August 14: Walk to Waterfall Bay

In a last minute decision, I decided to  join Rich our Comms Tech on a walk down to Waterfall Bay for the weekend. We left VJM at around 0730hrs in beautiful sunshine, and covered the 24 km down the Waterfall Bay in around six and a half hours.
In a change from my recent trips in ice and snow and a hard slippery track, the plateau was awash with snow melt and very wet, and excruciatingly boggy. The muddy sections sucked your boot back down like chewing gum. Upon arrival I got dry clothes on and then collapsed into an afternoon nap. The two Rangers joined us that night , and Anna cooked up a feast of tofu and noodles. I slept soundly snuggled up in the hut, at the most southern point that I have been on the Island so far.

View south towards Waterfall Bay hut. Photo: Jacque Comery

Giant Petrel resting in the tussock. Photo: Jacque Comery

Giant Petrel. Photo: Jacque Comery

View back up the Waterfall Bay jump down. Photo: Jacque Comery