I was a little nervous that I wasn't going to be able to fit all of the things I needed to bring into my back pack, but after some last minute adjustments I was good to go. My family and I set off for Cape Leeuwin at 8am Saturday morning. Mum and Dad decided they were going to walk the first leg of my journey with me. From Cape Leeuwin to the Deepdene Campsite (17.5 km). We parked one car just off the road past the Deepdene Campsite which we would walk to after I set up camp. Or at least that was the plan.
The forecast for my trip could not have been better. I had 70 degrees and sun for the next three days (perfect hiking weather) a possible shower or two on Tuesday and high wind and clouds Wednesday. I planned for the worst, but it was looking good.
We stopped in Augusta the last town before you get to Cape Leeuwin for lunch around noon. We were all a bit hungry from the long drive and I was looking forward to my last real meal for a few days. I left full and ready for an adventure. We took the standard start of the trek photos at Cape Leeuwin;
We finally started making forward progress around 1pm (the absolute latest I thought I could leave). Sunset for the week was around 5:15pm each night. The first day was an absolute comedy of errors!
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| Water wheel (Start of the Track) |
First, my loved father decided to take a photo make a wrong turn continue hiking (the wrong direction) for at least a km. Mum and I did not notice for a good km ourselves so we had to hike back to the only possible turn he could have taken, I dropped my pack and took off running. Figured I'd save a bit of time. Glad I did because he was way down there. Thankfully I had been running a bit so I was not wiped after it.
Back on the track, probably 30 plus minutes behind schedule we again start making forward progress. At this point I believe we were all wondering if we had enough light to make it to the camp site/car. The hike itself was gorgeous, my father was the photographer for the day below are some of the photos if the first day.
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| Super Troopers |
Two things I quickly learned; 1) When estimating how long it will take to get somewhere error on the time side not distance. Originally, I had estimated a 6km/hr pace (HA). I had adjusted all my times to average a 5km/hr pace (still ha). If you ever plan a hike where you have a great deal of beach walking, estimate 4km/hr trust me. I consider myself a fairly fit guy and I struggled to keep that pace on the beach. 2) Take time to read the map. If you have questions, get them answered. I hadn't looked at a topographical map in a long time. I know how to read them, but take some time to digest how long it takes to get from point to point. Be conscious of the scale etc. It will save you a lot of grief.
The hiking the first day could not have been better we had great weather, interesting terrain and the terrific company. We spent the majority of the hike along the beach, but we did have to scramble over the occasional rocks and did get to spend some time up along the ridges above the beaches. It was a special walk one the I was glad I got to spend with my parents on either side.
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| Sun of a BEACH |
This leads me into the next comedy bit; Let me start by saying I love my mother (did I mention I love my mother) lol. It is getting to the later part of the afternoon. We have all accepted the fact that we were most likely not going to make it to camp before sundown. Needing the campsite to be closer than it was we second guessed just about every turn. I should point out that all along the beaches on the Cape to Cape track are four wheel drive entrances and exits (It's pretty awesome, would love to take a four wheel drive out there). Also, the Cape to Cape track is not the best marked trail I have ever seen. There are markers, just not very often, a lot of the time you are guessing, particularly along the beaches. We decided to take a break have a granola bar (homemade, thanks mum) and re-hydrate (look at the map cough cough, we didn't look at the map). We were at the end of a very long soft sand beach, the hardest kind to hike along. We had two options hike around the point which looked a bit difficult for the average hiker or backtrack to the four wheel drive track, hike up along the ridge and look for a trail maker. I had run around the corner in hope that I saw a trail marker...I did not. Knowing better than to argue with my mother, who seemed adamant about hiking up the four wheel drive track, we started back down the beach, away from the campsite.
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| Stalactite's |
Wait for it...Thank the lord there was a man at the top to tell us that we were going the WRONG way or we might have been hiking for a long time in the wrong direction. I only wished that he was at the bottom of the crazy steep, soft sand hill. I was almost on my hands and knees up this hill with my pack. I got to the top, was told the Cape to Cape Track goes along the beach around the point, thanked the guy, thanked my mother and hiked back down the soft sand cliff. I would put another 30 minutes behind schedule on the clock. No chance we make it before dark now. That being said I LOVE my parents. I would hike in the dark, on a beach, through fire for them.
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| Dad being artistic |
Well to fast forward to where we parted ways. It was dark by this time we had come to the end of another beach and started up another four wheel drive tack (after this I learned to just stay off the four wheel drive tracks unless you see a distict sign). At this point I did dig through my pack to get out the map and dad thankfully got on his phone and pulled up the GPS. Funny his iOS maps worked, but google failed or didnt have the required level of detail for us (we were looking for a gravel four wheel drive track, I am still a google person). We had missed the turn off for my campsite, though we were on the road the my parents had left their car. After a little thought about what to do. Wondering if I was going to be able to find the campsite...what I would do if I didn't, is this really the road mum and dads car is on? We decided to part ways I was determined to do this Cape to Cape Track the proper way I was not going to let a little darkness get in my way. I grabbed my head lamp, hugged my parents and headed back down the beach. We only missed by 750m or so, not bad. I was all alone in the dark, on a beach in Western Australia, under a full moon, with an iphone and a map to guide me, life was good.
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| Not tired |
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| I found the campsite:) |
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| This is the entrance to the campsite we missed?! Nice markers |
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