A Walk in the Park - Part 1

Macquarie Island achieved World Heritage listing in 1997. It has been a privilege to be here and experience the wonderful nature, geology, wildlife and beauty of this place.

I have been lucky enough to venture down island on several occasions. The most recent time was 2 weeks ago when Clive the doctor and myself ventured down the west coast 'featherbed' to Bauer Bay to assist Chris the ranger in the monthly marine debris clean up.

Leaving station - the view down the east coast from the isthmus

After turning our fire tags it was off to comms to pick up the necessary radio (with spare battery) a SPOT (tracking device) a PIRB (another tracking device) and a GPS.

We had actually delayed the trip because of the extreme weather from the day before - covered in the last post The Deep Freeze. I am glad we had as this day was just about perfect for a walk on the west coast of the island.

As we walked down the West Beach, Clive carried out a radio check and the fact that we had left the station.

Clive heading down West Beach 

We had gone just one kilometre when our radios came to life - One of the MIPEP team had just arrived back on station and had found a map, did it belong to us? A quick check found that indeed Clive was missing his. So he dropped his pack and went back to comms to retrieve it. In the meantime I explored the area and took some photos.

The day was still cold (-2°C / 28°F) - These coastal rock stacks were covered in frozen sea spray

Exposed peat bed with frozen water flow that is frozen

After getting underway again we were soon at the 'jump up' to the featherbed track.

View across a small lake on the featherbed back to North Head and VJM

We were both very excited as there is only very limited opportunity to walk the west coast featherbed   The West Coast featherbed is a Category 1 SMA (Special Management Area) which meant it was accessible for travel only from 31st of May to the 1st of August - At other times it is the breeding ground for Southern giant petrels.

Clive stepping across one of the many small creeks that cross the featherbed

Clive admiring the view across the featherbed

West Coast featherbed

Because of the freezing temperatures and the weather over the previous few days, the featherbed was easier to traverse. It was frozen and had a covering of snow, which was 20cm  (8 inches) deep in some places. Despite this Clive and myself to a lesser extent, managed to break through the frozen mantle, sometimes up to our knees. It wasn't long  before I had water in both boots.

The track eventually neared the coast at Half Moon Bay. The region between the featherbed and the coast is covered in tussock mounds and deep wallows, which in these frozen conditions were hard to locate. Clive, who was in the lead, managed to break through the ice on several occasions, right up to his thighs. Needless to say that on such an occasion I did not follow his footprints.

Clive negotiating the tussock and wallow area just near the coast at Half Moon Bay

We then had a stroll along the pebbled rocky beach of Half Moon Bay. In some respects it is just as difficult to walk on a pebbly beach (risk of twisting an ankle) then on the spongy, boggy featherbed.

Usually walking on the west coast is harder as it is constantly blowing a gale and or raining. This day was exceptional as there was very little wind and extended periods of bright sunshine.

Clive walking along the rocky beach of Half Moon Bay

We found a small protected beach which had a small collection of beautiful shells (We did not see any shells  elsewhere)

The amazing colours of the lichen and moss on the rock stacks

Another rock on the coast adorned with lichen, moss, grass and snow - Note Clive Trekking on ahead

There are many shipwrecks around the Macquarie island coast - you can read some of the tales in the following link The Shipwreck Watch. At many places on the beaches one can find pieces of worn and battered timber. Some of it is from the wrecks, while other pieces have drifted in the Southern Ocean, for who knows how long. 

After negotiating our way around one of the many tussock and wallow ridden points we came across what looked like a wooden spar from a ship or boat.

A spar from a shipwreck - maybe?

After travelling along the beach for a while, thinking that we were now on Eagle Bay we came to another rocky point. We could not find the next track marker, so after consulting our map, we decided to head inland across the featherbed to our next way point - Eagle Cave.

View from the beach at Half Moon Bay

Heading out towards the featherbed again

Southern giant petrel 'community' on the featherbed

Heading south across the featherbed to Eagle Cave

Nearing Eagle Cave after a one kilometre 'hard slog' across the featherbed 

We finally arrived at Eagle Cave. Standing on the lip of the cave we realised we had timed our walk perfectly as the sun came out and shone right into the depths of the amazing cave.

Clive in the depths of Eagle Cave

There are many stories of shipwreck survivors One story is still a mystery, but it is rumoured that a ship ran aground in Eagle Bay. The legend of the Eagle talks of 10 survivors, nine men and one woman, living in a cave for 2 years before they were rescued. The story says that the poor woman died on the day of the rescuers arriving.

Even though the sun was shining the cave was dank, moist and cold and wouldn't have been a pleasant place to live in for 2 years. 

Despite the sunshine it was cold in the cave as can be seen with this big icicle

Clive studying the thick lichen, mould and moss on the cave walls 

Inside Eagle Cave

Apparently there are 3 other caves in the vicinity, but we did not have time to explore. After a quick snack for lunch we made our way from the cave, across the featherbed to Langdon Bay.

The approach to the bay through the wallow and tussock was quite tricky, as the deep snow covered many of the holes. As a consequence both Clive and I managed to step into and sink down to below our knees in some of these, smelly dirty water holes - my boots were well and truly full of water.

Heading north across the featherbed towards Langdon Bay

Crossing the tussock and wallow 'minefield' to get to the beach at Langdon Bay

After negotiating the tussock and wallow 'mine field' we had a pleasant stroll along the beaches of Langdon Bay.

Langdon Bay with Langdon Point in the background

A group of gentoo penguins on the beach at Langdon Bay

The escarpment is close to the beach of Langdon Bay

Looking across the bay to Langdon Point

At the southern end of Langdon Bay the track took us inland again across the featherbed and just below the headland of Langdon Point.

The track just below the headland near Langdon Point

Stunning scenery on the track near Langdon Point

After passing the headland near Langdon Point we were once again on the true flat of the featherbed and in the distant south we could see the hills behind Bauer Bay - we were nearly there.

More of the featherbed 

Long, late afternoon shadows on the featherbed - Slopes behind Bauer Bay in the distance and Douglas Bay on the right

The amazing landscape of the West Coast

A little while later we came onto Douglas Bay - where we discovered a skeleton of a large elephant seal which had nearly been picked clean by the GP's, skuas and other assorted birds.

Following the track around Douglas Bay

The huge elephant seal skeleton at Douglas Bay

Taken inside the rib cage of the elephant seal (see photo above)  - Photo © by Marty Benavente  (FTO)

From Douglas Bay we traversed once again across the featherbed for a further 2 kilometres. During this final part of the trek we caught glimpses of the Bauer Bay hut and I looking forward to a nice hot cuppa and the opportunity to get out of my wet boots and gear. 

It took almost another hour to reach our destination, a testament to the hard going across the featherbed. 

The welcome sight of Bauer Bay hut - what a backdrop!

Negotiating the final area of tussock and wallow on the northern side of the  valley at Bauer  Bay

Arrived at Bauer Bay hut just after 4pm

Around ten minutes after we arrived Chris appeared on top of the hill above the hut. He had made his way from VJM along the East Coast - carrying out a bird count on the way. He had stopped in at Brothers Point hut then made his way across the island to Bauer Bay.

Ranger Chris arriving at Bauer Bay after traveling down the East coast, then across the plateau

We settled in to a cosy evening in Bauer Bay hut, with Clive supplying some fine beef jerky that he had  prepared. The we had a great meal of chilli beans expertly prepared by Chris. Then just after dinner we got a radio call that Billy, Tom and Nick were dropping in for a cuppa.

One of the MIPEP dogs (Joker) sheltering from the cold and drizzle in the cold porch of Bauer Bay hut

The three are MIPEP hunters and dog handlers and were doing night spotlighting from Brothers Point. If there are any rabbits, rats or mice left on the island (none have been seen for a couple of years now), they have a better chance to see at night when the spotlight shines in there are eyes. These guys and there dogs each cover over a hundred kilometres every week systematically searching every part of the island, in search for the last rabbit. 

At around 8:30pm, they left and made there way back to Brothers Point cross country, searching another route.

Billy, Nick and Tom with Waggs, just about to head back across the island to Brothers Point

After they left we settled back and had another cup of tea and made a start at solving all the problems of the world. While we were chatting, Chris prepared a bread mix adding plenty of nuts and seeds to the mix. He then let it rise overnight so we could have a hot loaf of fabulous bread for our breakfast.

Bauer Bay hut - Chris kneading the mixed seed and nut bread loaf

Next time when you will hear about the rest of the story of the Bauer Bay marine debris clean up and more.

Until then.......