Great Ocean Hike, Day 3 – Aire River to Johanna Beach, 14km

Well this day had a bit of everything! First thing to contend with, the stairs to the toilets.  I note to myself that the magical nighttime restoration fairies have been and I’m feeling back in the game.

I hear a teacher from the group down below, a boys school apparently, yell “Packs on boys!  We’ve got a bit of an uphill first thing…so keep your jumpers off!”

Great, I think to myself….they must be headed the other way, up the sand dune….Hooray! I set off.  And don’t get far before I detect the inane gaggle of semi- prepubescent boys.  They are headed my way!  Decision time.  Wait and let them pass.  Or fang it.  I fang it.  But they fang it even quicker. After a game of cat and mouse which lasts a couple of kilometres, me staying ahead by millimetres, they pass.  I step aside and wait for the 20 or so young fellows to trudge past me.  I start again.  And realise they have stopped.  Getting drinks out of their backpacks.  Resting.  I sigh and walk through the middle of them again.

The walk is pleasant.  Softly rolling with occasional views out to the ocean.  What’s this? My mates are back.  They pass, this time a few of the bolder ones saying hello and thanking me for moving aside.  I walk another 200m and spy them, stopped again.  One explains that they need to wait for the teachers and they accidentally keep catching up to me right before they have to wait.  All good mate.  No stress.  Catch you in a bit.

The view really opens up now and I’m descending down very close to the beach.  Sandstone hues paint the beach yellow, and the sea is a cold, icy blue.  The boys pass me again.  Comment on the views.  I wait this time.  The teachers pass too.  I don’t see any of them again.  Such is hiking.

Through a woodland forest and down to the beach.  I notice on my way down that blustery has become an understatement. I request a forecast from my trusty Garmin.  Hitting the beach, I realise it’s incredibly windy…and blowing straight from the direction in which I want to go.  This is going to be a tough couple of kilometres!  Garmin dings….Windy.  Up to 80km/hr gusts.  Hell.

I make a start.  Smashing my poles into the sand so I can get traction forward.  It’s hard not to be blown off my feet.  Shells and sand and grit slam into my legs and eyes.  Beautiful.  But just a little too windy for comfort. And a final insult at the end, whereby, in a rookie mistake I get caught out by a wave crossing an inlet.  Wet shoes and socks.  Bummer.  My only consolation is that it is supposed to be raining all day tomorrow anyway. 

The campsite is to die for.  And in an incredibly lucky turn of events, the view side is protected from the gale force winds.  I can feel smug both from an aesthetic and safety perspective! 

There is a little wallaby hanging around camp and I relax mesmerised by the pounding waves.  The wind has caused the swell to rise, and there are some real behemoths making their way to shore.  It’s destined to be a quiet night.  The lady who is not up for company or conversation has set up in the wind on the other side of the campground.  And the Mexican fellow from the first night has arrived…and as I didn’t glean anything from him that night, I assume he’s quiet as well.

Oh well, we’re all going to be tucked up and sheltering from the rain anyhow…