Dec 08, 2017
A collection of random notes about the trail.
I completed the walk in 50 days total. Starting 20 August 2017 in Kalamunda and finishing 9 October 2017 in Albany. I had a four zero days (days of not walking on trail at all): one in Mt Cooke campsite, two in Dwellingup, one in Collie. I wasn't trail fit before starting. My "training" was going for a morning walk of about 12km along the Perth riverbank carrying a mobile phone, listening to music or podcasts. The day in Kalamunda was the first day I put the loaded pack on. The plan was to walk and if I run into problems I could return to Kalamunda or bail out along the roads nearby. I had the first resupply near at Sullivan's Rock, where I had another chance to call it quits if I was struggling.
A rest day was had at Mt Cooke campsite because the resupply near Sullivan Rock was on the Saturday. I'd thought if I was running late, I could delay it a day. But I didn't think if I was ahead of schedule. So I walked to Mt Cooke campsite on Friday, and on Saturday walked back the 5km to the meetup point. I had intended to go to the next shelter that day. But due to a big stuff up (forgetting the rest of the maps in the car) I had to return again to the meetup point. So managed 20km and finished back in Mt Cooke in the afternoon. I took a zero the next day to recover.
I didn't pre book any accommodation before starting. Some were booked on the trail. Others I just arrived and looked about.
Dwellingup and Collie were where I had rest days in town. After that I kept walking onwards. I would have taken more zero days in Pemberton but it was the long weekend, and the start of school holidays. No rooms left in the backpackers, so booked into a more expensive motel. I found out later that people cancelled because of the rain and I could have got a room at the backpackers rather than stay at the motel.
Walpole was also only the one night because I wanted to get ahead and have a chance at solo shelter.
Denmark, I was planning a rest day, but got lucky and was offered a trip around the bay while I was sitting outside the IGA eating. Since this was before I would have checked into the backpackers, I headed off.
Albany I stayed overnight. This was because I wasn't' sure if I could make it to the end before the bus left. As it was I was there with plenty of time. But it was nice to not have to worry about making time. That last day on the trail was an unusually fine day - the first in a long time. There are three busses that leave to Perth - which I only figured out when talking to the helpful staff at the booking office.
The Northern half was dry weather. Missed the couple of days of showers by arriving in town for resupply just as they started and leaving a couple days later when it was over. Also missed showers by arriving in shelter before they started. Or they were so gentle that rain gear wasn't put on. So all dry walking. The southern half seemed all the opposite. All wet weather. Every day was rain gear - sometimes on/off multiple times. Seemed to be constantly wading through water between Northcliff to Denmark. More so Northcliffe to Walpole. Diverted around Lake Manjimup because of the water.
Snakes - saw one on Snake road heading into Donnelly River. The only other time I saw snakes was just after Peaceful Bay - a day I didn't have my gaiters on. I think I saw so few most of my walking was in the morning. That day after Peaceful Bay was probably the only 'warmer' day where I was on the trail after lunch. Other post lunch walking days were wet, cloudy or cool, so the snakes weren't out.
While there was a concern about rats or mice in all the campsites, I wasn't worried about them until Mount Franklin campsite. There, rats chewed my water bags. I'd hung everything else up. Don't know why they chewed my water bags, but that left me on minimum water carrying capacity. They seemed to get lots of people there. After that I took the signs much more seriously and hung everything.
All inlets were crossed. Torbay had a 'too deep, too fast' reports from a north bound section hiker and locals. But ended up being only shin deep when I arrived at high tide.
Only lost the trail a few times - missed markers when not looking or daydreaming. But soon realised and got back on track. There were more times where I was uncertain if I was still on the trail. But the general deal was keep going in the same direction as the last marker you saw. Also, look backwards to spot the reverse direction markers. Look to footprints on the trail or trekking pole marks. A lot of time it was also follow the tire marks. After a while developed 'waugal' skills, and was able to spot them seemingly no matter where they where placed or hidden. One memorable carpark after Torbay Inlet had the Waugal hidden behind parked cars. Also got better at figuring where the track was likely to go based on the terrain. Having the paper maps definitely helped more times than not. I never used the gps to check if I was on trail - because my phone was buried in my pack, but I did met walkers who didn't have any maps an only relied on the markers and their gps.
Not a lot of other people on the trail. Most were at the northern end on the weekend. Apart from the other end to enders, there was section hikers, overnighters and day walkers.
See the next post for information on my gear.
Oct 09, 2017
Done. Finished.
After leaving Denmark, I stayed overnight at Nullaki Campsite, intending to skip the next shelter and go to the Torbay Campsite. One of the concerns for the walk was the inlet crossings. Either a short walk across the inlet, or a long road diversion. Torbay Inlet was the last remaining inlet to cross. I'd met a northbound hiker just before entering Denmark. He told me that Torbay Inlet was flowing too fast, and he took the 20km road diversion. But he got lucky and got a lift. The Torbay Campsite is 8km before the inlet. My plan was to walk to the inlet and cross it. Well, hopefully cross it, if not, that left the rest of the day for the diversion walk, and the additional kilometers after the diversion to the next shelter. It would be a big day.
The next day was wet, cold, and windy. I felt like I was in a demented washing machine walking along the coastal trail. Wind gusting strong enough to push me about the track, or trash me with the bushes. I arrived early enough at West Cape Howe shelter to continue to the Torbay shelter, but it just didn't happen. Besides the weather, I come up with the plan that the water flowing out of the inlet would be slower at high tide - which would be at about 12:20. If I walked the 16.5km to Torbay shelter the next day and then continued to the inlet, I'd get there close to high tide, and then of course I'd cross. That was the big hope. Failing to cross, I'd either have to return to the Torbay shelter, or start the unappealing 20km road diversion.
Sunday, off I set for Torbay. All was going to plan. As I walked along the beach, I met a local and asked him about the inlet. The news wasn't good. He said it was too deep and too fast to cross. He'd watched two guys crossing with packs held over their heads a couple days ago and it was chest high then. More rain would have make it higher and faster. This was bad. But he suggested going there as since it was Sunday maybe some boat people were about on the bay and I could get a lift across. As I looked at the wind and showers gusting in, the white caps on the waves and foam on the beach, I doubted anyone would be out. But to get the road diversion I had to go to the inlet anyway. I'd decided that I wouldn't return along the beach to the campsite. It was onwards no matter what. He also warned me about the creek outflow that had to be crossed.
The creek was deep. I walked along the side for a bit before finding a spot to cross - stepping across deep channels onto islands. When I did have to wade, it was knee high. Not promising for the inlet if this was the creek.
On I walked, thinking about how long it was going to take to walk around the diversion. I wasn't entirely sure where I was along the beach section, just kept going.
The inlet when I came to it was tiny. I wasn't even sure it was the inlet till later in the walk when the track left the beach. It was ankle deep, but crossing it a wave splashed me and my knees got wet. Never believe what people tell you - make up your own mind.
I made the day a 40km day, and would have gone higher, but the last 12km into Albany would have run out of daylight. The next day, in a break with the recent weather was fine and sunny. Was nice doing a slow walk around the bay into Albany. Then sitting in the sun eating lunch.
I can now say I've walked the
Bibbulmun Track
.
Oct 06, 2017
In a superb case of timing, I arrived in Denmark to just miss the YHA office closed for lunch. Off I go to do the food shopping for the next section and then sitting outside eating lunch I get a generous offer of a lift around the bay. Couldn't turn that down. So I'll skip staying in town and just keep walking. Albany in three or four days. Some doubt about an inlet crossing. That might require a 20km diversion, and as a day.
Sep 30, 2017
Water water everywhere and no boats in sight. Rain, and wading through water has been the highlights of the past section. Feet have not been dry for over a week. Each day is put on wet socks and wet shoes. Some of the water has been hip high. But long sections of ankle or shin high wading.
But the bright spot is that the weather might be fine this next week. Okay, the occasional shower is forecast, but I'm hopeful.
Made some gaters today from a pair of tights, cardboard milk cartons and some duck tape. Also bought some tradie sock savers to go with my gaters to help keep sand out of my Vibram Five Fingers. The arrival at the coast has been accompanied by walking through small scratchy bushes. My legs are getting scratched raw in places. I've been walking in knee high bicycle shorts since Collie after my pants became too loose. I'm hopeful that the milk cartons are also snake bite proof as well. Though the plan is to not test that out.
I cut the tights in half from the crotch through to the waist band, and sewed up each half into a long tube. I pull one half onto my leg, wrap the two milk cartons joined with duck tape around my calf. They stay overlapping, and then I roll the top of the tights down over them to hold them in place. The sock saver at the bottom holds the bottom together. Bike shorts at the top help hold it up. Short walk testing today seemed promising. Time will tell. I'll have duck tape with me to make any repairs needed in case. But I'm sure no more scratched legs and hopefully less sand in my shoes and really hopefully snake protection. Not seen any snakes since Donnley River, but keep hearing about them.
Only about 200km to go. Suddenly the end is in sight.
Comments:
Date: 2017-10-02 16:29
Author: John Oliver
Hello Megan. I assume from your last few posts that you're walking on the Bibbulman Track. I haven't even seen it, let alone walk on it. I wonder if I ever will walk it after reading that the water in some places was hip-high! Was that water on the track, or were you on a detour? If I had to walk for a few days with water everywhere, I reckon my feet would turn into mush!!
Anyway, I find your current story very interesting and always look forward to the next instalment. I hope you enjoy this new adventure.
Date: 2017-10-10 19:24
Author: Megan Lee Webb
Hi John, Sorry for the delay. Yes, I was hiking the Bibbulmun Track. Finished yesterday in Albany, and just arrived back in Perth, hence catching up on email.
The area with the water is on the track and is marked as "seasonally inundated". I was there in the right (or wrong) season. In Autumn, I'm told the whole area is dry.
Surprisingly my feet are still attached. Reckon the tannins in the water might have helped. Least that's what I'm telling myself.
Sep 22, 2017
Changed the cancer causing sunshine for the benign liquid type. So the last three days have been cool and damp. Very damp actually. This is going to continue through to Wednesday. After weeks of fine weather walking, it's a bit of a shock. Arrived in Pemberton this morning in heavy falls. Only staying overnight. It's a long weekend, and the start of school holidays, so all accommodation is booked out. Somehow walking in the rain seems like it will be easier.
Body is holding up well. Gear mostly ok. Doing more sewing repairs to my pack. With almost 600km done, it'll hold up for the rest.
Mostly the same people at each shelter at night. Unless someone takes a rest day or double huts. Town's swap it about a bit. People staying longer, or leaving early. You hope for the non snorers. Had the early risers lately. Up at 4:30 to pack and have breakfast and start walking at first light to arrive at the next shelter before lunch. Then they'd have a nap. Why couldn't the sleep in till first light?
With the rain, maybe not so many weekend hikers will be out this weekend...