Bruny Island Day 122 18/01/2015

Despite the wind we both had a good night's sleep in our van (unoriginally nicknamed Stan by Simon!). We'd decided to walk to Cape Hauy before heading off to Bruny Island where we were planning to stay for the next two days. After breakfast we headed off along a well used path which climbs up and descends down through the forest leading out to sea cliffs with amazing views of the famous sea stacks, The Candlestick and Totem Pole. It's extremely exposed with no fence protection at the cape and we both lay on our stomachs to get a view over the edge! On the way back along the track we meet two groups of climbers who were going to climb the Totem Pole but not before abseiling down. We had our hearts in our mouth thinking about it especially as its is recommended you take three ropes; two to climb with and the third to do a tyrollean traverse back to the cliff top!) If you want to see why it is one of the world's most icon climbs look at this link; www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfrxhpY6ZNw. We had a few brief rain showers as we headed back passing the day trippers. Simon spotted a prickly hedgehog like creature on the path who was very tame and we watched snuffle about with his long nose and digging into the ground with his claws, no doubt looking for ants. We later found out that he was an echidna. Apparently they are normally very timid but not this one who was more interested in getting food than us. Back at the van we set off west stopping off at the camper-van company along the way to ask for a manual (which they didn't have) and to find out what the light on the dash was (which they didn't know). We continued through Hobart and south west to Kettering to get the ferry over to the island. It was still very windy and we rolled around on the c20 minute journey across to Roberts Point, glad it wasn't any longer. Bruny is nearly two islands joined by a very narrow 5km causeway called the Neck. The scenery was beautiful as we drove south heading for Adventure Bay where we'd booked to stay. The bay is a breathtaking huge arc of white sand and the campsite was just across the road. We took advantage of the showers and power and after dinner settled down for the night hoping the wind would die down before our boat trip that we'd booked for tomorrow.

A friendly Bennetts wallaby

Cape Hauy

Looking down at the Candlestick (the Totem Pole is round to the left)

Two climbers getting ready to abseil down 

A rather tame echidna 

A yellow tailed black cockatoo enjoying his food!