Getting up at 3:30am to go to my closest crag reminded me of 2016. Howsie and I worked in the same building, different organisations but cohoused, and we hit upon the idea of having a before work climb once a week. After all, Welly Dam was a mere half hour drive from the office so we could easily pack in 6 to 8 climbs and get back for a 8-9am start at work, depending on the season. I can’t recall many weeks we didn’t manage a weekday climb and we were not put off by the elements, climbing in the rain, freezing temperatures and during winter by head torch:
The great thing about heading out early is you get to see the world wake up, and today we were rewarded with one of the best sunrises I can recall. All the way from Howsie’s house, until we rolled into the carpark, the sky spectacularly changed its hues. As we rolled past the reservoir it was still pretty special, but by the time we hit the rock the light show was over. From then on we were given a beautiful audible show, as the Red Tailed Black Cockatoos were ever present often flying directly overhead and perching in the trees round the quarry. It is rare for us not to see or hear them at least once on a trip here, but today they were present the whole time:
Armed with the trusty crate and a cuppa each we started on Pocket Knife, with Howsie getting the ball rolling. Our intention was to get a couple of warm up climbs in, before the main event. It felt like we hadn’t climbed here for ages and looking through the image library my last trip here was on the 29 August, again with Howsie. So bang on three months, which is a long time between visits for me to this place. My first lead today was BBQ and we both remarked that the routes felt tough. The memory of just how energy sapping climbing at Welly Dam was didn’t take long to come back to us; each hold and move seemed to stretch every muscle, ligament and tendon:
There were a few reasons for coming here today. Firstly, it’s an easy trip out and Howsie had a limited window of opportunity to get out; secondly, we love it the surrounds are beautiful and the climbing is quality; and thirdly, Howsie had one more grade 20 to tick off here. We attempted that route during our visit in August, but it was dripping wet and as the image below shows when it is wet here this is one of the lines that water will drain down from the top of the crag. Needless to say that today, with dry rock and remnants of the endurance built up during our recent south coast trip, Howsie cruised up it:
Mission accomplished, and we still had time to play. Howsie wasn’t expected back until 9am, so foolishly started to eye up Attack of the March Flies. The good news is that there were no March Flies today; the bad news being that I wasn’t up to the route. The midway crux had me beat and I was hanging on the rope. Further up the climb, having opted for the harder right-hand variant, I gingerly tried to clip the last bolt several times. Each time it seemed tantalisingly out of reach, and I was not able to commit to using a shockingly small smear for a foot on handholds sloping the wrong way. As such I found myself down climbing the tricky moves before finishing up the easier left-hand variant, close to pumping out and coming off… again:
Howsie managed a clean ascent up the right-hand variant, and after coming down started to look for a less steep and more balancy route for his last lead. The obvious choice being a Walk in Central Park, which no longer sports Steve’s spider web chains. This means it is one of the few routes here that you have to top out on. Earlier today Howsie had remarked how, during our trip down south, he had started to trust even the smallest footholds. This improved his footwork and it was needed on this route. Another line that seemingly offers plenty of holds, but in the mid-section they are sloping awkwardly and never feel overly positive:
We had another top morning at Welly Dam with me finishing the proceedings by leading the aptly named Rock Therapy. Steep jugging followed by a fingery and delicate finale. After the final rap we both agreed we need to get to Welly Dam more often, it’s a place to get strong. But before we can do that Howsie has unfinished, grade 20, business at several other crags in the South West. In theory he needs to send these outstanding routes before the end of 2020, a timeline that I thought was also being applied to the mural being painted on the dam wall. I wonder if either will completed in time, as the end of the year rapidly approaches us:
Fresh from my week long trip down south I was busting to hit the local crags, and in response to my call out Glen, Jamie and Ash all stuck their hands up for a bit of adventure. I knew immediately it wouldn’t be a trip of bagging lot so routes, nor anything necessarily hard. But as those that have climbed with me will know, it isn’t about the grades but the whole experience and just getting out there. Those same people would also say that I have a tendency to want to squeeze in route after route, so you may have thought that a prospect of a limited number of climbs may weigh on my mind:
However, it is all about setting your goals based on the situation and knowing what is realistic to expect. Glen who was first to say “yes please” has not done much climbing and very, very little leading since his dramatic self-rescue after breaking his foot on lead at Cosy Corner in January 2019. He was keen to get a lead or two in today to get back on the horse, aiming for a few easy lines. Jamie has yet to lead anything, being only her second time out with us and not having had a great deal of climbing experience. Even I wouldn’t have been mean enough to push her into leading anything… yet:
Then there is Ash who has had some less than pleasant belayer experiences, while on lead, many years back. This has resulted him in becoming a ground dwelling pebble pincher. But today he was keen to play with the ropes, with a goal to get back into it. So with this mottle crew of three, well two to start with as Ash turned up late due to his alarm clock not being loud enough or was it his hearing having been dulled from the biggish night he had reputedly had, we commenced the morning. We started gently, on Glory:
I picked it as I felt it would put Jamie a bit out of her comfort zone, to make her slow down and think about technique. It worked and while the roof didn’t really present too many problems, I could hear her grumble just a bit as she got over it. Glen managed no problem but confessed, as his head popped up, that he now realised just how climbing unfit he had become. This was not only due to the time off from the broken foot, but also the recent knee operation. Ash arrived too late to partake in the splendours of Glory. However, when we got back down we got two lines running:
Glen went off to lead First Climb, above. Any aptly named route considering it is his first lead climb in a very long time. Meanwhile I had plans to get Ash to jump on the pointy end, so I romped up the first pitch of Sirius. This would allow me to see how his head was going, as being a traverse the person coming up second is at risk of taking just as much of a fall as the leader. Before we started he was hinting at nervousness and being unsure about the prospect. Then as he followed me I could hear statements about his arms pumping out, while his face showed complete and intense concentration:
Needless to say, decision made. It would take a bit more seconding before he would feel comfortable back on the high rocks on lead. As such I offered to take the second pitch, which was always intended to be the classy Unclaimed. A delightful steep face climb up immaculate rock, and fully bolted. Ash did well to hold it together belaying half way up the crag and trusting the rope work once more. On second he managed the climb and it looked like he even enjoyed himself, but again the very focused look of concentration hammered home that more time on rock was needed before he was read to take on the floppy end:
A key difference between pebble pinching and lead climbing, being the required stamina. Ash is a strong climber and he has pulled off some impressive problems on my boulder wall, ones I can’t. Short powerful bursts are the trait of a boulderer, but leading climbing requires more moves and as such more time on rock, which is made even longer by having to hang about to find and place gear. Add to that the need to rid himself of the demons from past experiences and it is easy to see why it would take Ash a bit longer to get back into it. As we finished Jaime had also topped out, after following Glen up, and they came over:
I suggested that Glen would be a fool to have a bash at the steeper line with his recovering knee, and he agreed. The old Glen would have brushed that fact aside, gone for it and then regretted it. Resulting in setting his recovery back. But this is the new slightly more sensible Glen. Jamie however had no choice and I lowered her down so she could test herself, and she did remarkably well. Pulling through all the thin moves low down with relative ease, but then misreading the route and rushing into a position where she closed herself in, pumped out and fell:
Still only one slip on the whole route and hopefully a lesson learnt, to slow down and take her time. Back down on the deck Glen was keen for more, I heard that he was not at all comfortable on his first lead and had scared his way up First Climb. But in good Glen tradition his gear was bomber, so he was at least safe. This time he plumped for Dunlop Special Alternate Start, with Ash holding his rope. Jamie and I walked between two routes, Verbosity and Golden Buttress. She struggled to decide which one she would like to follow up, but ended up going with Golden Buttress:
Her thinking being that Verbosity was more her style and she would love and romp up it. Needless to say I know that there are climbers out there for which this climb strikes fear into their hearts, despite them being able to climb at a much higher grade. So it will be interesting to see whether, when she does climb it if, she will still hold that view. I didn’t mind either route I love them equally, as they both offer great traditional three dimensional style climbing. As I slowly pulled the rope from above all could hear was Jaime grumbling down below, and eventually I saw her swing round the rib into open space. A look of determination on her face:
It transpired that the traverse at the start had unnerved her, and she had subsequently over gripped the whole way and pumped herself out. Rather than take her time, rest up and shake out the pump; she had doggedly climbed on until her arms were all jelly like. It seems that the lesson that should have been learnt on the last route on Steel Wall had not fully sunk in. As she flailed up the penultimate section, up the undercut arête with nothing below her but air, I looked across and Ash was casually finishing up while Glen was basking in the sun:
They packed up and wandered over to meet us and then continued to sit and look out to sea soaking up the sun, which was starting to get a bite to it. Jaime pleaded below for a bit of help working up the last few moves, but it wasn’t forth coming. No tight rope was yielded and it would only come if she fell, so she had to dig deep and whimpered up the final few moves with a bit of assistance with me pointing out where the best hand and foot holds were, and how best to use them. Finally she almost belly flopped over the edge with limp arms unable, or unprepared, to respond to any command her brain sent them:
There was a deadline of leaving the crag at 11am today, in order to get Glen back in time for work. He said he had really enjoyed the second lead but was done for the day. His knee was telling him to wrap up, and sensible Glen responded appropriately. It looked like Ash had also gone as hard as he wanted to today, and Jaime wasn’t sounding too keen for any more either. Decision made and we wandered back down to pack up, the place was by now humming with top ropes everywhere including Inner Space Wall, Fat Chance Area, One for the Road Area and Steel Wall. There were no big groups, just lots and lots of climbers… nearly all top roping:
On our walk back to the bags Jaime stopped us and pointed out a Racehorse Monitor, which was lazing just off the track. As we approached it we have expected it to bolt out of the start gate and race off into the undergrowth, but it instead lazily sauntered off into the bush. Only just far enough so it’s head was hidden, so we walked past soft footed to try not to disturb it any further. With packs on our backs it was time to head out, but Glen was going sensibly slowly and we had to wait form him atop the crag. This did however give us a chance to watch the only other person lead climbing, as they ascended Acid Didj. Henry made short work of this impressive line, with top ropes draping down on either side of him:
In March 2008 Andrew, Howsie, Rongy And I set off for a weeklong trip to the South Coast. It was for them the first long climbing trip, and while it does not come up in regular conversation it is something that stuck in their minds. I discovered just how much that trip meant to them when COVID19 hit and while stuck at home I started to write up about the local climbers here in the South West and they were given an equal opportunity to write about me. All three of them had found memories of that trip, and so in May 2020 I hatched a plan and suggested a South Coast Revisited trip:
Last time we went in March and were hit with blistering 40 plus degree days. It didn’t put us off and we cranked on. In fact we were oblivious to it, until we checked the weather later, thinking that we were maybe not quite as climbing fit as we thought. This time we picked November, aiming for a spring time and working it amongst the many family commitments we all have now. Being a weeklong trip this will be a long post, with tales of rock adventures, the locations and orchids but mostly rock. We set off on Saturday 7th November, and I left home at a very reasonable time of 7:30am:
With a full week of climbing ahead of us we were in no rush, in fact with all this time to climb it offered the chance to ease into it and slow down. Most times we get out we have a short window, usually a morning. We get out and smash out the routes. Rongy is probably the strongest climber and keen to push himself, Howsie is up there and highly motivated whilst Andrew would admit he is not very climbing fit. This time we had a game plan of where we would go but not necessarily what we would climb. It was a case of take one day, or more precisely one climb, at a time:
Some effort was put into considering the locations for this trip, it may have been a revisit but we did not intend to repeat the road map exactly. This time we picked different locations to visit, all bar the last location but that was to satisfy Howsie and his 2020 challenge. The crags were all new to at least one of us, and in some cases all four of us. Our first destination was Monkey Rocks, Howsie having been the only person to climb here before. It was a three and half hour drive from Bunbury, after which we stopped for some lunch in Denmark where we also got the climbing packs sorted:
We set off up the short but sharp hike up to the rock at midday. It was already feeling toasty, and the flies were thick but with childlike excitement of knowing what was ahead of us we motored upwards eager to touch rock. Also being the first location, that sense of needing to slow down and take our time slipped to the back of our minds. We did however start sensibly on a couple of easy routes that were gnarly old school trad lines. Depending on how you tackled them they required a bit of awkward jamming, lay-backing, chimneying and of course a bit of grunting:
We then started to hit the bolted lines, that followed the blank areas of the granite dome that sits high in the landscape. From the top there were great views across to the embayment from where the Harding River flows into the ocean. We didn’t hang about on top all that much, still enthused to climb, with bursting energy and desire to cram the routes in. At the top of the dome I did however luck upon a tiny Common Mignonette Orchid in amongst a thicket of grass, a species Lisa and I spotted at Meelup Nature Reserve. With so many images to choose from in this post I will generally only include images of the new species found:
Tickety, tick, tick we marched on and when we thought we were done because we were out of water and tired, we realised it was only half three. So we hit a few more including a relatively new line, below. This one was a stunner and also the hardest of the day coming in at grade 19. Finally, with seven routes under our belt, we felt satisfied and headed back to the car. My intention is not to list every climb, as that would take way too long and in my mind result in a boring read. However, I know some will be keen to know what we did and as such have included a full tick list of the trip at the end of this post:
That night we stopped in Denmark. A feed and beer was had, but only one, as there was no room for woolly heads in the morning. Our intention was to have early starts, that way if we were shattered we could finish early but if we were motived or indeed had an epic, it gave us the opportunity to have a long day out. As such a routine was established. I was up at 5:00, which became 4:30 as the trip wore on, and put the kettle on. Sometimes being organised and having a routine has its benefits, and on a trip like this they were delivered in spades. It resulted us in managing a good breakfast and efficient pack-up all before 6am most days:
An hour after rolling out of Denmark we were in the Porongurup’s, heading to Gibraltar Rock. Another granite dome, but this one has an iconic towering 200m face. One of the things the South Coast has on offer, that the South West doesn’t, are long multi-pitch routes. There is nothing better than long lines, on these you have the privilege of seeing the area from on high and the need to rush disappears as you ease yourself into the landscape and soak up the amazing vistas:
Both Rongy and I had climbed here before, and local knowledge can at times be helpful in knowing what gear to bring and where to go. Only this time we missed the track through the bush, which comes off the main fire break. If we had walked an additional 200m we would have found it. While it was not that bad a hike, today was again going to be warm with a forecast in the high twenties. It was already heating up and we arrived hot and sweaty at the base of the granite monolith:
I mentioned that Andrew was not very climbing fit. He had held up well on day one and today there was a route that we knew he’d really enjoy, which he later indicted was the route of the trip for him. Raven is a relatively recently established well-protected route which is a rarity for Gibraltar Rock, a great consistent grade 14. To boot it also has a bit of variation so it does not feel too repetitively, which some lower grade slab routes can. I did this line almost a year ago to the day with Kym, so if you are keen you can check out more info about it via the link:
Rongy and I, having both been up Raven, were eager to try one of the old routes here called Dockyard Wall. Being an older routes, established in the early 1990’s, there may have been a bolt or two but they tended to be runout and a bit on the nervous side. This place has a reputation and the guidebook states that it is “characterised by fear and loathing”. However, both Rongy and I like exposure and get a weird kick out of being in nervous situations. My head for this stuff has waned since becoming a dad, but the fire is still there and a spark was certainly reignited on this route:
Being springtime it is of course hay fever time, and this year seems to be particularly bad according to many people I know. Andrew was by far the worst affected, but Howsie and I were also feeling it pretty bad. As such another benefit with such long climbs, is that we were high above the landscape and more importantly the vegetation. With a breeze in the air this seemed to assist in reducing the effects pollen, seeds and other pesky things were having on all three of us. We timed things well and all ended up on top at the same time, allowing for a rare group image:
Today unlike our first day, we were slowing down. Being our first full day out, and being so hot we knew we had to pace ourselves and also keep ourselves hydrated with regular sips of water. This allowed more time to explore the area. The top has some patches of vegetation but what drew my attention were all the Scented Sun Orchids. I have seen these before but up here there were hundreds of plants, mostly a pale blue but occasionally there was also a pink variety. Eventually I dragged myself way from the flowers and we started to make our way back down:
In the shade of the trees back at the base of the crag we once more endured the flies, and three hay fever sufferers started to feel the effects of the vegetation. We did however need to fuel up, so out came lunch and we spent a while preparing ourselves for the next climb. Some years back someone had come here and established a bunch of new routes, but the bolting technique was heavily criticized and was considered by most as dangerous. Some of these bolts had been replaced but we were not sure which ones so we took a punt:
Howsie and Andrew headed for more slabbing up a two pitch line called Painters and Dockers, being a more reasonable grade for Andrew. While Rongy and I headed to Dinosaur Jnr, the first part being an old school route, but then it deviated up the steeper part of the wall having made use of bolts to make it protectable. So in a way it was a mix of the old and the new, I was feeling tired and grotty both from the heat and hay fever so not looking the most enthused. But Rongy was keen so off he set, and geez I was pleased he did:
The four pitch line was stonking from start to finish, each pitch was amazing. Sustained and engaging following a great line up the more technical and steeper part of this great granite cliff. The final pitch was the stand out for me, up a water runnel beautifully textured allowing bridging almost from start to finish for 30m. Like before the higher I got the more my head cleared, and we both thoroughly enjoyed the route. Even better the bolts looked good, and I’m guessing they had been replaced. There was nothing dodgy about them from what we could tell:
Howsie and Andrew’s line while OK climbing was not as pleasant. The bolts had looked decidedly iffy with signs of corrosion. With bolts being the only form of protection this made for an unsettling experience and they were pleased to be back on the ground. Andrew was definitely done for the day, as a result of having climbed enough but also due to feeling bunged up and the experience of the bad bolts probably not helping. Howsie, still had a bit of fire in him, so as Rongy and I came back down we managed to rig things to allow him to climb the first two pitches of our route:
Many people come here and only hit one route, so we did well today with two routes. In total nine long pitches resulted in the climbing shoes starting to feel a bit sore, and it was time to head out. On the way down we found the right track and the walk out was clearer, that along with going downhill made the walk less sweaty. As we went down the final slabs, which Kym and I slipped down in the rain a year ago, we simply had to have one posed image (below). If you look back to the post of the first South Coast trip, you will see it is very similar to an image I took eight and half years back as we walked off Peak Head:
We got back to the car at 4pm, and still had an hour’s drive to our next destination. But in the shade of the trees it felt too nice to head off straight away. So we made a brew and chilled out for a bit, while Andrew popped another tablet to make it more bearable. The next leg of our journey would take us further east to Cheyne’s Beach Caravan Park, on the edge of an aqua blue bay and tucked up neatly against Waychinicup National Park. On arrival we completely unloaded the car. We would have three nights here allowing for less packing and unpacking, which was nice:
As the trip rolled on we got into an evening routine, for our arrival back at base camp. It basically comprised make a cuppa, cleaning ourselves up, sort the gear for the next day, have a beer, enjoy a hearty meal and hit the sack early. The weather was supposed to be closing in on us for day three, a big front threatening 10-20mm of rain. So in the morning we checked the forecast and decided to jig our itinerary round. Instead of Mermaid Point, we went to Tombstones for two reasons. The latter didn’t require negotiating a four wheel drive track and it wasn’t on the coast:
The walk-ins were getting longer with each location, and this one was a good hour. I have been fortunately to have been here before, again with Kym, when we spent two days bagging lots of the great traditional and bolted routes on offer. I was certainly not upset about coming back here, as there are so many amazing routes. Also on that trip we hadn’t climbed to the very top and I was keen to do that. This place offers steep technical sport routes, which I knew Rongy and Howsie would be keen for. So Andrew and I went for a more relaxed pace up the south face and left them to it:
I was keen to climb Trident, not as long as the routes yesterday at only 110m but still offering three nice length pitches. I thought I had it sussed thinking I could avoid the first hard pitch at grade 19, which I thought Andrew may struggle on, by climbing a grade 15 to its right. Not having climbed Trident before I was mistaken and the first pitch actually kept going for some way past the 15 and was pretty feisty. Andrew dug deep and made it up, and then we could relax into the two more gentle upper pitches:
The wind was picking up the higher we got, and we kept an eye out west but there was no sign of a storm brewing yet. On the last pitch the wind certainly added to the excitement, it felt at times like it wanted to pluck us off the rock and float us away. Once on top we then had to negotiate the amazing water formed rock sculptors, which included bowls and gullies in which vegetation was hiding from the elements and looked to be thriving. It took us a while to work our way through this natural maze going this way and that, and eventually scrambling down the west face to meet Rongy and Howsie:
We found the boys just finishing off on a second fingery and sustained 21, and Howsie was looked knackered. So they offered me a chance to run up a route that Kym and I had eyed off before, but at the time was too wet. I loved it, yet another water runnel with fine bridging up wonderful clean rock. Then handing the rope back to Howsie we dropped the grade back a few notches intended for everyone to head up a two pitch route. Rongy blew a hold but kept going and Andrew blew the toe of his climbing shoe, preventing him from getting up this one:
From atop the second pitch of Hex Marks the Spot the three of us were sheltered in a cave, and as we looked out we saw the first wave of the front come straight at us. Slowly, one by one, the peaks in the distance disappeared from sight as the belt of rain came closer and closer. So we rapped back down, it was time to shelter under the trees and have a bite to eat. The best place for this was down by the south face where Rongy was eyeing up a couple of trad lines up the flakes and cracks:
The rain seemed to pass over quickly, so the first line he went for was the harder of the two. A fine flake that got steeper the higher you go, while the gap behind the flake also narrowed to the point you could only get the tips of your fingers on a small edge. It didn’t pose too many issues for Rongy, and he was soon up sounding very happy having really enjoyed placing some gear and lapping up the more traditional style of climbing after the steep sport routes. In the image below notice the wall in the background, which I’ll mention in a bit:
Howsie followed up and the weariness was seeping back, as he struggled his way past the crux moves. And on a completely separate note in the foreground is one of the hundred plus species of Gastrolobium plants, commonly called poison peas. This plant contained a naturally occurring potent poison called 1080, which is used to bait foxes in Australia. Once a fox, or indeed dog, eats the bait the poison starves cells of calcium and energy and it can take up to three hours for the creature to die. Supposedly it’s not a nice way to go:
There are no known or proven cases of humans having died from ingesting 1080, although records suggest a hunter in the 1960s died after eating jam that contained 1080. Back to the climb and after Howsie came down I followed up, staying at the belay to get a few images of Rongy as he then tackled Apollo. The route that Andrew and I had ascended to try and avoid the first pitch of Trident. As I sat in my harness the wind picked up and the rain started to fall, you might notice the sheen on Rongy’s shoes. It was getting proper wet now but he was keen and kept going, even hinting that the wet conditions had made it even better:
Howsie practically ran up this line, which surprised us. It was full on raining now and a waterfall started to flow down the wall in the background. The sound of water streaming down was lovely to hear but also a sign that we were going to get pretty wet walking out. Despite being only just after 2pm the rain didn’t look like it was going to abate, so it was now definitely time to pack up and get ready to hike out. Everyone stood still with packs on their backs. No one was wanting to go first so I took the lead:
The rationale being that the person in front would cop all the water off the bush, as we walked the hour long hike back out. Needless to say I was completely drenched by the time we got back to the car. However, so was everyone. Despite the conditions we still stopped occasionally to check the sights and plants. Howsie explained how Trigger Plants, which Rongy was drawn too, were pollinated which I will get back too later. Rongy also spotted a Cowslip Orchid (not the image below), so that now made for a successful sighting of a different orchid on three consecutive days:
One difference between this trip and that of eight years back is that we decided to stay in cabins, as oppose to camping it. Initially when I suggested this approach there was some reservation from the others, but in my mind it was pretty clear cut when you consider a camp spot was $15 and cabin $30 per person. By the end of the trip everyone agreed it was so much better this way, and after today’s adventures the porch became a washing room with clothes, shoes, ropes, bags and gear spread all over the place dripping water:
It rained most of the night and we knew that while it may not have as much rain left in it, the front was going to hang about for most of the next day. Despite that my body clock was already set and a cuppa was made and ready for soon after 4:30. By 5am a break in the clouds allowed the sun to briefly light up the cabin, as everyone else was still tucked up in bed showing no signs of wanting to move. Needless to say it was by far the slowest morning of the trip and by about 8:30 we finally jumped in the car to head into Albany. We took our climbing gear, on the off chance things would clear up:
We had in mind to check out the conditions at the Gap, as there are some east facing walls that may have been a bit sheltered. As we came down the final hill the sight that greeted us put paid to any hope of climbing, water was funnelling 20 to 30m in the air out of the gap and came cascading down across the carpark some 50m away from the gap. We parked up on the hill to allow us to get out without being drenched, and walked down to and stood on the skywalk watching this spectacle unfold. The fierce wind and thundering sound of water made it incredibly dramatic (click on the download link to see a video):
We wandered about a few of the spots just taking it all in. The front brought in a huge swell and the waves came crashing in. And despite the rain coming and going, it was hard not to want to be out there experiencing it all. So we decided on a walk round Stoney Hill. Rongy had however not brought any shoes, his like ours were soaked from the day before, but he didn’t have any spares and the rocks on Stoney Hill were just too much for his feet. Not being a long walk Andrew, Howsie and I wander round while Rongy stayed cosy in the car:
It was still way too soon to head back into Albany, for where there was talk of getting lunch out, so we decided on another walk. Peak Head is about an hour’s walk, most of which is a sandy track allowing Rongy to come along. We know this from previous climbing trips out to this great location. On the way out I spotted a Leopard Sun Orchid, plants for which the flower opens in the sun. Needless to say they were firmly closed, but that didn’t matter as that now made it four varied orchid finds on each of the four days (click on the download link to see a video):
Atop the mighty Peak Head we huddled behind a boulder to keep out of the wind. After catching our breathe we decided we should head to the top and as we got closer the full force of the wind hit us. It made the wind Andrew and I experienced, as we topped out on Tombstones seem like a gentle breeze. It was impossible to stand upright, you had to lean right into the wind and the gust threatened to pick you up, so we ended up almost crawling the last section. Finally we headed back down, equally carefully, and our ears rang for a while after we escaped the wind:
The reward for enduring the blustery conditions was a pub feed, which the Earl of Spencer provided perfectly. The chips and pies all round, went down a treat. Before heading back we made a quick stop into a second hand shop, where Rongy got some cheap shoes and Andrew picked up (amongst other bits) a dice game called Yams. The French version of Yahtzee. As it was by the time we got back, shorted all the gear for the next day, had a feed, dried our gear (using the camp drier and the old trick of putting newspaper in your shoes), there was only time for a couple of games:
Another thing that Rongy I had done when we got back from Albany was to drive up to the next climbing spot. It was just a short 4km from the campsite but up a bush track. The campsite manager had told us there were a couple of washed out sections, so we thought we would check them out before we went out expecting to get there and climb. Two of the sections were a tad tricky and as such I opted to let Rongy drive. I don’t mind fessing up that I’m not a fan of four wheel driving. So next morning with the front having been and gone, we were off again bright and early:
Lost World is a place that none of us had been to before. Nor had any of us been to Mermaid Point, the place that we dropped of our itinerary due to the wet and windy day. Mermaid Point is accessed by the same track, and Kym had hinted that the end of the track was really cut up. Have to say that if it was much worse than what we had just driven I’m kinda pleased that we didn’t go down there. The car was parked on a flat granite slab, and as we got ready to walk in Andrew and Howsie looked west as a rain belt was coming our way:
Rongy and I were not put off, today it was forecast for a low probability of not much rain. We were pretty sure it would clear up, and we headed out on the short 700m walk after which we were greeted by what looked to be great granite slabs. Single pitch climbs, mostly, we had the night before decided where we would start. Some gentle grades to get us used to the place but now seeing it, it was also the area that looked the wettest. Rongy was first up and just like at Tombstones he managed to blow a hold and came flying off, only just after I took this image:
We stayed in this area for a while and rapped down and climbed out numerous times. The generally area is environmentally sensitive and walking round the base should not be done. As such the area is equipped to allow a rap down to belay anchors to avoid any disturbance of vegetation. After the first two proper slab routes the next ones started to steepen up and the walls were more featured, lending it more to technical face climbing. Solid rock, great holds and nice sustained moves were found on most of the lines we did:
As Howsie led out on Shadow Boxer I watched him, but then my eyes were drawn to the wall behind him. While we had mapped out a bit of a game plan the steep, grey and nicely featured wall looked amazing. We didn’t even know what the route was. There were however a few gems still to be had on this slab, and amazingly Andrew was able to climb in his worn out old shoes. He made use of a second pair of Rongy’s shoes for a couple of climbs, but they were more painful to wear so he soon went back to his own:
After mopping up a bunch of very fun routes, we stopped for a bite to eat while Rongy started to pluck up the focus and energy needed for the clean wall I had spotted. A bit of a bump up in the grade, but Shades of Grey simply had to be climbed. A tad too much for Andrew but after Rongy led it both Howsie and I followed. It gave everything it looked like it would and more, great climbing on thin but positive holds with an airy and thin top out up the rounded headwall, very cool indeed:
So the day went on, we shifted from one area to the next, making sure that there were lines that suited both parties that could be accessed from the same abseil. Lost World offered a consistent face with all the sculptured gullies and bowls being formed on the top of the granite dome. Here the top was a relatively level and the sculptured gullies were all down the sides. This proved multiple and varied slabs and faces that dropped into vegetated crevices. It was a lovely place to experience, very peaceful other than the bird song that seemed to continue day long. Howsie hinted that it was probably the Golden Whistler:
The rain didn’t come back and while it wasn’t a clear blue sky, it dried off and the temperature was refreshing in comparison to the first two days. Being cooler and having had rain the hay fever seemed to be less aggressive and even Andrew was sounding OK. The clock however didn’t stop ticking and soon we were getting to the point where we had to consider making a move, so for the last lines Howsie picked a trad line while I plumped for a slick slab. Very slick, and one that Kym later told me is a well-known sandbag route. Some might say it was about time I got what I give out:
Between us we sampled eleven routes, giving us a very good taste of what the area has to offer. We all agreed it was a worthy spot and one we would gladly come back too, there are a number of other gems here that would be great to jump on including a few multi-pitch routes. I might try and sneak down here one time with Kym to sample those. The short walk back to the car didn’t take too long and I kept a beady eye out for those elusive orchids but only saw a Cowslip, so no new orchid was found today. Howsie also kept an eye out, and lucky he did as he came across, and managed to only just avoid, a Tiger Snake coiled up on the track:
The bags went in the back of the car, which was packed with all our other gear, as we had packed up the cabin that morning. Three nights had flown past and it was time to head to the next location, but before we could start that journey Rongy took the wheel to get us back to the campsite. Part way down one of the tyres deflated, I was not very impressed. My car is fitted with road tyres not the best for these tracks. But as it happened it wasn’t a puncture and I had a compressor in the back:
Back at the campsite we made use of their compressor to get all the tyres back up to pressure, while the kettle went on. We had a two hour road trip ahead of us and a cuppa was required. Back through Albany and then onto Denmark, almost passing the front door of the first place we stayed, before carrying on to Walpole. We arrived at Coalmine Beach Caravan Park just before the sun set, so we grabbed a beer and headed down to the small beach off the Wilson Inlet where we watched the sky change colour as another great day came to an end:
Before we get to the next day of adventure, I have to put a word out there for Howsie who organised and cooked every evening meal. We had a varied feast each night including European, Indian and Asians dishes and each one was amazing, but the meal this particular night really blew my socks off. Now you may be wondering if this one even came with a glass of vino, but no the boys had brought a cask of port and most nights had a tipple before hitting the sack:
The next day we were very keen to make sure we were up and out early, this location would take a bit more time and energy to get to. Only a short 15min drive from the camp is Mount Claire, one of several tourist locations in the Walpole-Nornalup National Park. We parked up here and shouldered our packs ready for a 7.5km hike to Thompson Cove, as we walked along the trail dwarfed by the mighty Tingle Trees something didn’t sit right with me. But we walked on regardless:
After a short ascent we had a long and very steep downhill, and we all remarked how that would be a killer when we came back. When the descent finally ended we came to the swing bridge over Deep River, and that is when my nagging doubt proved worth having more of a thought about before. There was a carpark just before the bridge and that was where the 7.5km trail started. We had just walked a little over 2km which was fine coming down but going back would prove interesting. No point in crying over spilt milk and we carried on:
The walk took us through varied landscapes and vegetation types, and I was ever hopeful of remedying the lack of a different orchid being found the day before. Then I spied a Forrest Mantis Orchid, which if you would like to know what they look like you’ll have to check out my Stuffed jalapenos post. As I was looking at these Howsie pointed out another flower that had me a little foxed, the leaf made it look like an orchid but also like a succulent and possibly an exotic not native species. It was in fact a Slipper Orchid, and is the only evergreen orchid species in Western Australia:
While there were many of these plants here we only found one which had a flower out, it was a great find by Howsie. Then Rongy called me over to say he found a Mantis Orchid that looked a bit different. I wonder if this was a Butterfly Dragon Hybrid Orchid, as the broad flat labellum of Butterfly Orchids would normally be pointing upwards. No matter that makes two new Orchids and also ones that I have not found before, more than making up for the previous day. After this great find we found no more:
Because of all the sights to see on the way down, plus the flower hunting it took us two and half hours to hike the 9.5km to Thompson’s Cove. And it was worth every step… we were right on the coast with wave washed granite slabs sweeping down into the ocean providing a dramatic backdrop to the crags we came across. In rough weather this place would no doubt be very serious and I wonder what it was like when the front from a few days back had come in. Today, however it was great conditions:
The guide had suggested the climbs were up to 20m high, and as we stood at the base of the main area we looked up in awe. It looked taller and pretty intimidating and everyone was quiet just taking the place in. When we were packing the gear up, and considering the hike, Rongy and I had only packed my twin 50m half ropes and a single rack. We felt that we could double up each half rope, and split the rack. But standing at the base and looking up we realised we may have misjudged this place:
With no one making a sound I took the opportunity and announced that I was going to jump on the crag classic to kick the proceedings off. So I racked up and started up the wonderful layback crack in the open book corner. I had contemplated a beautiful looking finger crack in the wall to the right but decided against. A good job as my legs didn’t even seem ready for the corner, which is four grades easier. It was great fun, even if I didn’t make it sound like it as I worked my way up feeling more and more weary. We also discovered the routes were in fact 25m long so there was no chance of running two lines:
Howsie followed me up, but Rongy was keen on leading it. So we took turns in climbing, Rongy and Andrew went up the classic next, as Howsie and I waited below eyeing up the other lines. Rongy made a soundless ascent and Andrew did really well following up. By the time they were back down Howsie was ready, having dispelled his nervousness and fear as he went up another fine looking crack and flake system. It looked great but had a run out section leading to a nervous few moves high above his gear. Holding it together he carried on and allowed both Rongy and I to enjoy the fine moves with the safety of a rope above us:
Andrew sat that one out. Today it seemed like it would be another nice cool day and no one seemed to be suffering from hay fever. But he needed a bit of time to recover from the first route, which had been right on his limit. Rongy then took the opportunity to try the thin crack I had contemplated as a first lead. It looked amazing and was a tough opposition, but we encouraged him to keep going, and going, and going. It certainly took some time but he made it up eventually, and was justifiably happy:
It was already time for food, and Rongy swept the flies away as Andrew prepared the wraps. Lunches were pretty standard, but this time due to the long walk in we had brought more snacks and fruit. And it was the first day that we got through everything, maybe it was the long hike in or maybe it was just that the week was starting to take its toll and the body was demanding more food intake. Either way we never felt like we were short on food, which was a good thing:
It was time to ease the pace a little and Howsie was happy to lead up the Swinging Detectives, a shorter route but equally fun. It also happened to be the only route on the entire trip for which we used the pink tricam, something that may ring alarm bells for the local South West climbing crew. This time everyone followed him up, and after I got up it was time to refocus myself as I knew what challenge lay ahead. There was a featured wall I had spotted, that looked like we simply had to have a go at and it was my lead next:
It was the last climb of the day, and looked easy at the grade until the first holds were reached and the smeary, rounded nature of them hit you. It was intense, the holds at times were small fingertip smears and pinches and at times they had the slightest edge. All just enough to allow you to balance and slowly work your feet up. Full body tension was required for almost the whole route and there was no margin for error, what a way to end it. Rongy and then Howsie followed up and the focus on their faces said it all, a great way to end the day:
Well kind of end, as we still had a 9.5km walk back out. Just walking up the crag you could see everyone’s legs were heavy and tired. Fortunately, most of the inclines were gentle and forgiving they just seemed to go on for a long time. As we were finishing up and then starting to walk out the sky began to clear> This made for a warmer hike out and we were swamped by flies, most of which just piggy backed on our backpacks. I took point and set a pace, and just kept going. There was no sightseeing this time and we made it back to the swing bridge in just over an hour and half:
The last 2km leg of the hike included the long steep hike almost to the top of Mount Claire, so I offered to go ahead leaving the rest of them and my pack behind. As it was Rongy and I went for it, and without packs it made it more manageable and we made good time completing the return leg in two hours. We drove down to pick Andrew and Howsie up before heading back to the cabin. With tree trunk legs we sat heavily and had a beer, ate lots of cheese and crackers and then Howsie cooked up another feast. We polished it all off not feeling like we had overeaten:
The last morning dawned, above, and then it was time to pack up our third basecamp. Today we were heading home, but before we did that we would stop in at a crag that all four of us have climbed at more than once. Mount Frankland was on the cards but only for one climb, the incredible Hannibal. A brilliant 40m pitch of continually intense slab climbing. It is the one grade 20 that Howsie has added to his 2020 challenge that is outside of the South West, just because it is so worthy:
It had rained hard the night before, it was short and sharp but with 20mm having fallen two days back and another 4mm last night the chances of it being in condition were slim. No matter, we packed the car as if we were going to climb it, Howsie even racked up at the car before we trudged the short walk in. Which is when Rongy spotted another orchid to add to the tally, a lovely look Pink Fairy Orchid. One of many we found on this walk, which made it eight types of orchids on this trip, not bad as we get close to the end of the orchid season:
The great elephant trunk which Hannibal ascends stood proud, and I could see the water marks were the rain from the last few days had come down. The lower potions had green lichen splattered all over it and this would no doubt have soaked up all that moisture. Still Howsie and Rongy had to go and touch the rock to convince themselves of the inevitable, ever hopeful they worked their way to the base and touched the rock. Then came down in silence, it was not to be the mighty Hannibal will have to be climbed on another day:
Seeing we were already out, we did at least walk round the base of Mount Frankland. It’s not a huge walk but it is very beautiful, with towering trees and varied undergrowth interspersed with great vistas out across the tree covered peaks and valleys. We found more of the Trigger Flowers, which Rongy really liked, and Howsie tried to trick the little flower into thinking an insect was on the lower petals. When this happens the top petals flick down and place pollen on the back of the insect. As it moves from flower to flower this repeat action results in pollination occurring:
While we didn’t climb up the south face of Mount Frankland, we did climb the 300 plus steps on the tourist approach to the summit. The big hike from the day before was taking its toll and my legs could feel it, especially as I made my way up the last few flights of steps. Um maybe the sensible thing would have been to leave my pack at the base. After taking in the view across the towering karri, jarrah and tingle trees it was time to head to the car, make a final brew and stash the cab with snacks for the three hour trip back to Bunbury. I wonder if we will do it all again in 2028 and if so where we will go:
It was close to ten years to the date that the three of us first stayed at the Mount Trio Bush Camp in the Stirling Ranges. On that first visit, in the school holidays, the place felt deserted and in subsequent years word of mouth did its job and the place got busier and busier. More powered sites popped up and the facilities, whilst keeping that rustic feel, grew in size. Over the last few years we haven’t been back as a family, but Lisa and I decided we would head there for our 20th wedding anniversary:
The joys of Lisa having long service leave meant that we could head down for a long weekend and stay for three nights, during term time. The place felt familiar as we drove in, other than the information bay looking a bit more swish and the camp kitchen having tripled in size. We found a quiet spot and set up camp, then armed with both a cuppa and a beer we made our way to have a game of pong. In the past you’d have to keep an eye on the pong room and be ready to duck in as soon as it was vacated, on this trip we didn’t see anyone else use it:
That was probably in part due to the place being relatively quiet, as John the owner explained to us that evening as we caught up. He explained how the last few months had been really busy but in the last week or so things had eased off. Today had been a steamy 32 degrees and while we were pleased to be back, Lisa had forgotten one thing and that was the flies. They were out in force and it seemed impossible to escape them, but as the sun went down they disappeared as we soon also did retreating to our tent:
When camping we tend to hit the sack soon after it gets dark and then wake up early. That doesn’t mean we both get up, Lisa enjoys having a snooze and read waking up slowly. I’m the opposite being up and out ready for stuff. From about 4am there was the sound of birds chattering, chirping and tweeting away. Too many to mention and many with young so the noise levels were elevated, as the impatient young incessantly demanded feeding by their parents. I was up just before 5 and it was another clear blue sky:
One of the things I really like about this spot is that it has a great patch of bush with a trail that runs through it. The ground in spring time is littered with flowers, and if you hit the right part of spring this place is a haven for orchids. So while Lisa read in bed I went for a wander. I had started this trip with an upbeat feeling of possibly doubling my orchid tally for the season. However, John had dispersed that aspiration the night before when he said that the orchid season had pretty well all dried up:
No matter the walk was still amazing and I spent a lot of time checking out all the flowers, completely mystified as to what they may be. I have to admit to having got a little hooked on Questagame and was happy to find a few of the more specky looking flowers to chuck on the app to both share them and find out what they are. Most, but not quite all, of the flowers would close up at night and some would only fully open when it was sunny. As such I went on this trail at several different times of the day to see how they changed:
Whilst John had been a little negative about any opportunity to find orchids, I wasn’t completely put off and searched high and low. Rongy had been here just a few weeks back and he had sent me some images of the orchids he had spied, surely there would be one or two left? I found lots of frazzled, wrinkly and browned remnants of orchids but did luck upon this solitary Dragon Orchid. Whilst similar looking to the Mantis and Spider Orchids, they are much smaller and clearly have a different shape with the apex sticking upright:
I persevered checking all the nooks and crannies thinking that the more sheltered spots might be where I would strike it lucky. In amongst all the fallen dead trees I came across my first Hairy Rufous Greenhood Orchid, and subsequently found lots of them. I’ve read that these species generally flower late in spring, and when I told John of my find he told me that and said he wasn’t surprised that I had found them. There are several variety and I started to get excited that I had maybe found different ones, but on closer inspection back home they are all the same:
The short 1.2km trail took me close to two hours to get round, due to constantly stopping and searching. This approach had paid off and as I returned to the camp area not even the clouds rolling in could dispel my happiness. Lisa and I had been checking the forecast so we were not surprised by the clouds, and were in fact expecting rain. What did surprise us was that the forecast for Saturday jumped from a nice mid-twenties to the mid-thirties, and when you are out camping there is little respite. Lisa it seems has a built up a reduced tolerance not just to flies but also the heat:
After having a cuppa I managed to convince her that it was time to get some food into us, so we made our way to the camp kitchen to find it empty. Everyone else had been and gone, all bar this Sand Monitor. As we were busy preparing and cooking up a feast it wandered round the kitchen area checking for any food that might have been dropped. Seemingly unaware of, or not worried about, our presence and even getting close to our feet:
It was already feeling hot and fly ridden, so Lisa returned back to the tent which was thankfully not heating up like an oven due to the cloud cover. While I headed off once more but in a different direction, towards the national park. There were huge fires here last December and they had reached this property by literally meters. It was only saved by a southerly wind that thankfully never turned. Standing on the edge of the property looking at the national park the contrast between the bush I had walked through and what was left in the park was clear, no understorey and blackened tree trunks:
As such after a little wander in the remains of the park I decided to stay within the property. As I was checking out the scrubby understorey I stopped suddenly; something close to me started to growl. It turned out to be a roo that was maybe 6m away, which eventually decided it was easier to move on that try to scare me. Searching for flowers in the undergrowth I found another orchid, one I have not seen before. This one is however an invasive species called the South African Orchid, and was introduced in the mid-1990s in Albany. It has now spread all the way up to Geraldton:
I also came across the Common Mignonette Orchid, which you may remember from Lisa and my walk closer to home near Dunsborough, in the Meelup Nature Reserve. There are two types of these that can be commonly found and the other is the White Mignonette Orchid, which was also present. The flowers for the former are a pale green and the second not surprisingly white. The latter also tends to have less flowers up to 60, as oppose to the common variety that can have up to 100, and the frilly apex hangs down further and is much more prominent:
On arrival back at the tent Lisa was looking uncomfortable, hot and bothered. So I suggested we might be better heading out somewhere, which would allow a bit of reprieve in the air conditioning of the car. As we drove out the car was indicating a temperature of 32 degrees and it left muggy, so we headed not for a walk but the Bluff Knoll café for more reprieve from the furnace and where we could enjoy a cool drink and game. I have no idea how I managed it but on the way back I suggested a walk would be better than the ten, as there seemed to be a breeze picking up and Lisa agreed:
Above we drove past Mount Trio, as we recalled that walk as having of a long series of high steps and my memory told me Mount Hassel was the easiest of the main peaks. John had recounted to us how the fires had worked their way in a southerly direction up Mount Trio, then onto Mount Hassle and ended up on Mount Toolbrunup all of which could be clearly seen from the campsite. On our last trip here the vegetation would be thick and hard to walk through, this time the land was open and splattering’s of life was just starting to come back:
It’s hard to believe that any of the charred trees would ever come back, but many still felt supple indicating that live wood may still be inside. Lots of other trees didn’t fare so well and lay broken and blackened on the ground. The life that was returning was mainly ground over and only is small amounts so far, but the grass trees all seemed to be doing OK. Lisa however wasn’t do so well, my memory was obviously mistaken and the walk felt steep and hard or was it just the conditions:
The last section of the trail goes up a rocky pillar from where Mount Toolbrunup can be seen, as shown below. That was our favourite peak that we have walked up, but we also knew it was one of the more challenging ones. A good job we hadn’t aimed for that taller peak as Lisa wasn’t feeling this walk and didn’t follow me up the last section. The rocky scramble was just that bit too much. So I leapt onwards like a mountain goat while she sat on a large rock ledge on which the breeze coming up the valley provided some respite. Needless to say I didn’t hang round and was soon on my way down:
I kept a beady eye out for anything that looked different but there were no orchids to be seen, some flowers were coming through but not the variety that we would expect to see in spring time. The clear conditions did however allow us to spy the many variety of skinks that reside here and that included the King Skink, Common South West Ctenotus and South-Western Rock Skink, but sadly no snakes. The last skink being my favourite with its bright yellow band round the eye and bright yellow gills:
It was a slow walk back down, and even slower for Lisa who was suffering. I’ll be impressed if anyone can spot her bright yellow t-shirt in the following image. That said she did confess that it was probably better to have been out, as oppose to suffering in the tent getting even hotter. As we made our way back in the car while it was still toasty it felt like the temperature was finally dropping. By the time we had a cold beer while playing a game of pong, without needing to wait for anyone else to finish playing, life seemed to seep back into Lisa:
Being our anniversary we had bought a bottle of bubbly along, which helped wash down a simple but tasty meal of cheese, tapas and toasted flat breads. John and Margot joined us for a drink and we caught up. It is strange but whenever we catch up, which I have done a bit more often with climbing trips here, it never feels like it has been a long time. That is until we start mentioning how old the kids have gotten. They left us to it, as it started to drizzle, inviting us to pop over in the morning for a coffee:
Needless to say I was up and out early, we had organised to catch up with John and Margot at mid-morning allowing me another chance to have a slow walk round the trail to see what I might find. No new orchids this time, but I did enjoy watching the Currawongs feeding their young and also came across a couple of big roos. This time I knew it was me that should move away, and leave them in peace. I got back in the rain and made a cuppa for Lisa under the watchful eye of one of the resident magpies:
It was a cold and damp morning, the tops of all the peaks were shrouded in mist and the rain came and went. Two good things resulted from this weather, which would surely make Lisa happy. There were no flies and it was cool. As such it didn’t take too much for Lisa to feel motivated and we were soon both up having brekkie and playing another game of Yahtzee and crib. Arriving at John and Margot’s at 9:30, stepping in just as a delicious freshly baked banana cake came out of the oven. The next hour and half with them flew past, and then we went on our way:
Today we headed for Mount Trio, and we braced ourselves for the steps. Yesterday when we had got back Lisa had checked out the information board and it indicated that Mount Hassle was harder than Mount Trio and about an hour longer walk. Margot and I were not convinced by this, so the proof would be in the pudding. The same grim sight of a decimated landscape greeted us as we started up the track. The track had been completely burnt out, offering a chance to make the steps less gruelling. We were however told they had been built equally high:
Whether Margot or I were wrong or whether it was the cool conditions I will not say, but we both found the walk much easier. Even the steps didn’t feel as bad as we expected nor did they go for as long. Like yesterday the only greenery was the occasional ground cover, and the amount of flowers was very limited. Mount Trio is also known as the flower mountain, but it didn’t live up to its name this time. We soon hit the saddle and that meant the steep section was over and the rest of the hike was a gentle incline to the top:
We were greeted to cloud, there were no views to be seen but the rain and coldness of the clouds against our faces was really refreshing. It was amazing how contrasting yesterdays and todays conditions were. And based on the weather today we were already making plans for our next trip here to be earlier in spring time. Allowing for hopefully cooler weather and also more orchids for me to hunt while Lisa lays in bed reading. As we stood atop the peak the clouds started to lift, and then the closer peaks and eventually the entire Stirling Ranges came into view:
When spent a good amount of time on top taking it all in. Eventually we started back down and behind us the clouds started to roll back over the peak. This made it felt very special, and even more so as it felt like a present for us as we celebrated yet another anniversary. It was 21 years ago that Lisa and I first met. In the image below Mount Toolbrunup is in the background, and on our first trip here ten years back the three of us had walked first up Mount Trio and then the next day up Mount Toolbrunup:
Elseya had picked the second peak, on the basis that as we looked at it from the campsite it was in the clouds. We told her the clouds may not be there by the time we walked up it, but back then just like our experience today the clouds covered the peak as we arrived and lifted while we were up there. Now, as we caught up with John and Margot in the morning, he had hinted I might find an orchid or two atop Mount Trio and he was right. There were lots of Red Beak Orchids, they look a little bedraggled but were still a great find and checking out the guide it seems that blackened ends are normal:
Back down at the car I had to make a quick detour to check out “the Mount Trio boulder”, which has a number of great climbs. It comprises friable rock that loses a hold or two on probably every ascent. The intention wasn’t to climb but just to check it out and see if these sheltered spots had any more orchids. Unfortunately not, but I did find a bolt plate to add to my collection of climbing gear. Back at the camp it was that time again, beer and pong. Then we prepared another feast. It is amazing how the simplest of meals tastes so great when you’ve been outdoors all day:
More games were played as we ate under the watchful eye of a magpie sat above us. It was no doubt waiting for a momentary lack of concentration when you might leave your food unattended. We also came across a Bobtail otherwise known as a Bluetongue Lizard sneaking about looking for what morsels might have fallen to the ground. Afterwards Lisa went for a nana-nap while surprise, surprise I went for my last wander round the trail and various areas of the camp. Ever hopeful to find something new, and while that didn’t happen I did manage to find a second Dragon Orchid:
The clouds hung overhead, as the sun started to dip towards the horizon and for a brief moment it looked like there may have been an opening to allow the rays of the sun to light up the sky with red. That didn’t quite happen and before it got dark we started to pack the car leaving only the essentials in the tent for sorting in the morning. The forecast was for rain, rain and more rain overnight and into the next day, with the possibility of a thunderstorm. So we were being prepared and wanted to avoid too soggy a pack up:
As it was, at 5am when I got up, the rain had just started to ease off. This allowed us an opportunity to cram the last of the gear into the car and then pull down the wet tent and throw it into the back. We permitted ourselves time to make a cuppa for the road, and for the first morning on this trip we were the first in the kitchen. In and out before anyone else was about. Back on the road for the nearly four hour drive back home, it felt like we had been away for a week and felt refreshed. We are already looking forward to a return trip next year:
For those that have been following my posts you will know that Craig and I don’t bother with birthday presents, instead opting to take each other out for a climb. Craig jested that maybe I should find a climb that is the same grade as half my age, and I knew exactly what he was aiming at. KGB is a long roof system with a hard move to get over the lip, I’ve never even contemplated it and nor has it ever drawn my attention or even interested me. But it holds some strange fascination with Craig, and my response was climbing grades don’t go up in halves. So if you are keen you can work out how old I turned just last week:
It seems like it has been a long time since we have had more than three of us out for a climb at the same time. As this week progressed the number of interested people grew, and not due to my celebrations I might add as that was not divulged until today. Before anyone else turned up Craig and I arrived in another half an hour earlier than I did last week. In part because that is how Craig and I roll, but also because it was looking to be a bit warmer today. As I type this it is close to 28 degrees outside. Despite Craig’s best efforts to convince me that KGB would be worth a look I had already set my sights on other routes:
This resulted in me steering him to set off up the first pitch of Sirius, which would then get me access to upper wall where I intended to climb the second half of Delving Devoids. The lower half of Delving Devoids is 25, too much for me to contemplate, but the upper thin seam goes at 18 and is a gnarly trad lead with sparse gear and a long runout to test the nerves. There are not many people I would send up this seam on lead. Howsie and Rongy are two, as both of them like me love this stuff. Today for some reason I felt like I needed to test my nerve on what some might call the more sketchy trad lines:
It might be to give me the nerves to complete my long standing project at the Organ Pipes, I’ll need to get back there some day soon. Back to today and during the first two climbs the others turned up. And introducing in alphabetical order, so as not to upset anyone, we were joined by Alan, Andrew, Howsie, Jaime and Rongy. They had settled in at the Fat Chance Area with two top-rope setups on Out of Thin Air and Setting Sun. Now you may be thinking “pah” top-roping. But Alan is nursing most likely broken ribs, Andrew hasn’t climbing in way too long and Jaime has never lead climbed and in fact declared that she “has done very little climbing”:
So for Craig’s second lead he plumped for Tom Thumb direct, allowing us to be a bit social and catch up with everyone. He cruised up this line without breaking a sweat, and I subsequently followed up while the three stooges top-roped and Howsie and Rongy ducked round the corner. If you haven’t already guessed Howsie was eyeing up the grade 20 called Real Woman Accept It For What It Is, which beat him down last weekend. This time he was on fire, and by the time I had followed Craig up he was already up it and smiling from ear to ear. And rightly so as that’s another 20 he can tick off his list:
While there was much banter to be had, Craig and I snuck off for my second climb and in keeping with my first choice I went for A Pocket Full of Nothing. It might seem a weird name to give a climb but when I put it up I wanted to call it Hollow Promise but there is a climb with that name in the area already, so I chose Empty Pockets but the same applied for that too. Hence I gave up and went for this long and convoluted name. It has a sketchy, slightly overhung headwall and near the top of it you have to somehow stick to a big sloping pocket while fiddling with gear. I find it a really nervous position and this time I took a fall, but fortunately after fiddling the gear in. Going back down I got it clean with arms bursting:
The gang had moved a top-rope to allow a bit of traditional corner/chimney climbing up Fat Crack. I recall some chat about who had climbed it in proper trad style, but I will leave Alan (who bridged it) and Jaime (who back and footed it) to resolve that discussion. While the three top-ropers were playing on that, it seemed that Craig and Howsie were about to race each other up the Hope Buttress. Before the race could begin the others wandered over and Andrew was pouring cups of tea while Jaime was handing out thick slices of fruit loaf with lashings of butter, it felt like a proper tea party:
When the two leaders set off it was pretty obvious that Craig would win, due to being on Hope while Howsie was tackling his second grade 20 of the day, Faith. It seemed that they got close the top at the same time, but that is where Howsie slowed down. So much so that Craig was able to set up his belay and I was able to follow up. I found Howsie still pondering the blankness above. Eventually he went for the thin and delicate crux sequence, which is not obvious and if you falter for too long on the small crimps it’ll spit you off, as Howsie found out:
On his second attempt he was looking good until he realised that I was standing on his next fingertip sized crimp (above). It was politely pointed out to me by Craig, and once I moved my foot Howsie made use of it and then worked his way to the top looking pretty nervous the whole way. After he topped out, Craig and I set up another top-rope on Hope, for the threesome to play on as we left them once more to it to find gnarly trad route number three for me. Blubber Boy is a classic thin slab, and like the other routes is a tad runout this time above two micro-wires. Today it felt awesome every hold felt good, and I even stopped half way up holding on by my fingernails to take an image of yet another group walk past:
Today there were two organised groups out, one not so big but the other had a legion of orange helmeted troops. That along with a few other recreational climbers and of course us resulted in the place being covered with ropes. On our return to base camp and as the sun was making it’s way over the crag the top-rope on Hope was being pulled, and we were considering our options. It seemed that during this time Rongy and Howsie had slunk off and Rongy had bagged the Booze Bus, a route Howsie will need to lead in 2021 if he continues with his challenge, and better still Howsie had tried Faith for a second time and got it clean, top work indeed:
I had already thought of a climb for Craig to jump on, being Inner Space. There were several reasons for this not least that it is great climb, I know he really likes it, there was still shade and it was also one of the few areas without ropes hanging down the walls. I was interested to observe that while I may get a ribbing for not putting people on belay until they have got their first piece of gear in, as I went about my usual practise none of the motley crew even considered spotting Craig. Standing back far enough to avoid being hit by his body should he fall, and watching with an intensity that might have burned a hole in his back:
Halfway up Craig started to falter, above him was a long runout should he go direct that I knew he would want to. Indeed he went for it but then got spooked, as his arms were tiring and the next piece of gear wasn’t too his liking. Impressively he managed to down climb to the piece well below his feet, so as to avoid a lead fall. Rongy had already setting off up Waterfall Second Folly direct, with Howsie belaying so I took the floppy end and polished off Inner Space. Rongy and I belayed atop with Howsie and Craig coming up second, as the first dolphin sighting of the day occurred. I don’t think we will ever tire of sitting atop Wilyabrup looking out to sea, regardless of whether there are dolphins, whale or even waves to be seen:
Now another reason I was so keen to get Craig to climb Inner Space was due to Jaime, who “has done very little climbing”, having walked up the four routes on which a top-ropes had been set. This included a couple of tricky crux sequences that she just seemed to cruise past. Inner Space did make her falter a couple of times, but again there was nothing that really seemed to put her off her stride. So today, while both Alan and Andrew have very valid reasons for not climbing as smoothly as they once did, it did feel like Jaime was showing them the ropes. That said with climbing some days you are on form and other days it just doesn’t click, but regardless of that just being out there is reward enough:
I’ve been told off once or twice before when I have included an image of something that some people have been less than comfortable with seeing without prior notice. So this is an upfront warning that there is a bug or two in this one, including one of our eight legged friends. Yesterday I handed Lisa our book on local walks and suggested she might like to pick one, so it was we headed out today for a circular walk at Blackboy Hollow near Prevelly. The book is aptly called “Walking Round in Circles”, however on arrival we discovered that part of the Cape to Cape trail that we were supposed to use had been redirected only just recently in August this year:
As such we couldn’t complete the intended circuit, but not put off we instead followed the realigned Cape to Cape trail with the intention of walking there and back instead of in circles. Early on Lisa spotted a beautiful four foot Carpet Python crossing the sandy track. I was too busy looking in the adjacent bush scouring for orchids to see it, but she promptly told to me to stop in my tracks and just in time so as not to frighten it away. While it would have been possible for this python to give me a nip, it is harmless so I was never worried. Both the snake and we stayed there motionless, we watched it until it quite literally decided to do a U-turn and head back into the undergrowth:
It was a cracker of a way to start the walk, and so now my eyes were tuned into not just orchids but also anything that moved. The next large creature we came across was a pair of Red Tailed Black Cockatoos, happily munging away on the gum nuts. Below is an image of the female, which you can easily determine due to the speckled white pattern on the head, abdomen and upper part of the wings. The male, which was also clearly visible on another tree being all black. If you are keen, you may like to try to spot some of the differences between this and the similar Long Billed Black Cockatoo, other than the tail feather colour, by flicking back to my post Fire and Water. For example the white patch over the ear-coverts for the latter:
While the focus started out on orchids for me I was also taken by the stunning banksia flowers. So far on our walks we have only seen the dried up cones after they have flowered and while very cool to see as this image shows, they are even more impressive when in flower. This is the Bull Banksia, with one of the largest flowers and as such called Banksia Grandis. Sadly many of these trees lay fallen, presumably having being struck down by phytophthora dieback. Spread by us people trudging our way along this trails:
As we went on our way we spotted many of the seemingly ever present Cowslip Orchids. We also spied a number of other repeat finds including Purple Enamel, Donkey and a variety of different coloured Scented Sun Orchids. These were not in the same great numbers that the Cowslips Orchids could be found and in fact we only saw a couple or even one of each. The other repeat find was the Forest Mantis Orchid (below), which we saw quite a few of during our walk. The reason for including it this image was not just so I could have an orchid image in this post, but due to the insect that I spotted:
If you check out my post from a few weeks back called Flower Power, which set off this great Orchid hunt, you will find an image of a Cowslip Orchid with a few bugs on it. There is a beetle with its head buried in the flower having a feed and some much larger bugs. Well this find is the same as those bigger ones. It is called an Assassin Bug and in that previous post they were attempting to catch the beetle, which they didn’t manage to do. Narrowing it down further I believe this is a Kissing Bug, sometimes called a Vampire Bug, as it uses its long rostrum to pierce its prey to suck out blood. You can see the rostrum folded back underneath it’s head:
Due to the rerouting of the Cape to Cape trail the section of the circuit that was supposed to have the ocean vistas was not accessible, which was a bit of a bummer. While seeing all of the wonders on offer was amazing, we both also enjoy coming round the corner to be greeted by a great expansive view out to the beyond. As it was due to deciding to go there and back again, we picked a number of steps and when Lisa’s Fitbit indicated we had reached our target we stopped for a snack. At least at this point we got to see a bit of the ocean:
Like the magnificent Carpet Python it was our turn to do a U-turn, and head back from where we came. While we saw heaps of them on the way out I’ve included this particularly lovely clump of Swan River Daisies that we spotted on the return leg. This is in part as Lisa really liked them, but also just because they are so bright and cheerful looking. Unlike so many of the native flowers over here, these plants reminded the early European settlers of the flowers from their homelands. As such they have become a popular garden plant:
In the background of the image above you might spot some of the yellow-brown pea flowers, which are commonly referred to as Egg and Bacon. There are loads of different types of these flowers, and they are all very striking with their neat symmetrical shape and very clean cut lines and colours. Now, Lisa will often remark that it is not a bad thing to return the same way as you came, as you tend to spot things that you would otherwise have not seen. This was very true and we spotted more and more Forest Mantis Orchid, as well as the only Donkey Orchid we could find:
As I was carefully getting into position to check the Donkey Orchid, which ended up being the same Common Donkey Orchid we have seen on several other walks, I spied something that looked quite different. It looked like a sun orchid, so named as they only fully open in bright sunlight, but from the solitary flower that was open it was obvious this was not one we had seen before. While it is a member of the sun orchid species, we had stumbled across a very cool looking Leopard Orchid. Needless to say this made me even happier than I already was:
As a result of the diversion sadly much of the walk followed firebreaks. While this meant we could walk side by side, there is something nice about following a narrow trail that weaves through the vegetation, resulting in the sight that you may see round every turn and twist being unknown. Still it was a lovely day to be out and we had seen a heaps of great finds. We even got to have a bit of a vista towards the end as we descended back down into the gully valley to return to the car:
Seeing I made reference to an eight legged friend, I had better include it in this write up. I told you in the post about our last walk about (Fire and Water) how I have joined QuestaGame. This has made me curious to find things that I can put on the App to test the experts, who verify your finds. It is through information I got via this App that I was able to confidently name the Assassin Bug, but I am guessing and quietly confident about it being a Kissing Bug. It will be interesting to see if the experts can help me identify this spider:
With only a few months left this year Howsie was in need of a boost to keep his 2020 challenge on track, so we headed down to Wilyabrup to allow him to tick off a couple more 20s from his list. And as predicted last week the starts are getting earlier, as he suggested meeting in Capel at 5am. We arrived, not surprisingly, to an empty car park and found a bunch of track markers and signs. A running event was to start at 7am, at Hamelin Bay and finish at the Cheeky Monkey Brewery not too far from Wilyabrup. A whopping 80km! I wonder if Alan or any of his mates were aware of it and entering:
Today the focus was on supporting Howsie and we had already set out a plan of attack, mapping out what routes we would tackle and in which order. Most of the climbing was to be at the Inner Space wall, and we decided that a couple of warm up climbs would be sensible to make sure he was both mentally and physically ready for his first grade 20. This wall, while not as tall as the other areas at Wilyabrup has a bunch of very fine routes. We started with Inner Space. The rock felt good and we were both moving well, so I was feeling optimistic:
Today the swell was down considerably from last weekend and the ocean looked like it was starting to clear up, a good sign for snorkelling. We also kept an eye on the water just in case there were any dolphins or whales, which resulted in us hanging about at the top of each climb a little longer. After Inner Space, that helped get Howsie’s head into leading and also prepare him to keep a calm mind when there was a need to run it out between protection, I jumped on Totally Awesome. Bumping the grade up a couple of notches, this one is a bit more sustained, fingery and technical. For those with local knowledge we also threw in the direct start to add a bit more spice:
Now as a bit of aside note, about a month and a half back Howsie was playing dinosaurs with his sons. As all good dad and son games go it sounds like it got a little fast and furious, resulting in Howsie smashing his little toe on the kitchen table leg. His toe is still a bit swollen and sore but climbers are generally a hardy and determined sort, so that wasn’t stopping him today. To ensure Howsie had the best chance of bagging the grade 20s we took our time between climbs to allow some recovery, but not so much as to cool down. This allowed time for the climbing shoes to come off between routes to give all of our toes a bit of a rest:
Midwall Crisis was the next route, the first grade 20. It’s a route he had attempted two months back, before the toe bashing incident, when we came out with Rongy and it spat him off on each attempt. This was due to his dilly-dallying on the airy traverse, pondering and stressing over the protection with his feet on smears and flat top handholds that somehow never feel that positive. As such there was some trepidation in the air as he set off. But once he set off there was none of that indecisiveness, and that added to the notes he had made on his last attempts about what gear goes where (yes he is taking the 2020 challenge pretty seriously) resulted in him cruising up it:
The itinerary had been set such that the next climb would be just enough to keep the body moving but not so hard as to drain it of any remaining strength. So it was that I led up Waterfall Second Folly Direct Start. With the nervy and pumpy start below me, a group of 15 to 20 climbers wandered past. It transpired that the Climbing Association of Western Australia (CAWA) was running a bit of a trad leading course. We came back down and it seemed like we still had the place to ourselves, due to the course thankfully being run at the far end of the crag. This allowed Howsie to psych himself up for Real Woman Accept it for What It Is:
Howsie hadn’t led this route before, but had been up it on second. After much mental preparation he set off and was looking good until half height. His elbows started to come away from the wall and he was looking stiff and awkward, a sure sign that his arms were getting pumped. He fell off and in the process tested a rust old piton that is likely to be 35 years old. We stopped for a snack and drink break to allow his arms to settle down before trying again. On the second and then third attempt he got higher but each time fell off. Maybe to retest that old piton or was it just that his arms were toast. He conceded the latter so I led up the route, allowing him to follow me, work the moves and assist in his note taking to ensure he is ready to send it when we come back:
The last route of the day was going to be Fishing With Dynamite, with packs so we didn’t have to hike out with them. But it seemed that this might have been asking a bit much of what remained of Howsie’s arms, so we plumped for The Unbolted and the Beautiful for some more trad action. And needless to say without the packs. As we wandered across to the Dolphin Smiles wall we came across Mark with a few climber and had a bit of a catch-up. We then immersed ourselves amongst the throngs of CAWA climbers on the course, who were wandering round the base of the crag learning about the tricks of placing gear:
It seemed apt that from the top of the Dolphin Smiles wall I spied a large pod of dolphins cruising about, Howsie stopped for a while on the route to check them out. As he carried on upwards I continued to enjoy watching them bob about. Howsie confessed that the route was just enough and anything harder would have been too much. A sure sign that it was time to call it a day, so we watched the dolphins a while before heading down. When we did we came across a huge group of 40 plus teenagers on an adventure camp. They were teaming all over the upper tier and dropping down abseil lines over the Inner Space wall like an invading army. It seems we were wrapping up our session just in the nick of time:
Walking out a group of 10 or so boulders looking a bit like hermit crabs, as they were hauling their pads, were making their way in. As yet there was no sign of any runners on the track out, and what with the bite of the sun now high in the sky we wondered how they would fare on the gruelling 80km course. It seemed that the carpark had been extended up the gravel road, and as we drove out another three cars came in. It was going to be a very busy afternoon at Wilyabrup. While Howsie had not managed to bag the two 20s it was a great morning out and the early start proved worthwhile once more in allowing us to avoid the busy period at the crag. So if you are aiming to get out with me over summer be prepared to need to set your alarm clock nice an early:
With one day left before Lisa and I head back to work, after a great relaxing two weeks off, Craig and I headed out for a climb. I groaned a bit when he suggested a 5:30 pickup time at his house, and dreading the drive out in the dark I was a little surprised that it was already light when I got up. The sun was well and truly up when we rolled into the carpark, and I can foresee the start times only getting earlier and earlier for the next few months:
Both Craig and I had managed about five hours sleep the night before, so we were both a bit slow to start and spent time walking up and down the crag trying to decide what we should climb. It was going to be one of those days when the brain doesn’t want to make any decisions, and just have someone else make them for us. Problem was we were both wanting that. In fact I was feeling so lazy that I didn’t take any images of us climbing, and the camera only came out four times:
The first was the carpark shot because the sunlight streaming through the trees looked so cool and the second was as Craig was getting ready to lead his first route, and only then because we spotted a couple of whales cruising past. Due to the lack of images of the day I have gone through my archives and thrown a few images in that I feel show the experience that each of our chosen routes provided. I started on Golden Buttress and above Rongy is making the nervous moves up the super exposed hanging arête, with the closest gear well below his feet:
It was a muggy start to the day, and that combined with the lack of sleep made the route feel harder than it should have. I was dripping in sweat at the top, wondering how the rest of the session would go. Before we headed back down we looked out at just the right time to spot a big pod of dolphins, some thirty plus, surfing in on the clean and clear waves in great numbers. They jumped out the waves and waited for the next wave, next wave and next wave. It was a great spectacle but sadly my camera was at the base of the crag still in my pack:
Finally after stopping at the top of my route and then at the bottom of Craig’s, he jumped on Hitching. Trad was the order of the day and we were after routes that gave that real trad style climbing. This one has a great technical and thin runout section, which Steve is showing us above how to avoid. Craig however likes these situations and kept a cool head sticking to the arête. As he was setting up his belay the camera came out for the third time, to try and get a good shot of the Bull Ants carry our materials from a new nest they were building:
When Craig and I were organising this trip I hinted that either Willyabrup or Moses would be good. But then suggested that maybe Mob Job was calling us, which Kym is climbing below. When we first arrived we inspected it and it was looking wet. But a plan is a plan, and despite feeling tired I jumped on lead. This three dimensional climb requires muscles that some will have forgotten exist. It was a huge battle and felt pretty sketchy in places. Digging deep I managed a clean ascent, finishing with Popeye forearms that were complaining intensely:
Craig led up the second pitch, of which I have no images of anyone climbing it other than Craig from earlier this year. So instead we will jump to the fifth route of the day, which Dan is displaying below. This is starting to sounds like a swimwear ad! I’m not sure what possessed me to climb Stainless Steel, however I suspect it may have been Craig hinting that he really enjoys this climb as we were walking in. Again it was a slow plod with ever tiring arms on a steep technical line that never seems to relent. I’m not really sure how I held on for the entire route:
Below the final capping roof I was nervous, it used to stump me. As I launched up it the first holds felt good and I just kept talking to myself that I have previously and can climb it cleanly, and this seemed to work. Craig was toast after that climb. I had hinted he should finish on Verbosity, to which I can hear those that know the climb groan. But he decided to be sensible and instead we climbed out up Hope, with our packs. A less mentally demanding climb, but one that is consistent and fun. Craig managed a safe ascent but like me was done for the day:
The camera came out for the fourth and final time as we packed up, below. We could feel the bite of the sun and it felt hot on the walk out, however we were not lucky enough to come across any Carpet Pythons on Hope today. This was fine as we were content with the surfing dolphins and whales we had seen. Car to car we were out for six hours, so we really had taken our time to bag what I would regard as six great trad pitches. We hadn’t even stopped to drink a cuppa during the session, but did fill the cups up for the walk out:
Over this last couple of weeks I have inundated you with posts, however both Lisa and I will be back at work next week. That means there will be less time for adventures and of course less posts coming through. Being the last weekend of our holidays we headed back to Wellington National Park, with the intention of walking the Kurliiny Tjenangitj Trail. This trail includes a bit of the track along the Colie River and then veers off up the granite hills for some specky lookouts before looping back to the riverside track:
As it was the lookout loop section of the walk was closed, as well as the trail we had done last week. Despite it being school holidays, a weekend, glorious weather and every campsite in the park booked some clever person decided to close some of the trails and do a controlled burn. We did however have a backup plan and that was to take the Jabitj Trail, which followed the Collie River upstream all the way to the café near where I usually climb. As you can see we were immediately greeted with some stunning flowers:
The first two images are of Scented Sun Orchids, which can come in a variety of colours. I’ve had to do some investigative work for this post and can say that what makes me sure of these is that unlike the Blue Lady Orchid the petals are less rounded and more pointy shaped. Continuing on our walk Lisa somehow spotted these two skinks hidden behind a small shrub. We watched them for a while, one can be seen biting the other and they ended up coiled together in a tight knot and we assuming they were mating:
The trail followed the Collie River, but didn’t run right along the water’s edge. It instead wove along the bank through tall trees in the gullies and then over open rocky areas, as it went over the ridges that dipped from the top of the valley down to the river. The gurgling sound of the river as it cascaded down the rocky channel came and went, as we moved further and closer to the channel and also at times being masked by the vegetation:
Despite a late start, having left the car at 11:30, and it being predicted to be a warm 23 degrees the shade of the trees made it a lovely temperature to be walking in. While the images may not show it there were flowers all over, and the next find was what I think may be a Beautiful Donkey Orchid. I have to admit to struggling with this one, and have come to this conclusion due to the mauve-tinged labellum:
It is also different to the Common Donkey Orchid, as you will see later on. Below is the first open section we came across and the ground and lower storey shrubs were littered with flowers. We spied a Splendid Fairy Wren in the shrubs, but these little birds rarely stay still so we just enjoyed seeing it briefly before it went on its way. Out of the shade you could feel the bite of the sun, a warning that summer is on its way:
Regardless of that bite went spent a bit of time checking out all the flowers in this area, and of course I managed to find yet another beetle to photograph. I have joined QuestaGame, a global web based platform on which you can post any flora or fauna findings and other people using the system can help identify them for you. This is one of the ways that Howsie has helped me before, so now I will be popping some of my better finds that have me foxed to see if I can get an answer:
In addition to the Splendid Fairy Wren we saw the usual suspects including Willie Wagtails, Fantails, and both the Long Billed (below) and Red Tailed Black Cockatoos. Most kept their distance and could be heard but were hidden from sight in the tall trees, but this one was quite low down allowing us to get a really good look. It was hard to know whether to look up or down, and on this trail it seemed whichever we chose there was so much to see:
The great flower, or more precisely orchid, hunt was what really drew my attention. And as such I was super excited when I found a small patch of these very dainty Rabbit Orchids. It is also possible to find Bunny Orchids and Hare Orchids, and I first thought that I had found the latter. It was not until checking the various guides at home that I learnt more about the three very different types, so there is no mistaking that this one was a Rabbit Orchid:
Lisa was also getting into it spending time to get that perfect picture and marvelling at all the finds. We were maybe going a little over the top with her phone camera (which is actually pretty damn good), my little point and shoot, as well as the big SLR. But when I get home I need a range of images to check all the fine details of each flower, including their stems and leafs. Without that level of inspection it can be near impossible to narrow down what we have actually seen:
I’ve got a field guide for orchids, which is now a bit outdated but still acts a good first check. Glen has put me onto a more contemporary and comprehensive web based guide that has loads of images that allow me to compare what we have seen. Below was the solitary Little Pink Fan Orchid we discovered. We also came across just one of these last time we came to the area, and I couldn’t resist including this image just because I feel these are very beautiful. The compressed image in this post may not show it clearly, but the outside of the petals and sepals are covered in fine hairs:
Using this new resource that Glen sourced, I reckon that the next find was a Twisted Sun Orchid. The colour made me think of a sun orchids, of which there are a few variety. While it is hard to see, due to the glare in the image, it has a slight purple colouration at the rear and top of the column, the bit in the middle of the petals and sepals. While only just visible in this image, in other sun orchids this colouration is far more pronounced with a couple of prolonged purple antenna visible:
Below is the Common Donkey Orchid, another one that we saw on the last walk in the area. If you flick between this image and that of what I believe to be the Beautiful Donkey Orchid you should see the differences I pointed out, i.e. the mauve-tinged labellum (which is also slightly differently shaped). We came across a couple more repeat finds including stacks of Cowslip Orchids and one Purple Enamel, which made Lisa happy.
It was a bumper find of orchids on this walk, but there was still one more that we found. I could immediately tell this was a little different, and due to the stripes on the side of the fringe I was thinking it may be a zebra/spider cross. But it is in fact a Leaping Spider Orchid, and I can be sure of this not only due to the petal and sepal configurations and distinct wide and plainly coloured sepals, but also the densely packed black calli on the apex of the labellum. The bit that looks like caviar:
We had seen all of these amazing flowers and other fauna in the first three kilometres of the walk. By now Lisa was getting peckish so we found a spot where the path got close to the river and found a boulder to perch on for a snack. While my trick photography makes it look like we had the place to ourselves, that was not the case. There were a number of others out walking on the trail, and at this spot a bunch of people who had parked on the other side of the river were picnicking:
That was the busiest spot that we came across, so I was pleased to leave it and carry on with the walk. From here the track got more rocky with more outcrops and a few steeper inclines and declines, but nothing too serious. We seemed to go a bit faster on this stretch and it wasn’t too long before we could see Wellington Dam. The trail ends at the café, which we were not interested in going too. So rather than hoick up the final hill just to turn back we carried on until we got close to the base of the dam before starting the return trip:
As we spun round and checked out the trail in reverse we could see the plume of smoke lifting from where they had decided to undertake a controlled burn. This changed the afternoon light and we could on occasion smell the smoke. Part way back we came across a couple of ladies who had taken a different walk trail from the café, and almost without warning walked into where the controlled burns were being undertaken. It seems that not only was the timing probably not all that sensible, but the warning signs were not adequately put out:
We didn’t hang about anywhere near as much going back, no snack breaks and only stopping if we saw something really worthwhile. Before we knew it we were on the homerun with another 10km wander under our belt and a heap more orchids found. I do wonder how many orchids were out there that we didn’t spot. I guess that is all the more reason to come back for another looksee, but maybe when they have finished with their controlled burns and opened up Kurliiny Tjenangitj Trail:
Today Lisa was feeling much better but we didn’t head up to the forests, instead the poodles got a well-deserved beach walk. During term time they get walked practically every day, but this holiday their walks have been less frequent. So they were hankering to get down for a run. Walking down towards the beach the water looked strange, huge glassy patches could be seen in-between the more expected slightly rippled surfaces:
We decided to wander southwest, due to the crowds that were milling about in the other direction. That way the poodles could stay off the lead without us worrying about who they might start to worry. I’ll be honest and say that beach walking, along the flat and mostly featureless coast that is on our doorstep, is not all that exciting. Lisa loves the sound of the ocean and just seeing the water but I like vistas, plants and animals in case you hadn’t noticed:
We were however lucky to come across a pair of White Bellied Sea Eagles, they were far off but we spied them in time to stop the poodles haring after them. Watching them take off was pretty cool, it was just a shame that they headed away from us otherwise I would have included that image. Lisa used to, and maybe still does, stress a little that they might see the poodles as a tasty treat and carry them away:
After a while I started wandering closer the dunes, looking at the plants and hoping to spot a reptile. But there was no such luck, I even ducked inland a short way to check out the above freshwater lagoon. Closer to the water’s edge it was probably tiger snake heaven, and being bare foot I decided to keep a safe distance. Somehow Lisa managed to convince the poodles to stay with her on the beach as I went on my little detour:
After approximately three to four kilometres we stopped to give the poodles a drink before turning round to head back. There are no rocky headlands on this coastline and the dunes behind the beach are open to the full fury of the wilder storms. Monitoring has shown that they are slowly being eroded away, at a greater rate in some parts than others, and the long term threat from sea level rise is pretty real here. For now however we will continue to enjoy what we have got:
The only other birds we spotted were Cormorants. We saw them flying over the ocean, bobbing about on the water, and the above three were drying out their wings on the beach after diving down for a feed. Some species of Cormorants have been recorded as diving up to 45m, using both their feet and wings to propel them down to those murky depths. Here the water is no deeper than 6m for a long way out, making it ideal for me when I go snorkelling:
On our return there were still lots (for our beach) of people. They had not come down for the usual swim, body board or fish, instead they came to check out the whale carcass. It was spotted early yesterday morning, and has since then been slowly drifting to shore. A number of large sharks have been seen gorging on the blubber, from which the oil that was being released was what was giving the water that glassy look I mentioned before:
Back home we could hear more regular vehicle traffic than normal, with an occasional plane and helicopter also made an appearance. So after two to three hours I snuck over the dunes to have a look to see what was going on. The carcass was rolling back and forth on the shoreline. People were getting up close to have a picture taken, as the shark spotter helicopter flew up and down the coast. One good thing that has come out of this is that the sharks have had a good feed, which will keep them content for a while, and I’ve heard they have also been able to tag a few of them:
Sandbagged 