42:26.5s 145:36.7e

Well, I know this won’t go out as our sat phone has run out and I will get around to fixing that next week.

Today we left our very nice inlet early to do a beach walk and clean up. Ian said the beach was right next to the entrance of the Gordon River so we might see some Huon Pine logs. Well, what an understatement, there were several logs and tons of bits ‘n’ pieces. The piners used to fell the logs up the river and wait for a flood to wash the logs down river and, over time, the logs have kept on coming. One sawmill in Strahan has the licence to salvage all Huon Pine in Macquarie Harbour. Seems like there is so much available they are just leaving it on the banks.

We picked up another 6 bags of rubbish, mainly rope from the fish farms.

We then entered the Gordon River - a little shallow at the entrance and then, at times, up to 30m deep. Stunning, rain forest right down to the water’s edge. A little like Pittwater in the hills around the water’s edge, but the foliage is thick and very varied - Huon Pine, Celery Top, Myrtle, Sassafras, Leatherwood and Blackwood and a lot more that have names longer than the Belgiovanis.

We stopped at a little jetty on the way and there was a great little hut with the custodians being the Gordon River Anglers. In the old days it was a base where wire was strung across the river to catch the logs. This hut is a  beauty – simple but so cleverly put together with lots of ingenious amenities. Very clever people involved. Anybody can stay for $10 a night as long as you follow the 10 commandments. The first being “Thou shalt not commit littery”.  Great long-drop dunny up a long staircase with a little Stop or Go sign at the bottom and a joke book to read while you do your business.

We are currently parked alongside the Heritage Landing where the cruise boats turn around, there is a short walk on duckboards around some large Huon Pines and rainforest. Tomorrow heading further upriver.