Meander Valley

Looking back to 27 April 2017

At the time I took the video below I was already lost in Meander Forest Reserve. Really lost. Fitbit said 46,798 steps worth of lost. I criss crossed the track to Split Rock Falls trying to find it but the terrain was churned up and unclear and I was soon completely flummoxed. So I made my way to the Meander River and headed North and downstream.

I was looking for the suspension bridge Jude and I walked across when we were starting out, just before Jude turned back because the track was so messed up. But I couldn't tell whether I had passed it or not (i.e how far North I already was) but I knew the river and the Meander Falls Road crossed maybe 5km further on so decided to walk out that way. At 4:30pm I was on the bank of the river in a safe place where I was visible, potential rain shelter existed and there was some flat terrain to pace up and down on to keep warm. So I hunkered down with my Deloraine Town Bakery caramel slice and peppermint slice and waited.

For me this was quite the experience. I was in no danger and was pretty pleased with myself for staying calm, and, I thought in a self congratulatory way, being fairly sensible after the initial foolishness of losing the track in the first place. I was actually looking quite forward to my night out in the Meander Valley.

I had a torch and a whistle and blew one and shone the other without much hope that search parties would be out in difficult terrain at night. But at 2:45am Detective Josh of the Launceston Constabulary clambered down the other bank of the river (fast flowing), forded it and then led me out (via a river dunking) and up to his colleague Detective Gavin on the Meander Falls Track back to the car park.

I was able to thank the police and SES search parties who were saying that all four searches they had concluded in the last day or so had finished successfully, including the South West search for a for a father and son lost for three days on a one day walk. They told me that apart from getting lost I did all the right things and fortunately had appropriate gear.

Since Deloraine was on the way to Lonny the Detectives drove me back to the Deloraine Hotel, on the way telling me about the walks Judith Cooke and I could undertake in coming weeks. They said the walk to Cradle Mountain was way better curated and signed.  Given what had just happened I decided to skip that one all the same.

Thank goodness for Search and Rescue.

Hell of an adventure. 

My heart went out though, to Judith, Kathleen Pryor, Alice Pryor, Alan Swanwick and Pat Trowbridge who had to endure an anxious night with Alan, Pat, Kathleen and Alice all booking last minute flights to Tasmania. I am so thankful for the love and concern they showed. Even now I know that I owe them all for what I put them through.

If you ever get the chance, ask Judith Cooke to tell her side of this story. It has a very different tenor to my experiences that day.