We decided to stay in the National park for two nights instead of just the one, primarilty so we could ride some of the fabulous dirt roads up this way, but also so we could go to Eddystone Point, the most easterly point in Tasmania, where there is a lighthouse named after the Eddistone lighthouse in the UK.
And that would make a full house as we’ve been to Woolnorth ( the most northerly) Strahan, (the most westerly) Cockle Creek, (the most southerly) and now Eddystone.
The main road out there was 40 kms of gravel, but it was pretty good and well packed so I didn’t have too much trouble with my back tyre.
But part way along the road, my wheel started to rub. Upon inspection, the chain was a bit loose, so I tightened it and we carried on.
But then the noise came back and turned out to be the chain guide thing just at the front of the rear sprocket. I think a large stone must have bounced up and whacked it as it was pushed nearer to the chain and was just catching it. But again, it was easy to sort, especially as there was an abandoned garage forecourt at Anson’s Bay which we were able to park on and do what we needed to do.
It was very windy today, and the ride out to the lighthouse was quite difficult. It really blows you about and tires you as you have to hang onto the bars to keep the bike straight. And being light bikes, they get pushed around quite a bit by the elements. However, it was sunny, so that made up for the wind a bit.
The water was pretty choppy too and I’m just glad that we didnt pick today to go to Maria Island in a small boat. It was bad enough when we did go.
The lighthouse is actually on aboriginal land. Larapuna, but they are OK with people going onto it by foot or vehicle, so long as you respect it.
And when you peer out to sea, its obvious why a lighthouse was needed. Rock outcrops poke out of the water, threatening to down any ship that passes too close.
A secondary light there was pretty smashed up but there was no story with it.
It's a shame because it was open and a nice little shelter from the wind whilst looking out to sea.
The little beaches there are little coves with more highly coloured rocks. There were also some flouro green beetles on them, basking in the sun, out of the wind. It is very remote, and there is a definite ‘edge of the world’ feeling about the place, which I suppose isn’t surprising as the next stop is new Zealand, some 4000kms away, with nothing in between.
There are not too many animals over this way. Usually its easy to spot roos or wallabies in the bush alongside the tracks, but not today. Nor is there much roadkill, save for a few possums and wombats, so either they’ve learnt to cross the roads safely or they aren’t any about. But there were plenty of cockatoos like these Yellow tailed Black Cockatoos about, chattering in the trees.
The air temperature dropped considerably as we road back to our camp, and it got very cold.However, we had collected enough wood for a second fire, which was very welcome.
There is not much wildlife here either, save for a few possums, wattle birds, cockatoos and finches.
As night fell, and we were still hugging the flames for a bit of warmth, there was what sounded like a massive cat fight in the bushes behind us. However, it turned out to be possums, and they eventually came out of the bushes and scaled a tree near us, and began what sounded like a farting competition. Whether or not they were parting with exhaust or whether it was all part of the spitting standoff they’d had earlier is unclear, but they were certainly making some very rude noises.
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