Down Time ~ AUS Post #17
January 2-4
Cheers!
Atop the Pieman
After our complimentary continental breakfast and a strong long black, our bikes safely stowed in the workshop, we came aboard the historic Arcadia II, the only Huon Pine river cruise boat still operating in the world, with a history dating back to WWII. After standing on the banks of the Arthur longing for our pack rafts, we were now effortlessly moving across the water soaking in a new perspective of the densely forested landscape, whilst taking tea with the other guests.
Past the edges of the river lined in cut grass, and twisted Huon Pines left behind by the Piners, the forest was a dense mix of Celery Top and King Billy Pine mixed with Eucalypt and Myrtle Beech trees towering above them all. The ridge lines and deep ravines were barely distinguishable by slight gradients of green at their edges, magnifying the impenetrable and unforgiving feel of a terrain where even small mammals don’t attempt to live.
After pulling up to the dock near Pieman Head, a couple we met onboard was shuttled by zodiac to the opposite side of the river to begin their coastal backpacking trip North to Sandy Cape. For a change, we were the on-lookers. After waving to them from across the river, we took our leisurely stroll down the boardwalk through the fishing shack village to walk along the beach at the head land. Watching the waves crash onto the rocky shoreline, it was hard to imagine boats navigating these waters hundreds of years ago loaded with timber, let alone Piners eking out an existence in the forest, traveling back and forth up the Pieman and its tributaries in search of the most pristine Huon Pine.
A great read about Arcadia’s last voyage at sea for repairs
River Walks
We really didn’t want to leave Corinna without exploring some of the tracks surrounding the village which meant we needed a second night in the campground. Amazingly our luck continued. Not only did a cancellation open up another night for us, Nivaun managed to get us in the prime site #9 on our first night to enjoy a riverside deck addition to our tent.
We spent the next day exploring the tracks around the village, some laid out with boardwalks, others with stairs traversing straight up the hillsides above the river and down. Even though the plants and trees were much different from our Olympic forest, walking along the river tracks we felt at home, capturing images of the moss, fungi, flowers and ferns.
I began to wander between the trail and the river bank to see if anything was visible under the rivers surface. I first thought I had found a sizable fish moving along the bank but quickly realized it was an eel. Nivaun missed seeing it, so as we came up to where the Donaldson enters the Pieman, we both headed out to the corner to take a look along the river bank. I was a few feet away, when he called out “Snake!” This time it was a Tiger snake coiled up in the sun. Within in seconds, it disappeared into a nearby hole. Disappointed we couldn’t get a photo, but relieved to have narrowly avoided another too close encounter. Our most intriguing find was the number of crayfish burrows in each section of the track, where runoff keeps the ground moist enough for them to survive underground almost their entire lives.
We felt so fortunate to have this extended time in Corinna. A place we had only dreamed of visiting, we had now explored at least enough that we could continue on with no regrets.
