Walpole
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.