Fortescue Bay, Tasmania — 29-30 March 2025
Saturday 29th March
Our first day paddling from Fortescue Bay was out to Cape Hauy. There, we admired the dolerite columns called the Totem Pole and the Candle Stick. We had protection from the southerly wind as we skirted along the rocky cliffs and enjoyed the swell crashing in and the rebound waves. There was a sea eagle spotted perched on the cliff and it didn’t seem worried by our proximity. Within the protected area beside the Totem Pole and Candle Stick there were lots of seals that swam around our kayaks. Venturing further out on the exposed side of Cape Hauy the wind was quite strong and had generated waves which broke over the bow of kayaks almost to the cockpit. The group split; with some paddling around the outer islands, called The Lanterns, while others stayed on the sheltered side and paddled the northern side of these islands.
The wind changed as we were paddling back and as we entered the inner part of the bay we had a strong head wind, about 20 knots. Luckily it wasn’t far back to the launch beach. We were back at camp by lunch time which gave time to walk out and view Cape Hauy from the land perspective. The walk out was along a well maintained track because Cape Hauy is part of the Three Capes Walk.
Sunday 30th March
This day’s paddle was to the north from Fortescue Bay past the Devils Kitchen, Tasman Arch and the Blow Hole then into Pirates Bay finishing at the boat ramp. Because this was a one way paddle we organised a car shuttle to have a few cars at the landing spot.
The coastline is breath taking. The cliffs are so tall you get a sore neck looking up and there are sea caves, rocky arches and plenty of sea life along the way. We were fortunate in having a following wind for most of the paddle. However, there was still a swell coming in from the east causing rebound waves and surging waves that needed negotiating as we paddled into caves and close to rocky outcrops and reefs. A moment’s distraction watching seals resulted in one capsize and roll, luckily the seals weren’t fazed by the short intrusion. The tourists at Tasman Arch were surprised when we paddled in under the arch and into the pool at the end.
After about a 4 ½ hours paddling we enjoyed a late lunch on the beach and then the car shuttle returned people and kayaks.
Overall statistics (Links point to GPX track files)
In discussing the likely conditions on the night before there was some concern at the forecast 20Kn southerly winds that we would need to punch into for the 24Km down to Schouten Island. The group decided to give it a go. We had contingency plans to camp at Cook’s Beach or one of the other pristine beaches along the way if all got too much.
The forecast for this day was for a 2m swell but light winds so we looked forward to an easy trip up the coast. On paddling out of the shelter of the bay we met huge mountains of water charging down the channel between the island and the peninsula. The paddle up to Wineglass Bay was not going to be as easy as discussions the night before suggested. Most had not paddled in such a swell and those that had took time to adjust. Once out of the channel and heading north along the cliffs things got worse as the 4m swell hitting the cliffs gave huge rebound effects creating clapotis like waves.
At times, when perched on top of a steep peak, it was hard to reach the water with your paddle! The leaders surveyed the group to ascertain if all were confident to continue as planned. Surprisingly all were up to it and after a time settled into the task with confidence. Being on top of one of the extra large swells and looking 5-6m down the face to the paddlers in front of the group was extraordinary. This day was a challenging, exhilarating paddle pushing everyone to their limits. We described it as “dirty dancing with the sea” or like “paddling in a washing machine”.
We set off at about 10am in perfect conditions, a slight breeze and blue sky. The tree covered hills of old growth forest and mountains in the distance provided stunning scenery as we paddled up to Echo Point for an early lunch stop. There was a tiger snake on the beach as we pulled in but it quickly disappeared into the scrub. Then it was on to Narcissus Hut, which is a short paddle up a small creek from the end of the lake. The landing spot at the hut was very steep so we paddled further up the creek and found a large, flat, grass-covered area and quickly had kayaks landed and tents up. A few people took advantage of the afternoon to go for a hike.
The glassy water was covered in mist as we paddled out from our creek and into the main lake. With the sun shining, we had amazing reflections of the trees lining the bank and the mountains. We paddled down the eastern side looking for a creek that came out from Lake Laura. The plan was to walk up the creek to see the lake. The attempt looked quite funny for those who opted not to try. The intrepid explorers were still visible, giving up after only a short distance, because the scrub was impenetrable and the creek rocks were difficult to negotiate.
