Wild Weather
07 April 2011 | Port Davey and the Bathurst Channel
Paul
We have been in Port Davey and the Bathurst Channel and Harbour area for a week and a half now and have all extremes of weather. The first few days we had here were pretty poor. We spent a few days moored up to a research boat (unmanned) at the head of Melaleuca Inlet near where old Denny King had his place. There is an airstrip there - no facilities whatsoever of course. There are a couple of huts (that Denny built many years ago) for the walkers that pass through on the South Coast track. A hut for Parks and Wildlife workers, an abandoned tin mine and that's about it.
The weather was so bad that over 3 days we only had 4 hours to look around. Gale force winds, raining and very cold. One day we didn't even leave the boat ! However, the weather has improved and we believe we have come pretty close to doing this place justice. We have had many dingy explorations up rivers and climbed three peaks : one on each end of the waterway and Mt Rugby in the middle. We did that today.
Looking at the weather over the last week we thought today would be the day to do it and ....it was just perfect. It was so still on the top of Mt Rugby we could have kept a candle alight, unbelievable. The climb was very difficult as the terrain never really dries out so we slogged our way to the top in slippery, sludgy mud. But it was worth it. We will post some photos when we can - it was like being on the top of the world.