Great Ocean Walk ( pics)

[Franco]

Two mates and myself recently did the Great Ocean Walk. (Apollo Bay to the 12 Apostles)
I put off doing that thinking that it would be a bit crowded and too "commercial" (IE signs everywhere ) but I was wrong on both counts.
As it turned out we booked less than a week before the start and apart from the first night we were the only one at each spot.
(the camping areas are secluded ,have 8x pads, about 3x3m each, and two larger group camping areas)
We opted fro the 6 day 5 nights option.
So we arrived by bus at Apollo Bay, took off sometime after one PM for an easy walk to the first camp site.
The next two days were the only two full days, about 23/25km , the next two around 15km and the last day walking out to the 12 Apostles Center was around 13km of mostly flat ground.(4 hours inc plenty of photo breaks)
Rained heavily the first night, some drizzle the next and glorious weather from the afternoon of the third day.
Spotted plenty of wild life including many wallabies,echidnas,koalas,roos as well as loads of birds.
Great amenities with 2x rain water tanks at each site, toilets with a view and a covered 3 sided building with a very large table at the entry point . (used that for dinner/breakfast the first two days)
The trail is well signposted but not overdone, meanders between the bush,cliffs and the beach. You need to know the tide times to pass several areas.
From memory 3 don't have an alternative high route.
Highly recommended.
Some pics :









and one with me.. (on the left)

Franco

[DropBear]

Hi Franco,

I liked your trip report over on BPL too.
I would be interested in seeing your gear list and knowing how much water you carried between sources.

[JohnM]

Nice pics.

I've done it a couple of times, and the trick really is to avoid doing it on holiday weekends. It's close proximity to the great ocean road, and the number of drive-in campsites along the way, means it can get pretty busy at times.

Re water: there's nothing between the tanks, but the walk-in sites aren't that far apart... Mostly half a days walk. But doing it one summer, we put in a few water drops which was dead easy (proximity to roads) just in case the tanks were dry (they weren't).

[Franco]

"I would be interested in seeing your gear list and knowing how much water you carried between sources."
I never post my full gear list because I often change the bits I use .
( I can equip 4 other hikers with mat/tent/pack , sleeping bag , stove and pot)
Anyway the main items were the Aarn Featherlite with expedition pockets, the TT Contrail, WM Summerlite bag and Neo Air R size.
My tot weight including food (for 6 days) was a touch under 12 kg
( I do "ligh and comfy" not UL...)
I carry 2x 600ml gatorade bottles , one with water and one with a home made "electrolyte" mix.
That is more than I drink the full day before camp on cool to warm days .
My two mates drunk about twice as much but also sweat a lot more...
Food was very close to 700g per day. That includes sugar/milk/coffee/chocolate/olive oil.
I also had an extra liter in a Nalgene canteen for lunch (about 300ml) and just in case.

Franco

[DropBear]

( I do "light and comfy" not UL...)

Franco

That's why I asked

I've seen a lot of your post both here and over on BPL and I've interested in find out what "dinky stuff" you're carrying for hiking in Victoria,
along the coast and up in the high plains.

[Franco]

OK, I'll try to explain what and how I do it.
I hike for fun. In particular I like to look at animals and "views" so I try to start early and arrive at a camp with a view, early too.
Usually that means somewhere in the open as I don't particularly care to minimise condensation nor hide from the wind.
This does not apply in areas where you get 100kmph winds...

Light and comfy is my own category so I can make up the rules as I go along.
Essentially it means that I favor comfort and performance over weight.
That is the reason why you will not see me under some of those Cuben contraptions nor will see me carrying a frameless pack with over 8kg inside.
(I just love the idea of saving 500g and having sore shoulders at the end of the day...)

I also have no idea of calories/proteins/fats and all of that in my food.
I do it from trial and error or more precisely I shove food in my pack...
Usually around 700g per day 3 seasons, about 1 kg in winter .

3 seasons
Pack Aarn Featherlite Freedom with exp pockets, about 1.6 kg (or ULA Circuit 1 kg)
Shelter (since 2006) Tarptent something (Contrail/Moment/Rainbow and soon Notch) 700-1000g
Mat Neo Air R 380g
Sleeping bag WM Summerlite (680g) soon synthetic quilt *about 450 g (plus clothing)
* theoretically the quilt will be an overbag for below -10c temps with the Suimmerlite or Ultralite and down clothing.
kitchen Caldera Cone 550ml pot (about 13g of fuel per 500g of water boiled) 235g inc caddy (the caddy is my mug and re-hydrating container/eating bowl)
Rain (wind) jacket Montane H2O (?) about 220g
Rain pants Montane Featherlite (more like wind pants/camp layer) or Montane eVent if a lot of rain is expected 350g
Angora or Merino/possum down jumper
Spare Ex Officio underpants
1 or 2 spare pairs of socks
Merino/possum down hat
Camp/night kit Coolmax socks /merino T/merino long johns and merino gloves (not below tree line mid season...) MP3 player
Sea2Summit insulated mug (soup/hot drinks)

I use a Nalgene 1 gallon canteen and two 600g Gatorade bottles (just found a new twist top for them...)
long Ti spoon (emergency peg) 3" Opinel knife (comfort item) small Leatherman with scissors (Sprint ?)

I have an emergency kit as well as a first aid kit about 500g for the 2

I winter I use the Tarptent Moment or the Scarp1 (about 1.6 kg with the extra poles) an Exped 7 mat 900g and take down jacket and pants (WM Flight about 500g for the 2)
and GoreTex mitts to use with the merino gloves or other insulated gloves.
Also usually switch to a Montane eVent jacket. Heavier but more breathable and I can layer under that.
Walking I may have that a T and a shirt under it down to -8c or so.
(my idea is that if you are comfortable standing you will be too hot walking. That is why I usually sweat less than some ...)
If snow needs to be melted I use a remote canister gas stove

There are a lot of missing details about how exactly it works and some minor stuff but that is about it..
Franco

[DropBear]

Thanks for the run down Franco.
I like your philosophy
Light and comfy is what I have been aiming for too.
Few people, good views, star gazing, sunrises and sunsets, local wildlife, star gazing, remote beaches and windswept mountain tops,
all with painless feet and shoulders is the name of the game.

It's hard to find gear lists of people who pack light and comfy.
I think this is how most people would like to pack but the gear lists that are posted online seen to be from one extreme to the other.

I appreciate the insight into your backpack