Day 9: Granite Beach to South Cape Rivulet
Misty views, steep climbs through lush forest and mud, mud, mud!
Evening light at South Cape Rivulet
Today’s hike traverse beautiful coastal heath, magnificent gnarled and mossy rainforest, and the campsite at the end of the day is a complete delight. It is also one of the most demanding days of the entire track, with a long steep climb out of Granite Beach, followed by numerous small ups and downs to create a cumulative elevation gain of 730m (2,400ft). I found it tougher than the Ironbounds due to the continual deep and extensive mud, along with deadfall timber on the descent. Luckily and as always, there are marvellous views on offer, though on the rainy day we hike, many of them are shrouded in mist.
From Granite Beach you hike over the South Cape Range through forest before a long descent to South Cape Rivulet. There are few creeks, so carry water from Granite Beach for the whole day. The intermediate campsites are uninspiring: if you are leaving from Granite Beach, plan to finish at South Cape Rivulet.
How to Make Today Easier
Your best bet as always is simply to start early. You may need to wait for low tide at South Cape Rivulet, so give yourself plenty of time and daylight. If you are carrying extra food you can split the day but, as mentioned previously, Track Cutter’s Camp is currently not particularly inviting.
Walk with Us:
Flat trail initially – very initially! – through more of that forest. It is wonderfully lush with gahnia and ferns.
Potato Orchid, Gastrodia sesamoides, has no chlorophyll and is reliant on soil microflora.
Brilliant and aptly named Flame Fungus (Clavulinopsis sulcata)
Wow, just look at those trees! The ambience is prehistoric.
A bit of mud, but not too bad yet.
And FRP (fibreglass reinforced plastic) boardwalk. This stuff is butt ugly but long-lasting.
You emerge onto a bit of a saddle for a breather, with different vegetation.
Stopping for a rest and a snack. The climb is demanding!
It's raining but only lightly, and there's no wind. When you have good rainwear, you'll be unfazed by a bit of water.
Into beaut coastal heath on Flat Rock Plain. The views from here would be amazing on a sunny day, but now we have only intriguing glimpses!
Into the forest.
It's beautiful, but there are a lot of leeches, which are the one critter that I'm embarrassingly squealy about; I'm actually a little afraid of them, an irrational fear that has not yet been mastered. Geoff doesn't love them either.
We therefore carry a pump-pack of Bushman's which is 20% DEET (rather than the sledgehammer 80% version, with similar effectiveness but which lasts for 12 hours rather than seven) and have sprayed/applied it to our socks around the ankles, the backs of our hands, and around our wrists and neck to deter them. Some people also apply repellant to their waist near the band of their pants, another common entry point. We only brought a half-full pack, about 60ml, because a little goes a long way.
You have to be careful with DEET because it damages plastic and synthetics; eucalyptus, teatree and citronella oils are alternatives for those who prefer natural products. Natural products can be quite effective but may need to be applied more often.
The forest is dripping with mosses, ferns and rain— it's really quite lovely and otherworldly —- but you have to watch your feet because the tree roots are extremely slippery when wet.
For a detailed overview of track conditions, click here for more pictures
So much mud! This is also the section where you are likely to take a step onto what looks like wet track, only to discover it is knee-deep bog!
Still plenty to see for plant enthusiasts: a miniature jungle of mosses and lichens (here, pale grey coral lichen Pulchrocladia repitora) on every available surface.
Here is the big advantage of a well-sized pack. Note that there are no bits dangling all over the outside to get snagged!
This is a 70L Archaul and, although Geoff can fit everything into a 60L pack, the extra height means that this slightly bigger size remains narrower for the same volume and for a minuscule weight penalty. The empty pack is just 600g (21.2oz) and Geoff has carried up to 18 kg (40lb) with comfort (16kg/35.3lbs is his starting pack weight on a long hike like this). If you're still lugging your ancient 3.5kg (7.7lbs) canvas pack, consider some of the cottage companies like Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Zpacks, Durston Gear, Atom Packs and more. If you're lightweight rather than ultralight like Geoff and me, a framed pack like ours may suit you better.
Track Cutters Camp.
In January, you will likely see numerous white petals sprinkled on the ground like confetti. They are from the Leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida).
Are we there yet? The climb has been demanding, but here we are on a crest and it has briefly stopped raining. On clear days, you would have marvellous views from here, but it is socked in today.
I'm eating a Sesame Snap, one of our favourite high-calorie snacks. A snack is a great way to re-set your mood!
Through the mist, views of the coast at last!
And back into more gentle terrain. It is exuberantly lush.
South Cape Rivulet. Nearly there!
When you reach South Cape Rivulet, sit on a rock to watch the waves for ten to fifteen minutes, even in apparently benign conditions like today. Surprise waves can sweep you off your feet, scraping you along the bottom and not only drenching you but filling your clothes with sand, as happened to a hiker in one trip report we read.
After such a wet day, it’s a good idea to check for leeches too. I find one in the webbing between my fingers and, when Geoff takes off his jacket, there are half a dozen or more stuck to the inside of his rain jacket at the back. Strangely, none have actually taken a drink, perhaps because he is so stinky and sweaty that none have dared venture a taste! Blechhh! Conversely, the back of my jacket is soaked with blood at the bottom, but the culprit is nowhere to be seen.
In the past, we've sprinkled salt on leeches, but this isn't recommended as the stress causes them to regurgitate into you, with the potential of infection and/or allergic reactions. Pulling them off can leave mouthparts behind with the same result. Instead, the two recommended methods are
1. to leave them to drink their fill and drop off — not an option for Geoff and me, we are too squeamish — or
2. to slowly slide a thin object such as the back of a pocket knife, a credit card or your fingernail under the leech until it lets go.
De-leeched and crossing the rivulet, with dark clouds on the horizon.
You'll find sheltered campsites under the trees, but also nice ones on the edge of the rivulet, ideal for mild conditions like today.
Cooking up a storm whilst dodging more leeches, possibly ones we've just carried in.
It's a beautiful campsite for our last night on the track, quite busy with hikers and families on an overnight out and return from Cockle Creek. I have found the day demanding because of all the deep mud, but tomorrow is much easier, with different terrain and the weather forecast to clear, promising spectacular views. Time to eat our last dinner on the beach and to enjoy the sunset!
We acknowledge the Tasmanian Aboriginal people and their enduring custodianship of lutruwita (Tasmania).
