Bass Strait Updates

Trip Notes for 27 February 2006

Rest day in Whitemark (Flinders Island): Mt Strzelecki

Kevin, Bruce, and Claudia before the climb

Modern navigation - looking back at Frankling Sound

Wide panorama shot from the top

Rest Day (at least in terms of paddling). We get a rental car from Gerrard. Local dive master Mike shows up to tell us all about currents in the bays north of us, and recommends a camp site at Emita with fresh water tanks. After a very civilised morning tea in the local coffee shop (wallaby pie in red wine sauce) and cold drinks, we drive to the mountain range. We had taken all valuables along so that they are not left unattended in the tents — but the car doesn't lock its tailgate, for theft protection we reverse the car onto a pole ;-)

We climb Mount Strzelecki. With 775m this is a serious mountain. Why are we doing this on a rest day?!? Adrian bangs his head badly onto a rock at 612m, we are lucky that he seems to recover okay. The view from the top of the mountain back over Banks Strait and Clarke and Lady Barren Islands is rewarding. Tasmania not visible in the haze. At the end of the day we all suffer from sore legs (is this a kayaking trip?). Drive to Lady Barron where Kevin doesn't recognise the shop as a shop and almost drives past. Restock on methol and delicious fresh oranges.

We meet the three people we saw on top of Strzelecki again in Whitemark, and again in the pub where we share a table. I enjoy my Marinated Wallaby Flinders Island Style with a cold beer. Our new acquaintances tell us about a Mutton Bird Rookery at Settlement Point. We drive there just after sunset. Thousands of wallabies and hopparoos on the roads! Watch the roosting muttonbirds come home to their nests after a long day on the water.

Text message from Claudia

On top of Strzelecki. Enjoying the view. Why are we doing this on a rest day? The town has coffee & pie, no public showers. Greetings, A, B, C, K