Day 6 - Friday 7/12/07
Matt rang (CDMA from Macquarie Heads - thank you Telstra for closing this service from Jan 08!!!) to say he had arrived at about 10 am after a very difficult struggle from his last night's camp site 2 kms north of Sloop Point.
He was up at 4.45 am after enduring a night of strong winds, expecting the wind might drop early in the day. No such luck, so he set off, hugging the shore to gain some protection from the N-NE winds.
As he rounded Cape Sorell he was met with the full force of the gale wind and steep seas. A front came through and turned n/w - which was a gale force TAIL wind (coming from a 7-8 o'clock angle behind) with torrential rain. The wind was so strong he couldn't avoid being hurled down the steep breaking waves so he had to brace for the ride.
As he approached Hells Gates in gale force winds a tourist boat poked its nose out - the tourists must have wondered just what they were seeing as Matt paddled into Macquarie Harbour, apparently having come from the open Ocean.
He now intends to re-assess his plans for the remaining 6 weeks of his holidays but said that he would have gone insane if he had to spend 5-6 weeks by himself back on that section of coast again - when you are so spoiled kayaking and you can do the same thing in 2-4 days.
He now plans to do some more 'normal' trips like Precipitous Bluff 'circuit' (out Moonlight Ridge & back via South Coast Track), Mt Anne Circuit, Frenchman's Cap, and a two week paddle trip to Albatross Island area - n/w Tas.
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Thanks Phil for the suggestions. I mainly decided it was best for the little remaining sanity that I have left, that it wouldn't be smart to spend 5 weeks by myself bush-bashing through dense scrub with no tracks. I have heard that someone was stuck in the section near the Wanderer River and was praying for a fishing boat to pick him up to escape it.
Regards
from Matt W.
