Stage 8 - Mollymook to Batemans Bay

Friday, 18th March 2011
We started our uneventful but glorious walk at 10.30 a.m. from Bannister's Point (Mollymook) arriving at Dolphin Point at 2pm. We walked 10 kms. It was an easy walk on flat ground and Rose and I, being the least fit really enjoyed it. We then went on to our accommodation at Merry Beach Caravan Park. There were only 2 bedrooms and JC had to share a room with 2 mediterranean women (but we all had our own bunk beds) so that was alright. The park overlooks the bay and it is such a friendly friendly place. So friendly we even had Kangaroos almost eating from our hands. We saw joeys in their mum's pouch feeding...so cute. Although we did have to watch where we walked because those friendly kangaroos left their excrement all over the ground......that's how comfortable they felt with us.....no shame.

There was no Mobile phone reception at the site. As Kylie was exchanging contract and becoming a proud owner of a property and Scott was in hospital having his wisdom teeth removed (all on the same day of our arrival) poor Di and John were very anxious to contact their children. So, we went searching for a place where we could get mobile phone reception. We found a spot that was about 15cmx15cm and you could not move from there or you would lose the reception. Anyway, great news.....Scott had his wisdom teeth out and was doing well and Kylie exchanged contracts and was now the proud owner of a one bedroom unit. You go girl! Whilst we were there by the water we saw an amazing sight – 2 really large stingrays came swimming right up to us so close, we could almost touch them. They swam between the rocks back and forth so gracefully... we watched in awe.

Back at the ranch we cracked open a bottle of red and one of white for good measure and drank to Kylie’s success and to Scott. And then we drank some more, just for the heck of it. We had such a nice day and now feel ready for the next stage of our walk, and seeing it’s John C organising it has got to get harder.
Saturday, 19th March 2011
According to John C's calculations, we are anticipating a 6-hour walk (hard) today. After waiting for an anxious hour and a quarter for the JJ’s to arrive after taking the car to the end destination, we left the Caravan Park at 9.30 am for Pretty Beach to Pebbly Beach (where I had spent my honeymoon in October 1984). However, we walked via Durras Mountain through Murramarang National Park. We did, however, walk a little further to Depot Point.

About half hour into our walk, I noticed a leech wriggling 90 degrees vertically ready to pounce on one of us poor unsuspecting suckers. Perhaps I should be calling them suckers. As the track was through rainforest and very wet, this was paradise for leeches. Well, that was the beginning of a most eventful and treacherous walk. We started to look for them and check whether there were any on us or, rather, around our shoes and ankles. If we stopped, then the little buggers would pounce on us. No matter how fast we walked those damn leeches still found a way to pounce on practically everybody else but me, hehehehe.... I seemed to have missed out again. What can I say, I'm lucky guys. I tried to remove a leech from Di's pants at ankle level with a stick (as if...... I thought it would just fall off) whilst J.H. was pulling them off with his hands. That was the first time I have ever heard Di become excited and calling out for John H. to remove them quick. Both Di and Rose were screaming out in a very ‘girly’ fashion..... I guess they really didn’t like to be the landing ground for leeches. Brrrrr, I shudder. It actually only took us 4 hours to complete, and not the 6 hours anticipated as we were really hurrying away from those leeches.

I have since found out that you do not pull leeches from your skin. If you do you will undoubtedly leave teeth (yes guys, leeches do have teeth) in the wound and that's what causes the itchiness for a long while. Using salt or a lighted cigarette or match will get them off real quick. Unfortunately, we weren’t carrying salt with us and none of us smoke, so we had to make do with using sticks from the forest. Something else that will kill them is methylated spirit. They can grow from a tiny 1" leech to about 10" just from one sucking episode on an animal – OUCH!!!! Once they've had their fill, they can hibernate for about 6 months before they feel hungry again. How do I know all this you say? Well, I was working with a colleague on Thursday and I was talking about our walk and the leech episode. She then went on to tell me that Royal Prince Alfred Hospital use Leeches for engorged flaps. Now guys, this is different from using maggots on dead or infected wounds. Leeches are only used for engorged wounds, i.e. if there is a lot of swelling with hematoma. They work great according to my colleague. She then went on to tell us about how they have teeth, you must not pull them off and how to remove them. They are only used once, sometimes twice, and then they are killed by putting them in methilated spirit. Now thats interesting information.

Whilst on our walk and being attacked by these little creatures our poet – John H came up with this very clever and funny little rhyme...and put a smile on all our faces.... ‘on ya John’

HELLO DR NICK

Hello Dr Nick
You also Greek
My name is Mick
I been a silly prick
I was down the creek
With my beautiful chick
With the red lipstick
I kissed her cheek
But I had to leek
Please take a peek
See I got a tick
On my dick
Give it the flick
Get it off quick
Before I get sick

by: John H (Laureate and Bushwalker)

On our arrival home, a well deserved spa and shower was thoroughly enjoyed and then got stuck into our pizzas, yum, yum. We are ready for tomorrow's adventure which includes kayaking.
Sunday, 20th March 2011
The weather was overcast and drizzly so we decided on a short walk from Nth Durras to Durras for a couple of hours. Along the way Rose got a bit sick on the beach and stayed back with Gerri. The JJ’s and Di continued on and John C found a little bird trapped in the grill of a car and rescued it. They then took it to Durras Resort and the people very kindly rang WIRES.

Then we went back to Nth Durras to arrange our kayaking adventure. As we were running close on to lunchtime the lady very kindly arranged for us to have some delicious pies and drinks. On we went on our trip (minus Rose who was still not feeling very well). The Hunters were ready in their canoe in a jiffy in real Indiana Jones style; however in the other canoe the picture was slightly different. Geri got in first but when John C tried to scramble on board he overturned it and both of them fell in the water. Very funny, guys...... After a couple of hours it was time to return the canoes (or kayaks) whatever......

Monday, 21st March 2011
John and Di left really early this morning as they had to go to a funeral whilst the 3 of us stayed back and enjoyed our breakfast and left a couple of hours later. That whole night it had been pouring “cats-dogs-and-kangaroos” and it was still raining heavily when we left. Well when we got to Albion Park the rain was coming down mercilessly and traffic was starting to bank up.

The road gutters could not handle the volume of water & across the road from us we could see a raging torrent quickly rising and submerging cars – it was simply frightening and visibility was very poor. John C (who was driving) decided to turn back. We got off the highway & onto a local road we found a little higher ground and there we stopped whilst the storm raged all around us. In front there was a roundabout and a couple of rescue workers were redirecting the traffic. It was chaos... there were rescue vehicles, ambulances & police cars coming & going and cars trying slowly to get through then resignedly turning back again. Time passed and the rain just wouldn’t ease up. Geri was desperate to pee.... what could she do – a girl’s gotta go when she needs to. She had to crouch behind a tree in the pouring rain and got drenched in the process. To help pass the time we played cards in the car. We stayed there for close to 4 hours. It did finally start clearing a little and we decided to re-start our drive back to Sydney. That was our objective however lo & behold after traversing a raging torrent in the road leading to the Pacific Highway traffic was banked up for miles so instead of sitting there in traffic for hours we decided to head back to Kiama. At Geri’s suggestion we headed to Kiama’s RSL club which had been transformed into the local SES rescue centre.

We learnt that the whole area was in flood, the trains had stopped, there were 2 mudslides in the Kiama bends. Many people were trapped in Kiama , there was no passage north or south. We heard that Berri was also isolated with the surrounding area in flood. The staff in the RSL soon took on the role of emergency workers settling people’s nerves by offering hot teas & arranging accommodation for anyone that required it especially for the train travellers. It was really encouraging to find out that when times are tough, there is always people willing to help. We were also relieved to hear that John & Di had made it safely to Sydney earlier on and were able to attend the funeral. They just missed the floods and drove through the torrential rain.

We spent some 2-3 hours in the RSL, played some pokies I think Geri had a small win then went for dinner at the local Chinese restaurant. Nothing like some good tucker to brighten the spirits. Whilst there we also learnt from a young fellow that the highway to Sydney was finally open and the traffic had dispersed. This was the news we wanted to hear and at around 8pm we began our trip back to Sydney. We had a great run although you could see that the water level had reached some 1.5 metres in places. At 10pm we arrived home safe. What a day !!! A little frightening & gave us a little insight how much the QLD people suffered in those devastating floods.

Ready for our next adventure, but hopefully minus the leeches and floods......