Film Etap I

I thought I have an experience in adventure’s preparation. As well I can’t blame lack of time, as I had plenty of it while organising the details to think all pros and cons. I’ve got the biggest lesson of my adventure life, mistake which shouldn’t happened.
        
Anyway, back to Sep 2013 when I was doing Unmotorised South America Crossing in Amazonia, Brazil, thinking what I can do with the rollerskaters after I finish that section shortly. Usually I was giving my equipment to locals, but rollers size 45 and lack of paved roads (except transamazonia main road) created an idea to send them home. But what for? Wait a minute- unless my next project will be to cross Australia - at that moment the idea of Unmotorised Australia Crossing was born. Getting my Australian Citizenship in 2019 only made my dreams stronger.

The goal is to cross the mainland continent without using of an engine and to climb all highest summits of each state or territory. However Australia is extremely bureaucracy country, with tons of regulations and most government organisations simply don’t care to consider anything what is out of “normal” request. Permits here are the nightmares. Huge logistics puzzle, a lot of ups and downs, but I was enjoying the preparations, especially intense last two years, and nearly 9 years later - here I am, at starting point of my trip.

Steep Point - the most western point of mainland Australia. Beautiful place, and next to the campsite :) Really? The sign says it’s here, but topographic maps and gps say otherwise - I had to walk nearly 1km to the real geographical cape. Whole area is amazing - vertical high cliffs over the turbulent ocean stretching for over hundred kilometres. Few spots picked by fishermen - the rest is wild and empty. It’s famous as well as the windiest place in the country.
So what could go wrong? I could blame the upcoming cyclone, but at the beginning it brought me a gift - 24th March was one of the calmest day of the summer and I was able to take off my new tiny 249 grams drone. As absolutely inexperienced in drone operations, I was lucky it wasn’t blown away, but it was scary task to let it go over the cliffs. As it says - silence before the storm. Except lighter winds (under 30km/h) the cyclone decided not to hit the shore, but it was the last good thing from the situation. My biggest enemy was increased from 60 to 95% humidity but I still wasn’t aware of it.

The first day was amazing - walking trackless on top of the cliffs. Enjoyable time. However walking later on soft sand isn’t the fastest way, so I was working harder and sweating more. Ran out of water by the sunset. Second day I’ve reached my food and water drop off point. Now my body wanted to catch up with lack of water and I drank straight half of daily supplies. The wind wasn’t cooling down either, too calm and tail, wrong direction. I was sweating as pig and started to feel tired. Then I felt small hamstring cramp. That was the impulse I realised I might not make all the planned route, and started to increase pace and reduce breaks. It got worse.
Stop. Think. Check the map. Forget about amazing campsite on the cliff and start evacuating. Quick decision - I’m trying to reach the road asap. So, I left the roaming ocean behind trying to walk towards the road. Only 9km :) Hm, the shortest doesn’t have to mean the easiest. The dunes were so steep, so big, and with dense vegetation, than I had a problem to climb them. Once on top, my heart rate was over 170, and I needed a break. And it seemed never ending.

I had to reconsider the alternative route. After checking the topographic map I decided to walk a bit around but with less climbs. It was improvement but still when lifting legs high over the bush, cramps were increasing. I called the day earlier just after 23km as I was exhausted. I tried to eat but my body didn’t want to accept any solid food, just couldn’t force it. I lied down naked in tent, trying to minimise sweating, and was dreaming about H2O. Then heavy cramps occurred - I was screaming and fighting to stretch quads, hamstrings, calves, feet and belly. What a terrible feeling. As it was most likely the fourth day of dehydrated state, as the last two days before reaching the start line I wasn’t drinking enough due to excitement and many things to organise. What a mess up.

Four hours later I was texting by GPS InReach (technology letting you texting via satellite) to Neil, the guy who live nearby and offered me a lift to Steep Point, asking indirectly for potential water for the next day. It was very hard mentally, as I don’t use asking for help. I should be self sufficient on my adventures. That was probably my lowest mental point of any adventure I undertook so far, I was seriously thinking I won’t continue the trip. Absolute disaster in my head - slap in the face.

I started hike before sunrise. 9km took me three hours with no breaks and I reached the road. Three minutes later Neil arrived, in SES assistance Paul, and handed me water and coke. I drank four litres within two-three hours, but my recovery wasn’t instant. When guys went further to hide my backpack in bush on my request, so I could hike lighter, I lied on the ground still with cramps, now even in hands.
They returned, I was still breathing heavily, asked if I want to be checked by nurse, but at the end I decided my state is slowly improving. Waved goodbye to them and still lied down for an hour then slowly progressing to next water drop off 6km away. When I arrived there, Neil again drove there with electrolytes - what a legend! He just want to make sure I’m ok. We chatted for an hour and I walked away retrieving my backpack soon, appetite got back, strength regained.

The next day I walked 40km and hated I took camera and drone on me, just too heavy backpack. Following day I was swimming in the campground pool close to stromatolites. The amazing living microorganisms are the oldest form of life on Earth, dated nearly 4 billion years. Thanks to them our planet started to fill with oxygen, which led to develop more complex form of living structures.

Very bad start of the trip, but I believe that I’ll learn on that mistake and that way could avoid even worse potential problems and consequences. Everything happen for a reason.

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