That Mad Belgian

[north-north-west]

Different season. There's been a lot of rain and a lot of water will be going down the canal into the Gordon impoundment.

[Overlandman]

Links

http://www.louis-philippe-loncke.com

https://eur-share.inreach.garmin.com/louphi

Go Lou-Phi

[jmac]

“Just arrived outlet of water from pedder. rapids.will haveto walk.Will try to reach bridge.headlight dead so i camp/stop by 6. In tent have Led from lighter”

[north-north-west]

It's going to be a little awkward whichever side of the creek he walks up. Eastern side has a better vehicle track beside the canal, but that means crossing a scrubby sided creek just before reaching it. Oh well, at least he's safe for the night.

[stepbystep]

It's going to be a little awkward whichever side of the creek he walks up. Eastern side has a better vehicle track beside the canal, but that means crossing a scrubby sided creek just before reaching it. Oh well, at least he's safe for the night.

Good job getting across Gordon in that! I'd still be munching Cliff bars on the northern bank

[NickMonk]

I reckon Pedder will be a completely different kettle of fish....

[north-north-west]

Depends on the wind. Hermit and Stillwater will have some shelter, but once he's around the corner and out in Serpentine Reach, there's nowhere to hide.
It blew up the afternoon I paddled from Teds to Cawthorn Inlet. Even in the kayak it was hard work. But he's younger and stronger.

[stepbystep]

I reckon Pedder is easier to paddle and navigate than Gordon, pushing into the lee of the islands might be ok....*&%$#! hard work still!

[ILUVSWTAS]

. But he's stronger.

Not so sure about that, in his weakened state I'd back you in a fair fight.

[Azza]

Some nasty weather on the way..
http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/forecasts/strathgordon.shtml
http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/forecasts/melaleuca.shtml

That''s not going to make it a pleasant time in the SW.

[beardless]

Does anyone know the reason for the 21 September deadline. Is that 50 days? When his food will run out? Or something else?

I think he will make the Southern Ocean.

If he can get past the impoundment in the next couple of days and can add a couple more days I would back him to complete the south coast track. It must be tempting for him to walk the road to Scotts Peak Dam

Last edited by beardless on Thu 13 Sep, 2018 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[doogs]

Some nasty weather on the way..
http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/forecasts/strathgordon.shtml
http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/forecasts/melaleuca.shtml

That''s not going to make it a pleasant time in the SW.

Wowsers. That's a lot of water coming from the sky. He's certainly been doing it tough with the weather he's had. Luck he has a raft to get across the creeks!

[MrWalker]

Is someone checking his eye right now?
He can probably finish before running out of food, but not if his eye really needs attention.

[Mowser]

Surely walking the road to Scotts Peak is an attractive option now? Surely a whole lot quicker and less taxing. If he can reach Scotts Peak in the next 2 days I think he can make it. But then there's more river crossings. Crossing river will most likely be pumping.....

[MrWalker]

Surely walking the road to Scotts Peak is an attractive option now? Surely a whole lot quicker and less taxing. If he can reach Scotts Peak in the next 2 days I think he can make it. But then there's more river crossings. Crossing river will most likely be pumping.....

Louis paddles at least twice as fast as he walks and he doesn't have to carry the pack. I think he'll go by boat as far as possible, unless the wind makes it impossible.
He could have taken a shorter route in the last section down Gordon dam, but that would have required a few hundred metres extra walking.

[north-north-west]

. But he's stronger.

Not so sure about that, in his weakened state I'd back you in a fair fight.

What makes you think I ever fight fairly?

I reckon Pedder is easier to paddle and navigate than Gordon, pushing into the lee of the islands might be ok....*&%$#! hard work still!

Serpentine Reach is very exposed to the north and north west. Gordon, he had shelter from the Pleiades and Junction ridges.

[NickMonk]

Does anyone know the reason for the 21 September deadline. Is that 50 days? When his food will run out? Or something else?

I'm not 100% certain, but apart from the food issues, I think it's to complete the walk in 'winter' as per the plan - the spring equinox is on the 23/9 in the morning.

[Overlandman]

Day 41

13 Sept. Waited for the right time; waves ok so I went straight. Body warm. Rather easy. Then dodging trees on flat water until Pedder river. Class 3 rapids, so the only way up was on land. Food 4.7kg

[Thylaseen]

It's a long way by road, about 90km between Gordon Dam and Scotts Peak Dam.

[tastrax]

Small craft alert for SW Lakes - http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/warnings/marinewind.shtml

[farefam]

Food 4.7kg. Unless he started with a fair bit of extra bodyweight, I expect he's going to be little more than skin and bones, and very hungry should he decide to walk all the way to Cockle Creek. Hope someone will be waiting for him with a burger or three at the end.

[mikeb]

Be nice to acknowledge his remarkable effort for posterity by naming an unnamed natural feature after him - some initial thoughts are Belgian Isle, Louise-Philippe Island or Louphi Island?

What are the possibilities of getting the Nomenclature Board to agree on a non-Indigenous name nowadays? If the land is vested in Hydro Tas (as the island is) then I guess they would also need to support?

[bushwalker zane]

What are the possibilities of getting the Nomenclature Board to agree on a non-Indigenous name nowadays? If the land is vested in Hydro Tas (as the island is) then I guess they would also need to support?

Highly unlikely I'd say. I've put a few applications in for unnamed features, but if it's in the TWWHA, there's small chance since legislation change in 2016.

I'd be interested to see Louphi's before and after shots of how much weight he's lost. Go you good thing!

[Warin]

Hope someone will be waiting for him with a burger or three at the end.

Too large a change can be a bad thing.

[MrWalker]

Be nice to acknowledge his remarkable effort for posterity by naming an unnamed natural feature after him - some initial thoughts are Belgian Isle, Louise-Philippe Island or Louphi Island?

What are the possibilities of getting the Nomenclature Board to agree on a non-Indigenous name nowadays? If the land is vested in Hydro Tas (as the island is) then I guess they would also need to support?

There is a 30m waterfall that may not have a name yet. Since there are sure to be hordes of bushwalkers heading up to check it out, we should give it a name.

[bushwalker zane]

Very true, Warin. It might come back up again!

I wonder what his food cravings are?

[rangersac]

Hope he cracks on today and makes some progress down Pedder. The weather forecast for the next week looks brutal, hard to see how he can safely navigate Pedder given the predictions. Food is a seriously limiting factor now.

[Mechanic-AL]

It's certainly getting to the pointy end of things now and I guess this is where elite adventurers really stand out from crackpots and wannabe's. It's also where the divide between the early pioneers and modern adventurerer grows wider. The early pioneers wouldn't have had the option of 'cracking on ' until they could go no further knowing that help was a helicopter flight away. When they couldn't go on they laid down and died.
If Louis continues on with the meager amount of food he has knowing what the weather has in store only to be plucked out somewhere down the track then he has made a serious error of judgement.
I'm in awe of what he has done but if he has any serious doubts about completing this journey now really is the time to pull out.
Only he knows. Hope he makes the right call.

[stepbystep]

If he gets to Cox Bight he's done a true north to south solo winter traverse, he could then fly out of Melaleuca...job done!

[mikeb]

He's on the move again, heading towards the Gordon River Road. Wonder why he is staying away from the easier road along the canal?