was beach showers so I took the time to rinse the shoes. Better wet than wet and sandy... Got in pretty early around 10:30am and enjoyed a great Big Breakfast at the Cafe. 

We also found out the famed Fish and Chip shop was closd for 3 days as the family that runs it was attending the Charity Telethon event in Perth, with one of the kids performing. 

3 of us split a 3 bedroom Chalet (if you could call a beach shack that) which looked pretty nice. Was setup like Bonnydoon (from the Castle) and had a Pool Room wall and a few other decorations. I grabbed a partial resupply from the Caravan Park kiosk. Quite expensive, especially as I was only grazing snacks....  Wouldn't want to do a full resupply here.  

Good showers in the shower block. Nice pressure and good hot water. The Cafe (because of the Fisho being closed) were very kind and said they would open up for an hour at dinner. Great burgers too! We put on a DVD after a 20min search for the remote... and then quick to bed.  

Day 42

Heavy heavy rain again last night, though exaggerated by the tin roof. The walk to the cafe wasn't too bad, just a light shower. Looks like showers all day. Just a quick pie and H+C Crossiant for me. Jess and Aaron were talking about the virtues of a warm bed and roof vs hiking out in the rain. 

I set out in a light gap and it seemed great for about 1km. After that the trail became overgrown and the rain wasn't an issue, just the water dropping off every over hanging branch was enough to soak me and the shoes. As if that wasn't bad enough the track was flooded in sections from the heavy rain last night so 2 sections were up to my knees. Shoes were wet anyway. 

After 9k I reached the canoe crossing which has been much talked about. You would think raging currents and 5' waves knocking people over. It was a simple crossing but the north side was left short of canoes so I took back an extra 2, then back myself. Making it three crossings in total. 

Back into dunes up and down. Up and down and eventually onto the beach. Would have been good to be able to pick the tides because dodging waves in shoes is about as annoying as doing it in 4wds... 

6km total on the beach today but most of it was fairly solid unlike the last few beaches. One last stint into the dunes again and then I reached the hut around 230. Darcy was already setting up and another hiker was just packing from lunch to do another 11.5km to a car camping site ahead near trail. 

Just before 4 a school group turned up. 14 students and 2 teachers. Groups larger than 6 have to tent, not use hut, so watching them setup dome tents provided a bit of entertainment. Aaron arrived soon after with news that Jess had decided to Zero. Then just before sunset a NOBO hiker joined us. So 4 in the hut and 16 tenting. 

Day 43

The kids were up fairly early and as a result so was I. More entertainment as they tried for pancakes on a camping stove. I packed fairly quickly and was away by 615am. Luckily blue skies. At least at the start. 

Back into sand dunes but the trail was fairly overgrown with stiff,sharp, spikey plants. At the top of a hill I looked over my leg and found I had picked up a hitch-hiker. My first tick. It had already bitten in but came off quite easy. 

The view over Mazzoletti beach was amazing and I also happened to spy a Survey Marker right at the top. Down hill from there I had smoko at the Parry Inlet camp ground. The Inlet crossing was just ahead on the beach, followed by another 7km of beach... so I took off my shoes and got started.  

The sand was pretty good at the start. Handy to walk along the waves breaking without having to worry about shoes. I reached the Inlet and waded across. It was pretty firm but in the middle reached just above my waist, wetting the bottom of my pack in the process. Everything important was safe in dry sacks.  

The next 7km was ok. A lot was hard sand still but the tide came in and it was a steep beach in parts so I did have to do plenty of soft sand walking. There were also a few choke points with waves reaching the dunes. 

At the far end I reached Greens Pool area, which would be a fantastic spot for swimming/snorkelling on a warm sunny day. It was not warm, nor sunny. I sat on the rocks and watched a few braver than I get into wetsuits and swim laps. Just as I was packing up a heavy downpour started. 

Too far from the shelters near the carpark I accepted my fate (shorts still wet from the jnlet crossing anyway...) and took the short track to Elephant Rocks. Looks good, even in the rain. 

From there it was a pretty short 1.7km (and 130m climb) to camp atop Tower Hill. Was in just after 1 with no sun and a bit if a breeze so I started feeling cold as soon as I stopped. No school kids tonight, so just 3; Darcy, Aaron and I in the hut. 

Day 44

Darcy was up and out early again but u slept in a bit more. Finally getting out of camp just before 7am. 20k into town today. Well maintained section of track so last nights rain on the plants didn't drop on me. 

Back down to the beach briefly before heading inland. Mt Hallowell was a good climb, with a nice break at Monkey Rocks half way up. It also had a pretty good view.  There are heaps of granite boulders and gaps in thebrocks I know I would have loved to explore as a kid. 

Pretty fast to drop down the other side and along a heritage trail by Wilson Inlet. The foreshore must be privately owned in sections though because you often get spat out onto roads to walk a few blocks before dropping back. Then by a swamp before eventually reaching Denmark River. From there its a shortish walk into town.  

I went to the accom first and got a room for the night so I could ditch my pack and head out for lunch. Bakery had some great meals which filled me up. After that it was almost a 2km (return) walk extra to the Info centre to sign the logbook. Back at the accom to do washing and have a shower before popping down the pub for a beer.