Schouten Island

[doogs]

If anyone has read the book "The Beach" (not the movie which was *&%$#!), they can understand the need to find that island as close to paradise as they can find. Schouten Island is that for me at this point in time. It has rugged mountains, white sand, abundance of varied wildlife and a feeling remoteness. There is no ferry service to the island you just gotta kinda find your own way there, our charter turned out to be AWESOME.

THE boat

.
Once on the island we checked out the huts and the caretakers were in residence at Moreys Bay, so we headed over to Crocketts Bay to set up camp. Out our front doors we had Freycinet for views, and out the back Bear Hill. I didnt hear any complaints from my companions. With perfect weather ILUVSWTAS, Rob and I set off up Bear Hill to unfolding views in every direction. Once on top we had a short break and left Rob to head back to camp.

Rob on "The Bear"

We had great fun finding our way down the granite boulders, apart from a slight slip by myself (something to remind me of Schouten). Then headed for Daedalus through rock and thigh deep grass. Once on top we faced our next goal , Story 1.4km away.

Story from Daedalus

Picking our way along the ridge to the foot of the mountain was thirsty work and I began to cramp and feel dehydrated. Having little water left I kept pushing on. I was suffering on the climb of Story until I found a sink sized rock pool of recent rain water which I guzzled down early. With renewed strength I pushe on to the summit where ILUV was waiting. We then pick our way down heading north towards camp when we picked up some cairns and followed then to a col, then lost them. We headed for about 1km in the general direction of camp when we picked up some tapes, which we followed. Then after 300m we turned around and followed them in the correct direction. Walking into camp on dusk I was very happy as I wanted to bag these 2 peaks, but also wanted to do the same circuit as Keith Lancaster had done years before. More challenging than I had expected, in a good way.
The next day I had a relaxing day taking ot easy by the beach fishing, with a short excursion to the waterfall on the island. We saw dolphins, a ray and eagles while we relaxed.
My 48 hours on the island were so enjoyable, I cant recommend a visit highly enough. But please dont tell anyone!

[ILUVSWTAS]

It was an amazing trip Doogs and one I will remember for the rest of my days!!

I'll add a couple of pics next week.


Have a good Easter mate!!

[doogs]

A few more pictures from the island.

why do they call it Bear Hill?

Sunrise over Crocketts Bay

Bear Hill on the left, Story on the right and Daedalus in the middle

[tasadam]

Great to see you had such a wonderful time. Glad the weather was kind. That's the Tassie east coast for ya...

[stepbystep]

Fantastic stuff doogs, very envious, maybe next summer.........

[north-north-west]

...when we picked up some tapes, which we followed. Then after 300m we turned around and followed them in the correct direction.

*snigger*

[ILUVSWTAS]

...when we picked up some tapes, which we followed. Then after 300m we turned around and followed them in the correct direction.

*snigger*

Haha dont you laugh!! We were doing just fine WITHOUT the tapes, but they were somewhat a relief to our tired minds.... so we found them and started following. 300m later Doogs says to me "are we going back up the mountain" I looked up... and said YES.

[north-north-west]

I was sniggering at myself as much as the two of you, because I've done that myself.

Not for a *&%$#! long time, though . . .

[mjdalessa]

So are there people willing to charter you to shouten? Looks great... how are the beaches? Thanks for the write up, it was a good read.

[ILUVSWTAS]

The beaches? as you'd imagine, just awful!

Attachments

[doogs]

you have to find your own way there. I tracked down our charter, who is a part time fishing charter in Coles Bay. It was the first time he had taken folk to Schouten and it was also very dependent on the weather as it is a small but very cool boat (3 passengers). If you want his number I can PM you. I also know that a Wineglass Bay tour boat can take you there at a very higher price. Or if you are a member of Hobart Walking Club I know they have a trip planned for the near future.
Oh and like ILUV says, the beaches? pretty average really

[mjdalessa]

How much did they charge you for the boat ride? When you say huts, can you stay in them and are they any good?

[doogs]

How much did they charge you for the boat ride? When you say huts, can you stay in them and are they any good?

You'd be looking around $150 return if the charter would do it again. And the huts are really for the caretakers of the island, camping is much more satisfying and very good sites too.

[mjdalessa]

Is everything off track?

[doogs]

Bear Hill has a fairly decent marked track up it. Story has a taped route, which defintely isn't a track. Daedalus has no marked route. The route we took was definite off track between the summit of bear hill and story.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yeh but it was a bit of fun wasnt it.
It would be hot hard work in summer, with not much water available on the circuit.

Attachments

[doogs]

Yeh but it was a bit of fun wasnt it.
It would be hot hard work in summer, with not much water available on the circuit.

Got the scars to prove it
You will need to carry plenty of water.

[north-north-west]

Not a bad bit of navigation. Where's the section you went the wrong way?

[ILUVSWTAS]

Not a bad bit of navigation. Where's the section you went the wrong way?

Thanks!

[ILUVSWTAS]

Not a bad bit of navigation. Where's the section you went the wrong way?

Thanks!

inbetween where it says chinese and creek. you can see a line heading off the wrong way.....

[north-north-west]

Oh, I thought you were looking for the falls . . .

[ILUVSWTAS]

Well we were... and then the track started to go away from them... then the REAL track went away from them anyway, so we went up to the falls the following day.

[north-north-west]

*sigh*
Another place I have to get back to. Is that massive old pepper tree still there?

[ILUVSWTAS]

*sigh*
Another place I have to get back to. Is that massive old pepper tree still there?

Im not sure, where was it?? Yeh i'd go back in a heartbeat!! Sadly the water was brown from the recent flooding and i didnt got much of a snorkel in. However in the 1foot visibility i had, i did see one cray and a nice morwong in about 10minutes.

[north-north-west]

On the flats just in from the beach below Bear Hill. Not far from the huts, I think.

[Explorer_Sam]

Is there much of a track from Moreys Bay to the top of Mount Storey? Planning on walking up Mount Storey at the end of the year with a mate, but our time in Freycinet/Schouten Island will be predominantly spent kayaking, so we probably won't have time to do the full circuit including Bear Hill and Daedalus. Sounds like a long day from this report.

[Binder]

There goes that secret...

Did a 4 night trip to the island in May and had a ball. Heard the weather was going to go pear shaped so paddled across from Coles Bay in the afternoon. Mainly wind, so got a chance to wander the island, do a bit of fishing and generally forget about the real world for a while. The Olympus finally came home from a trip not covered in mud...

Its amazing how slack you get at packing when your gear isn't going on your back, but into a large Tupperware container.