All night I could hear something gnawing away. I shone my torch around but couldn’t see any of the “lovely little native marsupials”. Frogs croaked all night and the birds were singing at 4.30am. So I didn’t get much sleep at all because my earplugs were not sealing. They are very dirty and I will get a new set out tonight.
A 26km day, very flat and quite a few large puddles to wet my feet. I could see how this whole area would be under water in the rainy season. sometimes there was boardwalk and sometimes boardwalk that was not quite long enough.
The sun came out on and off but I still didn’t see a snake. I lost my hat again but Peter found it again. The last 3 km along a dirt road seemed to go on forever but I arrived 6hrs 30 minutes after leaving. Not too bad.
Jess and Scott were already there chatting with Alan(UK) who is on his second Bibbulmun, this time going North.
Dog Pool hut is another of the new ones, replaced after the old one was burnt. The river with its brown foam would be very inviting if it was hot enough. But being only about 20° I guess it a miss.
By 5pm we had a full hut with 19 year old Aaron from Perth and 2 women in their 20s meant the average age dropped by about 75%. This meant that the conversations changed from where we had walked or traveled in the past, our families and retirement plans to tree hugging, sustainability, dislike of plastics and mining and self improvement stuff.
Peter made the last fire for the track as no fires are allowed going South. I will miss sitting around the fire, especially as it gets quite cold in thd evenings. I am surprised about this as I rarely needed to wear my puffer jacket on Te Araroa but have worn it every day here. I had though Australia would be all heat and flies.
Having no daylight savings means it is dark by about 6pm and light at 5.30am. So we are early to bed and early to rise.
