1. 8/9/2010. Trampers. Paradise, Braidwood, Sandfly Bay. M. Leadership: Informal.
Weather looked fine at Mosgiel, but when we four trampers arrived at Sullivans Dam for the Cloud Forest-Escarpment Tramp, we struck a drizzly cloudy shock. For mud and safety concerns we turned back to town and on the way decided to try the Peninsula. We parked at the top of the Paradise Road track and the weather was quite a degree clearer. However, our second shock was to find the track the WETTEST we have ever found it. No one slipped over, (miraculously), but we had to be extremely cautious in placing our feet.
We didn’t go through to Boulder Beach. We had been there plenty of times before. However we noticed that the rickety stile over the fence was gone now. (It had always been a big step to get onto it anyway.
The track up to Braidwood road was little better than the one we had come down.
Out of Braidwood Road, onto Seal Point Road and down onto Sandfly Bay beach. We negotiated a high number of snoozing sea lions (many in pairs) on our way along to a planned lunch in the viewing hide at the far end.
From here we had excellent views of seals on the rocks, and the beach stretching back the way we had come.
Back at the south end of the beach, we had to tackle the tough climb back out of the bay.
But the reward of the view was well worth it.
Back up to Seal Point Road, up to Highcliff Road and a stop to view the historic water trough.
Then back along the crest of the Peninsula to the cars. We had planned initially to return via the Boulder Beach dip, but the muddy conditions we encountered had firmly ruled that out!
Well, a different tramp. An unexpected one. And we felt we had made a triumphant creative solution to problems the day threw at us. – Ian.