Tasmania: the Blade, and a No from Cradle Mountain

Cape Pillar

The dolerite cliffs of Tasman National Park are 300 metres tall, making them the tallest sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere. They are intimidating, and hold the unofficial title of “The Scariest Cliff in the Known Universe.”

It was an extremely windy day. I ran up the Blade and carefully climbed up to the farthest rock edge one could get to. Legs dangling down, it was an exhilarating and mind-blowing experience to see the waves crashing into the cliffs 300 metres below.

Yet another bucket list item stricken.

My legs were so sore from the run to Cape Pillar. The next morning was frigid. Temperatures were sub-zero and I hardly had any sleep. I poked my head out of the tent just before dawn, only to see cloudy skies, and instantly wanted to crawl back in. I had to drag myself out to the beach. Soon the clouds started clearing, and I got to witness an epic sunrise. Worth it.

Cradle Mountain

It’s been on my bucket list to summit Cradle Mountain, but that day wasn’t the day. Gusts, rain and snow made it hard to get anywhere close. Instead I had to settle for a run, and did the circuit around Dove Lake. The dramatic weather made the place so green and lively.

Looking back on it later, I wrote:

It’s hard to take “No” for an answer sometimes, but the mountains leave you with no other choice. I was so looking forward to summiting Cradle Mountain on my trip to Cradle Mountain National Park, but the mountains had other plans. As I got closer, the conditions got wilder, with insane gusts and a blizzard, and I had to pull the plug.

It was a bummer. I was watching from a distance as the conditions got colder and wilder at the summit, and thought, “I’m glad I’m not up there.”

The best views come from the hardest climbs, but sometimes you just have to enjoy the view from where you are.

The Tasmanian devil

Listed as endangered, the Tasmanian devil gets its name from its mental screams, gnarly growls, dark black colour, foul odour, and its temper and aggressive behaviour. Though it looks like a tiny puppy, its large head and neck allow it to generate the strongest bite per unit of body mass of any living mammal land predator.

They were far from devilish in real life, though. They were like puppy dogs, running around, chasing and playing with each other with mad screams. I didn’t want to leave Tasmania without seeing one of these guys, and that was the day!

The end of the road

I ran out of roads to run in Australia. I think I’ll go home now.

Then it was back to New Zealand. At the entry gate, most immigration officers ask questions like how long you’re staying and what the purpose of your visit is, with a stern face, but not in NZ. The officer swiped my passport and said, “You have been gone for almost 4 months, and hope you had a wonderful time. It’s been an awesome winter. Welcome HOME!”