Walkers: Marg and Ken F, Lothar S, Di F, Graeme W.
Photos:
Report:
With some trepidation about what weather the day would bring, five of us set forth to walk the 18km Cape Nelson to Portland section of the Great South West Walk.
After leaving Di’s car at our Portland waterfront finishing point, we travelled in Ken and Marg’s car to our starting point – the Cape Nelson lighthouse. Right on cue the rain started. The decision whether or not to put on waterproof over pants was quickly resolved (in the affirmative!). A quick cup of coffee (courtesy of Marg) was most welcome. This allowed Lothar the time to display his mechanical aptitude by fixing a reluctant zip on Di’s overpants.
The first hour of the walk was in almost constant rain and wind. Fortunately, as
a result of Marg’s careful planning of the walk, the wind was at our back,
making conditions much more tolerable.
This Cape Nelson – Portland section of the GSSW has some spectacular coastal
scenery. The track largely follows the tall cliff tops overlooking the ocean.
The route skilfully uses the remnant native vegetation, giving a satisfying
bushwalking experience.
Lunch was had at the platform overlooking “Yellow Rock”, one of the many points of interest along the way. Watching the hardy local surfers catching the waves off the beach below provided some interest, taking our minds off our wet feet, but still largely dry bodies.
As the afternoon progressed, the Portland Smelter buildings that had been dominating our view got closer and closer whilst the lighthouse retreated into the distance. Eventually, we passed by the smelter on our left and continued along the coast through a range of native vegetation types. As we got closer into Portland, the native vegetation was replaced by the urban area.
We passed the Pivot fertiliser works, the port area, until eventually, tired and wet we reached Di’s car. Fortunately, one of the local cafes allowed our wet, cold and now somewhat dirty group in. Here we had coffee and cake, rounding off a most rewarding walk and day.
Graeme W
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