I’m not totally antisocial.

I had some good chats to an Oban nurse, eight days on/six off, who is taking a four-day break with a friend.

I hoped I wasn’t gonna meet her again, and fortunately she understood my feeble attempt at a joke.

A Canadian guy with his daughter just in the country for a few weeks had arranged a Great Walk with some friends, the South Africans. I even had a few words with the other young group.

Everyone was heading to North Arm Hut.

I was in no particular hurry, after all it’s only three or four hours around the coast to Bungaree, and the weather was surprisingly good.

I wandered down to the wharf that has been rebuilt by the council, then as far around the beach and rocks as I could manage in my jandals.

It was around 11 am when I finally departed, and only made it over to Sawyers Beach, less than a kilometre before I dropped my pack, and wandered to both ends of the beach, and a bit further to the east around the rocks. Boots on this time. No wind, and it was an 80% cloudless sky.

Who could scurry on in those conditions?

Eventually I picked up my pack and marched on. Not much to report. The track was generally okay. Not many people had been on the track for a while.

I was following some tiny footprints that turned out to have been made by the last tramper, a woman from the Philippines.

Surprisingly, a few women have been solo tramping over winter. I’ll find out those who did the full North West Circuit at Yankee River and beyond. A few people come up to Bungaree for a walk, then turn around and strike out back to civilisation.

A few people make it to Christmas Village to climb Mount Anglem/Hananui, the highest point on the island.

I was sitting in the bush near Little Bungaree Beach listening to birds when a guy walked by. He came from North Arm Hut, and decided he was at Port William too early and came onto to Bungaree. Heading back to Oban tomorrow. Seems ill-prepared.

Unfortunately all the wood at the hut was soaked and I suggested he pick up some on the beach. I had grabbed an arm full before my arrival at the hut.

Despite his energy he thought it better to watch the waves instead. Maybe he has no food. If I had seen any glimmer of warmth I would have offered something, but he’s gone for a nap instead. Okay.

The main windows of the hut have been double glazed since I was here last so it is slightly warmer. The weather has changed dramatically since lunchtime, as it does here, and the easterly cold wind is really blowing.

The tide is right on full with not much beach exposed and the waves are smashing in with some musical resolve.

I’m glad to have warm food, two cups of soup, and now my dehydrated food is ready. Time to munch.

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