- Start date: 28 September 2018
- Age When Completed: 67
- Direction Walked: Sectional
General Comments
Fell on Mount Cooke on 7th Oct 2018. Manage to walk as far as North Bannister, where my wife rescued me. Turns out I had broken my ankle & leg just below the knee. Took a while to heal.
Food/Supplies Comments
Dropped off care package in North Bannister, Dwellingup & Collie, which I had to collect by car due to above! Second attempt, dropped off food package at Northcliffe only. Resupplied in Balingup, DRV, Pemberton, Walpole & Denmark.
Favourite Section
The puddle section between Northcliffe & Walpole. Spent 8 days with wet feet, got rained on in a torrential thunderstorm in the Coastal Heath-land just out of Mandalay Beach on top of the cliffs. Very loud, with bright lightening. Arrived in Long Point absolutely soaked. Had all seven campsites to myself on this section.
Highlights
Walking with a broken ankle/leg is not to be recommended. The wild flowers especially orchids were amazing, as were the Emus, kangaroos, wild boars & the snakes, just dozens of snakes.
Personal Reactions
Didn’t think I would enjoy the solitude but after spending 6 nights on my own between White Horse & Collie back in May, & then 16 nights alone between Collie & Albany I really got used to it & enjoyed it immensely.
Wildlife
Emus, kangaroos, wild boars, bush rats, snakes mainly Tiger snakes, mozzies, flies, birds, parrots of every shape, noise and colour.
Your Best Equipment
Zpacks Arc Haul pack, Duplex tent, -1 Deg C classic sleeping bag, all so light & made the last section Collie to Albany so much easier than the 22kgs I lugged from Kalamunda! Altra Olympus trail shoes were also great although worn out on by the end of 640km section from Collie to Albany. Nemo Tensor sleeping mat was also light & warm, both in the shelters & in my tent.
Your Worst Equipment
Socks Injini toe sock liner & outer socks didn’t last very long. Luckily new pairs were available at Chemist in Pemberton & visitor center in Walpole, but very expensive.
Advice for Others
Try and pack as light as possible, I believe the injuries from my fall on Mt Cooke were possibly caused by carrying too heavy a pack. I also made the decision to take my time, & if there was a campsite then I stayed there, no double hutting, except Helena which was missing, & Sandpatch both due to fires destroying them.