Narooma to Handkerchief Beach
7 km (1530 km) 3 hr
An afternoon stroll today to commence Stage 14 - this stage aiming for Narooma to Wapengo Lake.
Started out at Narooma Bar Rock Lookout at the southern entrance to Wagonga inlet. From there it was around the cliff rim of Narooma Golf Course above Smugglers Cove. Surely one of the most perfectly located courses around (although I suspect the ocean, the sea caves and the rocky cliffs swallow up more than their fair share of mis-hit golf balls).
The southern edge of the golf course has a track down to lovely Narooma Beach and Little Lake. After a short saunter along the sand I then went up to the cemetery on the southern headland and followed the track at the southern edge down to (appropriately) Cemetery Beach, Princess Beach and Lily's Cove. Another little meander along the sand of Delilah’s Cove to amazing, amazing, amazing Glasshouse Rocks - rocky monoliths sprouting from the sand and the swell.
Never been here before... words fail me - just, yet another, incredible place on the NSW coast.
Spent ages drinking it all in and then, just like any pilgrim's progress, after the divine comes the (slightly) hellish challenge. Knickers Beach and pretty Rory’s Cove led on to a precarious traverse around the sharp crumbly rocks of Sterner Point. Stern going indeed - maybe 500m or so of slow, careful sliding, climbing, and picking my way around to Nangudga Beach. So glad I had my hiking boots and a pair of neoprene gloves. Tricky, but no other way south thanks to the land above being privately owned.
Just heavenly to make sandfall again, and elated is a fair description of how i felt once the sand was in sight. The sun was shining, the sand was perfect and the sea was that special Sapphire Coast blue 💙. Perfect!
The tiny challenging experience sums up why this is one of the world's greatest walks. Montague Island smiling offshore, seals mocking my progress in their rocky marine abode, that little 'engine that could feeling - I think I can, I think I can, I know I can... success... absolutely and completely brilliant! That being said, it's definitely one for low tide and good shoes and even a pair of gloves might be worth their weight.
All easy after that. Past pretty Bullengella Lake and around the small flat headland on to Handkerchief Beach and Nangudga Lake where I wrappedup the afternoon. It's another Arnie - I'll be back soon to Glasshouse Rocks, next time for sunrise - so much beauty, so little time...
Only a few hours today but scenically one of the best days on the coast so far. Lucky the folk who live nearby...
Looking forward to a full day tomorrow onwards and southwards to Wallaga Lake...