Next day was the Oceania Long Distance Champs. We headed north to St Helens then up a very long and tedious dusty road. My two thirds had given me some hope of a placing, but one look at the map and I knew it wasn’t going to happen. The first four controls were in the flat marshland (fortunately dry) and tin mining area and they were fine; then it was a big push halfway up the side of a large, rock strewn hillside. The entire second half of my course was in a straight line, contouring across the hill and picking off the 5 last controls – no navigational challenge or decision making, just a slow slog over fallen timber – the course setter obviously didn’t put much thought into it, just threw our course together using controls from other courses to make up the right distance. I knew I was going to be well off the pace because I’m so slow in that situation. I came 5^th, 10 minutes out of the placings. It was a bit disappointing. Ian on the other hand had a great run and finished 9^th in one of the most competitive age groups – his best result at this level. He was fast and had no errors, and was very pleased.

By lunchtime the sun was shining brightly, our runs were done, and we decided to head back into St Helens for a look around, then out to the Bay of Fires. We hadn’t been here for 9 years and the town has grown. After a walk, we took the road out to Binalong, a small resort town right on the ocean. There was more white sand beach, turquoise water, and huge granite boulders. We admired the views, took even more photos, and decided it would be a very nice place to stay if we were back this way. The coast here was dotted with dozens of tiny coves and inlets providing sheltered swimming holes.

Next stop was The Gardens, further up the bay. This was much more open, with only a handful of houses. It would be very windswept most of the time, but today it was calm and beautiful. We admired yet more rocks, and stood on a point from where we could see both ends of the Bay.

Another detour took us down a small winding track to an overlook where we could see The Finger (no idea what it is actually called but that was our name for it) and take the obligatory silly photos.

The coast was looking at its best and we dawdled home, though the clouds had gathered by the time we reached Bicheno.

Finally it was time to move on, but with only a short drive to Hobart this morning, we didn’t rush. We lingered in Swansea to do the PhotO Trail, where we had to visit 12 control sites and match them up with photos on our map, then answer a crossword clue. It was fun and we had a lovely walk – please don’t ask me to pronounce the name of the trail!

Short stops were made in Triabunna, a very old town with a convict history, which is the departure point for Maria Island; and nearby Orford, where we saw the island, its mountaintops wreathed in cloud.

Arriving in Hobart signalled a return to traffic and noise, but the house we are in seems very quiet. It’s the nicest place so far, with all mod cons, a massive kitchen/dining/lounge area, and everything that opens and shuts. I’m sitting in the outdoor barbecue alcove with the rock garden behind me – all I need is a nice G&T!