Plenty of stars on offer at night, until the storm came through at 3 am and I removed myself from the veranda to the living room.
In the early morning half-light, a kiwi stumbled around. On my way to the toilet a deer dashed away. Interesting wildlife encounters.
A yacht had come in for some shelter at night and cruised off. The majority of the others removed themselves early on.
I made my way to Sawyers Beach and mucked around in some direct sunlight for a while, traipsing up and down the length of the sand.
Then those up-and-downs start, never far, but often greasy and steep for a while. Occasionally some sublime forest and track.
My dodgy knee seems to have come right.
A guy, Kreig, had announced he was doing the North West Circuit and left early, intent on Christmas Village Hut. Perhaps I was sceptical, but his grinning face greeted me at Bungaree Hut, not even halfway. Sensible decision.
A pleasant night, with interesting conversation between two lovers of the New Zealand backcountry, but once dark, dinner eaten, it was obvious to take to my sleeping bag.
The hut is perched above the beach and the noise of the crashing waves, can’t call it surf, lulled me to a dozy state.
Plenty of wind. A 5 m swell apparently out on the Strait. Hail multiple times. Big downpour at night.
I slept on.
A guide to the night’s accommodation: Bungaree Hut
