Gill Goes.... Trekking the Bibbulmun Track... Long Point Shelter

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Day 42

Woolbales Shelter to Long Point Shelter

18.5km

A very mixed terrain day that took 5:45 hrs of walking and 1 hr and 15 minutes of assorted breaks.

Best bits


• the slippery granite rocks where I took a long early break
• the big boulder granite rocks dotted throughout the morning
• last bits of wading through water
• the last bit of karri forest- beautiful
• the beach with the sand under my bare feet
• walking into the sea (only up to my knees - it wasn't that hot!)
• the sky being blue
• the absence of rain



Not best bits


• being temporarily lost- at the end of the karri forest was a massive overturned tree (like really massive), I went off track to get around it and completely lost the trail. I thought I'd head through the tree line a bit further up and ended up getting up to a ridge line where I stumbled back onto the track- the only reason I realised it was the track is that I had read my trusty guidebook this morning which mentioned these black conveyer belts that stabilise the track- seeing those got me back to where I needed to be
• hard slog into camp- steps, ascents, descents, TOO much sun, hotness and sweatiness



The conflicting bit


• the glimpse of the Southern Ocean- it is a notable milestone (according to the guidebook). I have really mixed feelings though - I don't feel ready to leave the forest. The ocean signifies closeness to the end



So, Long Point Shelter - it rained just as I got in and there were already 4 others there, all heading north. Felt strange sharing again. One of the hikers, Aaron, was visually impaired with retinitis pigmentosa. He and girlfriend, Anna, were walking Albany to Northcliffe. I admire his spirit, it would be incredibly difficult. We had a pleasant evening chatting in the shelter with the drizzly rain coming down sporadically.



Impressions of Long Point Shelter- hmmm, no strong feelings actually. Felt kind of dark and stuffy. Sandy.

Body- excellent- super clean feet and legs below the knee!

Total people seen fo the day- A couple from Victoria at Mandalay Bay, Anna and Aaron from NZ and their friend Jeanette from QLD, and Pascal from NSW

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Photos

Today's Route
Guidebook 7 now, there are 8 in total. They start very shiny and new (like this one) and finish up looking well worn and weathered (literally, as in damp and rained on). I had the guidebooks and maps- both formats were very useful in differing situations.