Gill Goes... Trekking the Bibbulmun Track End to End... Harris Dam Shelter

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Day 19

Yourdamung Shelter to Harris Dam Shelter

(Very short 3 1/2 hour day) 14.6km

I think I have developed tinnitus, or maybe I've always had it but have never spent so much time alone and quiet, but last night as I lay awake at various times I became aware of this low grade, constant industrial noise- worse in my R ear. The rain drops on the shelter roof were also particularly loud. Between those noises and anticipating the wild pigs coming into camp whilst sleeping on the bottom bunk of the shelter, it was an interrupted kind of a night. However, I then managed to sleep in until 07:30!!!! which was no big deal as the day was going to be short. In the back of my mind I was thinking about the double hut but then thought, "why?", just enjoy the day, dawdle.

Having decided on the "dawdle option", hoed into breakfast- a cuppa and a zip lock bag of super cereal -you know the kind with superfoods, whole organic grains and a hefty price tag? Yep, that kind, except I bought mine super cheap at the Reject Shop, and only minimally past its "Best By" date. Headed out super fuelled with a vague feeling that I was heading the wrong way- I was certain that the sun should be over my other shoulder. I had mentally noted the turn out of camp yesterday and had checked the book this morning but... I started second guessing. Luckily a familiar landmark popped up after 2km to reassure me that I was heading to Harris Dam and not back to Yourdamung.

Today's weather- grey, overcast and drippy.

Today's wardrobe- damp shorts, wet gaiters, wet boots, wet insoles, wet socks, dry top (!!), damp Gortex.

Today's weather 20 minutes later- sun, blue sky and fast moving cloud.

Today's wardrobe- dry shorts, still damp gaiters, damp boots, damp insoles, damp socks, dry top (!!), Gortex? - no idea, it's now stuffed back on top of pack.

Today's terrain- essentially flat, couple of minor inclines. Soft sandy underfoot, very sandy in places. Supposedly old railway formations at 11.2 km and 13.7km but I didn't see them.

Today's flora- predominantly hibertia, swamp banksia (not flowering) and bull banksia

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/5135

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1830

Today's birds- pardelote (spotted or striated? not sure, actually not even sure it was a pardelote...), black cockatoos, cuckoo, 28's

http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/spotted-pardalote

Got into a deserted campsite quite early .

Afternoon activities- visited toilet paperless toilet (not that there is an expectation of loo paper, you should plan to be self sufficient and BYO), collected wood and spread it out in the sun, had a wash, dried damp stuff, read the red and green books, had lunch (starving today after that cereal)- trailmix, cheese biscuits (actually cheese biscuit crumbs: they haven't travelled well), 2 cheese triangles, 2 coffees (eek, running low) and 4 chocolate Lindt thins (they were a present!!, I had to bring them), did the geography quiz in the red book (did well). The red book is a pretty good source of entertainment - all sorts of tales, ramblings, messages, warnings, suggestions and entertaining quizzes in this instance.

Also on the list of things to be done this afternoon was to send Geoff a message to bring extra oats and coffee and my light down jacket to add to my resupply box in Collie tomorrow. Backtracking 1.3km north I got signal and sent the text. I also found the wooden railway tracks as well as a bench seat that I had missed this morning. By now it's 4pm- such a full afternoon!! Thunder clap emerges from nowhere, hightail it back to camp to get a fire going. A challenging fire with damp wood- took ages to get it going. Finished my first book after dinner (delicious!!! chilli) ... and the rest of the Lindt thins.



Impressions of Harris Dam Shelter -

Stretch 12 person shelter design, built in 1996, very spacious as the sole occupant

Body assessment- excellent but could do with a scrub

Total people seen for the day - 1!! Dale from Mandurah heading north, quit his job, moved out of home, spur of the moment decision to walk E2E, has lost 15kg

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Photos

Anthill
Stick for context