From Wilson Bight the usual route is to climb Mount Karamu then swing west across a saddle to South West Cape Range. The main ridge of the range is then followed northwards. There is a light pad as far as the summit of Mount Karamu but from there on it’s mostly trackless with only the odd light pad here and there. The cloud closed in after I reached the summit of Mount Karamu making navigation across the saddle somewhat interesting, but once up on the main range it cleared again.
It’s a long day to Window Pane Bay, generally 8-9 hours. I’d planned to break it into two and camp at the summit of the range but it turned out to be bone dry so I decided to press on to Window Pane Bay. Water was very scarce on the range. Between Wilson Bight and Window Pane Bay I found only two places with water – a small tarn about an hour south of the summit of the range, and a tiny trickle just before that. Elsewhere not a drop of water to be found.
South West Cape from Mount Karamu
South West Cape Range from Mount Karamu
Small tarn near the summit of South West Cape Range
Small tarn near the summit of South West Cape Range
The open main ridge of South West Cape Range. The summit is at the left
View to the south along the main ridge of South West Cape Range
South West Cape from the summit of South West Cape Range. Mount Karamu is just to the left of the Cape.
View to the north west from the summit of South West Cape Range. The long sandy beach in the distance is Noyhener Beach and behind it, about 15km away, is Stephens Bay and Hilliard Head. Further in the distance is Port Davey and on the horizon, about 25km away, is Davey Head.
The beach at Window Pane Bay, a very welcome sight after a long day from Wilson Bight. A light pad through a thick band of forest behind Window Pane Bay stops abruptly at the top of this high and very steep sand dune. The sand was completely undisturbed. No-one had been this way for some time.
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Yep, that's me alright! I sure remember that whalebone at the midden in Stephens Bay. I'll post some Stephens Bay / Spain Bay pics in about part 7 of this series I think. Island Bay and Noyhener Beach to come before that.