Archive for January, 2016

Tasmania

Posted by robjwall on January 12, 2016

We are in Tasmania for a couple of weeks again so the kids can compete in the Canoe Slalom National Champs.

We (Kira, Tarquin, Alf and I) started with a couple of days mountain biking in Derby (see http://www.ridebluederby.com.au/) and this 2nd visit confirmed it really is one of the best areas in Australia. All the trails (mostly blue) are worth riding – it was especially good in the morning cool. You can also swim in the river, camp for free, and buy good coffee. Its worth the longish drive. This is Tarky’s edit showing why you should use a camel back not a bottle…

Next was a 2 night bushwalk up to the ‘Walls of Jerusalem’ which is the name given to a whole area of interesting alpine terrain.

We parked at the signposted trailhead near Lake Rowallan and started walking up at about 7pm. This late start turned out to be a good idea, as it was a very hot day and the first 2k is a steep uphill. After about an hour or two we camped on Lake Loane (the first lake on the right fork (less people) past Trappers Hut).

Alfie at Trappers Hut

The water is of course great for drinking and swimming (its Tas.) but we did get eaten by Mosquitos and probably should have taken a tent instead of the Tarp.

Wombat

On the 2nd morning we walked along to the hut on Lake Ball (restored recently) and spent the last afternoon of 2015 reading and relaxing on the Lake shore. “Gorillas in the Mist” is my holiday read – I am in awe of Dian Fossey’s intelligence and determination. It was an extremely beautiful place to camp (but also had Mosquitios).

Camp on Lake Ball

On the third day we left the (‘right fork’ on map) trail we had followed and walked around Mt Moriah to the “Damascus Gate” for Lunch One. Some of us did the half hour return trip up to “Solomons Throne” for the view (and phone reception). From there it was a fast couple of hours back to the car and the start of Slalom training (with Demelza!) at 4pm. Kira and Tarky ran ahead and rode down the road instead of driving!

Walking near Mt Moriah

The Canoeing on the Mersey was great with many medals inluding Demelza and Alf doing C2 together and getting a Bronze. Now Kira is looking very likely to be selected for the Australian Jnr team for Poland, being ranked 2 of 3 for both C1 and K1 after 2 of the 4 selection races.

Alf Dead after C2

See http://canoe.org.au/2016/01/06/fox-outguns-senior-men-to-record-fastest-time-in-tasmania/ too.

Slalom

I manged to come last in the K1 mens slalom, but was actually happy to get down the tricky course getting all the gates! I also did rescue for Slalom and DR and was actually able to help one girl in DR who was sitting on a rock in the middle of the river after coming out of her boat.

Tark preparing for his C1 race at the Forth

It was then more paddling on the lovely Forth river with Alfie while the big kids went to Brady’s Lake before joining us for the ‘schools’ slalom competition on the Forth river. Tark and I had a fun MTB at Penguin one day also. Alfie did amazing well to do an almost clean C1 run (he has only been in C1 on flat water a couple of times) – I think Demelza has a video of this

Thanks to Paul Black for lending me his slalom boat, and to these guys http://www.roaring40skayaking.com.au/ for lending me a car; finally thanks to all the volunteers who make the Slalom races possible.

Last night I caught up with Owen Davis for a quick Tronsight (a new word he taught me) of Neon God [http://www.thecrag.com/climbing/australia/mount-wellington/organ-pipes/route/123749