Today was easily the most full of adventure of any day on this trip.
We started from our peaceful anchorage at Clayton's Corner, cruising through Bathurst Harbour and then the Narrows to the Breaksea Islands and into the Southern Ocean. Turning South we headed into Noyhener Bay to investigate access to the beach, the swell already approaching four metres, the decision was made to land – a very thrilling trip in the zodiac through the enormous breaking surf.
With everyone safely on the beach the clean up began in earnest, spending five hours at the task before there was an urgency to return to the boats as the weather worsened. Dave Wyatt of the Velocity made four daring journeys through the surf to pick up the bags of rubbish and a handful of the crew before it became too dangerous to continue. The remaining twelve of us decided to walk two hours all the way back to Spain Bay in Port Davey were it would be safe to land the dinghy.
The walk was an adventure in itself, the key was to find to find a safe route between Noyhener and Stephens beach, to do this we had to walk through a billabong which felt like we were in Lord of the rings. After that we traversed beautiful Stephens beach meeting Bob Brown along the way.
Once all of us were aboard the Velocity we commenced the sorting and counting of the days work, then cruised back out into the ocean and headed South again toward South West Cape, then around and on to New Harbour where the other three boats were awaiting. It was an exhilarating run in four metre swells with wheeling albatross, short tailed shearwaters, fairy prions feeding and seeming to revel in the rough weather.
We arrived at last light to anchor with the other boats, all of us cold and tired from the long and eventful day, and pleased to find dinner prepared for us and ready to eat immediately on our arrival.
A great day of beach cleaning mixed with adventure. Cox's bight tomorrow!
By Phillip
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