Some of you will recall that I was keen to be the first to fill in the 43 S, 146 E pocket on the Degree Confluence project, if ever I got back down to Tasmania.

Seems someone has nearly pipped me to it, so I ought to get my skates on.

A certain Rainer Mautz, a German gent of about my age, made it to within 17 km of the mark, which is not terribly close. From is description he would appear to be some kind of softy who gives up when merely faced with insurmountable difficulties.

http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=-43&lon=146

Is it against the rules to merely charter a helicopter?

He does seem to be a bit of a soft cock.

Sore hand…pfft.

party_pants said:

Is it against the rules to merely charter a helicopter?

No rules..

sibeen said:

He does seem to be a bit of a soft cock.

Sore hand…pfft.

I’d think that would be limp wristed.

dessert was what you got when you went out. or the just variety if you played up.

I propose Operation Hackathon.

Team of chainsawists and bush-whackerists to bash a track such that a train of 4-wheelers can get in carrying all the necessary back-up gear and camping equipment.

Is it against the rules to merely charter a helicopter?
—

To my knowledge, not at all.

Sore hand…pfft.
—-

Vo is me, I vish I vas back in Viesbaden.

Still, thanks to Herr Softenkrautz, I will know to bring a machete.

dv said:

Still, thanks to Herr Softenkrautz, I will know to bring a machete.

it is often about bring or take.

roughbarked said:

dv said:

Still, thanks to Herr Softenkrautz, I will know to bring a machete.

it is often about bring or take.

I always know I’m talking to an American when they bring the item.

dv said:

Still, thanks to Herr Softenkrautz, I will know to bring a machete.

What is it about this particular confluence that make you want to visit it?

Witty Rejoinder said:

dv said:

Still, thanks to Herr Softenkrautz, I will know to bring a machete.

What is it about this particular confluence that make you want to visit it?

the chop suey

What is it about this particular confluence that make you want to visit it?
—

Most of the other points left in Australia seem to be way off the track in the desert, or pudding as we call it, or otherwise hard to reach.

Indeed, there are only two left in Tasmania, and the other is in a live firing range and only military staff can get there.

Lo and behold, the other point I had my eye on, 3°N 103°E, has been taken by Mr Rainer Mautz as recently as February 2013.

http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=3&lon=103

This Mautz is shaping up to be something of a Moriarty to my Holmes.

There remains one point in Malaysia on my radar. 3°N 102°E.

There have been two attempts at this dot, both unsuccessful.
Greg and Bill said:
“The closest we came was 03.01.193N X 102.00.925E about 2.8km away. Both Greg and I were going to jump out of the car. We opened the door to get out and we were swarmed by the most ferocious flying inserts ever seen by either of us. Hundreds of flying insects swarmed the inside of the car. Did they sting? Were they poisonous?”

Khong TuckKhoon, Jan Stuivenberg, Edward Chua, Lee BoonChee and Chow LyeFon said:
“The Confluence 102N 03E: The confluence is on high ground – on a slope filled with primary tropical forest. See picture 1. At 440 meters high and over 1.7 kilometers away from 2 points where we reached, this confluence is located in a region of many low hills. The locals refer this region as Glami Lemi. “

Looks like I would need to make friends with the plantation owner in order to get in with a vehicle, and would still have an uphill march through dense forest.

Would you be able to access the point on say a push bike, a girls bush bike from the nether lands?

Peak Warming Man said:

Would you be able to access the point on say a push bike, a girls bush bike from the nether lands?

Possibly.

I’d say you’d have to put off-road tyres on it, a larger storage space, maybe motorise it and some weather shielding, but I think it could be done.

Peak Warming Man said:

Would you be able to access the point on say a push bike, a girls bush bike from the nether lands?

Why don’t you try it? Make sure the bicycle is glitter candy pink and has ribbons flying from the handles.

He’s lucky that he didn’t get into serious trouble and had sense to turn back when he knew he was fucked.

dv – I can’t wait for you to head into there.

Perhaps go in summer.

Peak Warming Man said:

Would you be able to access the point on say a push bike, a girls bush bike from the nether lands?

Yes. With wicker baskets full of victuals.

“dv – I can’t wait for you to head into there.”

You might have to wait until late next year at the earliest.
Been quite a while since I traipsed around Tasmania.

Hopefully anyone who has a go at it before then will be a quitter like our German friend.

“Perhaps go in summer.”

Yes, something like that.

Have you done any general traipsing as of late?

I would say that my last decent traipse was three years ago.

Already been done b/c it’s easy, but I’m going to do this one, just for myself.

http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=-38&lon=146

Good for you, OCDC.

The entire 30th and 31st parallels have been covered, in Australia. Navigating over them gives quite an interesting ride through varying scenery.

Even in Japan, almost every picture is of a forested area.

to me this feels very much like the maths-geeks that jump up and own on bridges to demonstrate the harmonics of the structures

diddly-squat said:

to me this feels very much like the maths-geeks that jump up and own on bridges to demonstrate the harmonics of the structures

Ooo…nice :) I like this, too.

aha.. found my place. http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=-34&lon=146

or near as dammit. I’ve walked on that very spot. Also visited some others on the list but it seems NSW is pretty well covered.

Reckon the water in Lake Pedder is good to drink?

i’d drink it. it’s miles from anywhere and big. but then i’ve drunk out of puddles when in the bush.

“We’ve discounted confluences in the oceans”

Darn. I want someone to get a sample of bed material at each such point in the oceans. A piece of blue-tak attached to a sinker on along fishing line should suffice.

Ah yes, some interesting difficulties, such as:

“41°S 147°E (incomplete)
“We got within 1.5 km of this confluence before being asked to leave by the Army. As it turns out, the confluence is in the middle of a live firing range and it is not safe or legal to visit it without assistance from the Army.”

Near as I can work out, I can drive a vehicle along an actual track to the camp at 43.045 S 146.265 E.

After that there is (allowing for sinuosity of path) around a 25 km dawdle through heavy scrub along either of two paths: after which I will have to get over an actual ridge.

And back.

Happily there appear to be reliable creeks the whole way so I won’t have to schlep my own water.

Does seem that you’d want a good 5 days.

Or do I go across the top of the range to avoid the scrub?

I don’t think this is going to be doable until next year so I need my Tasmanian friends to run defence until then.

I’m sure none of us want this to go to old Krauty Mautz.

http://confluence.org/country.php?id=6

You could get 360 done in a mere 700 km walk!

You could get 360 done in a mere 700 km walk!
—-

For low values of mere

I have to admit that Maunz is pretty hard core about this shit given that he seems to have flown from Germany for no other purpose than to check dots off. I at least will be combining it with a general family trip to Aust.

dv said:

Or do I go across the top of the range to avoid the scrub?

this one

TFF Google Earth

dv said:

I have to admit that Maunz is pretty hard core about this shit given that he seems to have flown from Germany for no other purpose than to check dots off. I at least will be combining it with a general family trip to Aust.

what are you multi tasking now?

dv said:

I have to admit that Maunz is pretty hard core about this shit given that he seems to have flown from Germany for no other purpose than to check dots off. I at least will be combining it with a general family trip to Aust.

He was going to a GPS geek conference in Sydders, visiting friends and having lark umherlaufen auf der Farad.

indoor GPS georeferencing shit no less

>Maunz is pretty hard core

He’s likely to be a bit more physically fit than you’re likely to be, dv.

Mate of your, is he?

I can also tell you that I will not be doing the vehicular part on a bicycle, FFS. That kind of thing is why they lost the war.

He’s likely to be a bit more physically fit than you’re likely to be, dv.

—-

Well I wouldn’t go that far.

just sounds like you aren’t as committed to the cause…. my money’s going back on him…

dv said:

Mate of your, is he?

I can also tell you that I will not be doing the vehicular part on a bicycle, FFS. That kind of thing is why they lost the war.

Sure. Me and Herr Mertzy Mitz or whatever go back years.

No, actually I looked at his webpage. His take on WA was hilarious.

dv said:

He’s likely to be a bit more physically fit than you’re likely to be, dv.

—-

Well I wouldn’t go that far.

are you going to take that dissing from Bubblecar sitting down?

Der ist Rainer auf dem recht (on the right):

Yes, I mean he does seem to have quite a few first-visits to his name.

I’ll be tramping through the scrub, pausing to lift my binoculars and peer through the snow, to say but one word: Amundsen.

I mean Maunz.

are you going to take that dissing from Bubblecar sitting down?
—

Well I haven’t stood up so it seems so.

Bubblecar said:

Der ist Rainer auf dem recht (on the right):

on decent touring bikes. None of this Dutch Ladies shopping basket hipster malarky.

>Maunz

Mautz, the man’s name is Mautz.

neomyrtus_ said:

Bubblecar said:

Der ist Rainer auf dem recht (on the right):

on decent touring bikes. None of this Dutch Ladies shopping basket hipster malarky.

I’ll bet my bike’s tougher than theirs. I’d like to see them take home as much shopping as I’ve managed in recent days, without a trailer.

Bubblecar said:

I’ll bet my bike’s tougher than theirs. I’d like to see them take home as much shopping as I’ve managed in recent days, without a trailer.

bring it on …

“ name is Mautz”

So the three of you are all pretty chummy then

I can see three paths that appeal to me.

One of them goes south of the ranges. It is a longer route, but flatter.

Another goes along the top of the range, and a third one to the north of the range.

I am tempted by Lake Surprise and some small lakes to its west. I wouldn’t be surprised it no one has ever visited them.

A friend of mine has advised me to wear rubber boots instead of leather hiking books and gaiters. Would rubber boots really be good for such a long tramp?

why would rubber boots be better than dedicated hiking boots?

dv said:

A friend of mine has advised me to wear rubber boots instead of leather hiking books and gaiters. Would rubber boots really be good for such a long tramp?

dunlop volleys

dv said:

A friend of mine has advised me to wear rubber boots instead of leather hiking books and gaiters. Would rubber boots really be good for such a long tramp?

Is this a “good” friend who knows what they are talking about?

http://www.irenabyss.com.au/TripReports/TheFoldedRange/

http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2008/04/wilmot-frankland-range-tasmania-trip.html

http://www.david-noble.net/Tasmania/Franklands79/Frankland2.html

frankland – companion range

http://mcc.bonzle.com/c/mb?a=rm&x=146%2E06675&y=%2D42%2E97584&w=40000&h=40000&i=554&j=554&k=146%2E06675&l=%2D42%2E97584&q=0&r=0&mid=0&pp=11477&z=7DC992A9D197D1AFC0417581B82AE9CF

Bubblecar has volunteered to transport your supplies from the Midlands to Cripps Point.

dunlop volleys
—

How about no…

Is this a “good” friend who knows what they are talking about?
—-

I just met him. It’s the husband of a friend of my wife so we are practically the same person.

He should know what he is talking about in this regard.

dv said:

Is this a “good” friend who knows what they are talking about?
—-

I just met him. It’s the husband of a friend of my wife so we are practically the same person.

He should know what he is talking about in this regard.

what was his reasoning?

http://www.irenabyss.com.au/TripReports/TheFoldedRange/
—

Thanks, neom. Great account.

Reminds me quite a bit of the area around Càrn Eighe (but should not be quite as cold as that.)

Bubblecar has volunteered to transport your supplies from the Midlands to Cripps Point.

—-

Well that’s very kind.

what was his reasoning?
—

That they’ll be more water proof, my feet would have a better chance of staying dry, they won’t pick up burrs like gaiters, they’ll stay together better. He’s a field geo who works in tropical areas so he should know what he is about.

neom: my other idea was for a longer but lower-grade route through the crossing plains.

Having seen the pictures and descriptions of the scrub, I can see it would be slow but steady progress. My concern about going over the ranges is that it will involve some quite steep grades no matter how you do it: I will be alone so if I slip and do some serious damage, it will be awkward. Whereas the worst that is likely to happen going through the scrub is that I can tired and swear a lot.

Compass (and backup)
GPS (and backup)
EPIRB
Boots and gaiters (or wellies?)
Sat phone
Waterproofed detailed topo maps
Camera (and backup)
Plenty of batteries.
10 L water (which I will be hoping not to use, seems there are watering ‘oles here and there along the way)
Socks and undies galore (from experience, these things are very important for morale.)
Towels
Machete
Gloves
Waterproof jacket with hood.
Pup tent, sleeping bag, inf mattress

And plenty of waterproof baggies. It is a miserable feeling, being in the middle of nowhere, with everything wet. The knowledge that at least once at day I can crack a bag and get a completely dry small towel out of it and a completely dry pair of socks will brighten things up. Might seem soft but these kinds of things can make the difference between perservering and packing it in, particularly on a completely pointless venture like this. Trying to sleep in wet clothes is also lame as fuck: I will think about taking a separate set of clothes for sleeping that is kept in a sealed bag: only gets taken out inside the pup tent, worn for sleep, then sealed again.

What will you be eating?

Hankies. Take lots of hankies.

Breakfast bars, chocolate, dried fruit, jerkey.

Hmmm, not sure about hankies.

I hope you plan on taking a locator beacon. We’d hate to lose you in the Tasmanian wilderness.

Your friend with the wellies, obviously hasn’t had to do a long hike with them.

dv said:

what was his reasoning?
—

That they’ll be more water proof, my feet would have a better chance of staying dry, they won’t pick up burrs like gaiters, they’ll stay together better. He’s a field geo who works in tropical areas so he should know what he is about.

He doesn’t know much about lugging a pack through the Tasmanian scrub though. Buy the best hiking boots you can afford. I’d rather skimp on the food budget than do a trip like that in bad boots.

When will you be doing this? Hope you are not going to do it in winter.

external frame backpack
red and black checkered swandry
very very very short football shorts with optimal Y-fronts display from peeking up one leg
a long and luxurious beard
a beanie with a flamboyant pom pom
long pulled-up socks
dunlop volleys
an A frame tent
old AAD down sleeping bag in authentic Polar emergency orange (hand-down from some who knows someone in Hobart)

Teleost said:

dv said:

what was his reasoning?
—

That they’ll be more water proof, my feet would have a better chance of staying dry, they won’t pick up burrs like gaiters, they’ll stay together better. He’s a field geo who works in tropical areas so he should know what he is about.

He doesn’t know much about lugging a pack through the Tasmanian scrub though. Buy the best hiking boots you can afford. I’d rather skimp on the food budget than do a trip like that in bad boots.

Fair point, he’d be more used to wading through swamp and up mud.

and don’t worry about those fancy dry bags softies use these-a-days – everything will be fine wrapped in green garbage bags.

Rofl at neom

and perhaps a close-cell foam mattress which will lay a bread-crumb trail of foam bits

may sure you tie your foam bedroll to the outside of your pack for optimal bread-crumb trail making

dv said:

Compass (and backup)
GPS (and backup)
EPIRB
Boots and gaiters (or wellies?)
Sat phone
Waterproofed detailed topo maps
Camera (and backup)
Plenty of batteries.
10 L water (which I will be hoping not to use, seems there are watering ‘oles here and there along the way)
Socks and undies galore (from experience, these things are very important for morale.)
Towels
Machete
Gloves
Waterproof jacket with hood.
Pup tent, sleeping bag, inf mattress

And plenty of waterproof baggies. It is a miserable feeling, being in the middle of nowhere, with everything wet. The knowledge that at least once at day I can crack a bag and get a completely dry small towel out of it and a completely dry pair of socks will brighten things up. Might seem soft but these kinds of things can make the difference between perservering and packing it in, particularly on a completely pointless venture like this. Trying to sleep in wet clothes is also lame as fuck: I will think about taking a separate set of clothes for sleeping that is kept in a sealed bag: only gets taken out inside the pup tent, worn for sleep, then sealed again.

And a Land Cruiser to carry it all in.

And a Land Cruiser to carry it all in.

porters.

Brindabellas, I am reckoning March Next year will be the soonest possible. That’s why I need my vandemonian allies to try to block Mautz,… Put up bogus “this way to 43 S 146 E” signs wile-e-coyote style.

dv said:

Brindabellas, I am reckoning March Next year will be the soonest possible. That’s why I need my vandemonian allies to try to block Mautz,… Put up bogus “this way to 43 S 146 E” signs wile-e-coyote style.

I’ll see if my friends in Tassie can organise some anvils to drop on him :-)

I’ll tie it all up in a red and white polka dot hanky on a stick, neom.

Will you also be introducing monkeys to the region?

we’ll just give him a typical map of australia that has tasmania missing.

Slicing open your hand with a pocket knife while attempting to cutt through Cassytha dodder laurel is nothing compared to the awesomness of a machete.

what about an axe for cutting firewood?

This is going to be a fireless trip.

No monkeys other than myself.

First Aid Kit = WB&D, metho-soaked rag and borage poultice?

“Land Cruiser to carry It all in”

I’ve ported more than this plus 15 kg in rock samples… This is not exactly a heavy load but it is likely to be bulky.

neomyrtus_ said:

First Aid Kit = WB&D, metho-soaked rag and borage poultice?

And a camera to photograph the injury.

I’ll sort you out a list of edible wild mushrooms. Seems they can keep you going for a month or so.

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/stories/s280731.htm

If I need them for a month then something will have gone very wrong. I am planning five days for this.

If you don’t show up, we could hold a memorial pud.

And may the odds be ever in your favour.

Sweet of you to say so, Witty

dv said:

I’ll tie it all up in a red and white polka dot hanky on a stick, neom.

Told you you’d need hankies.

Magnetic declination in the area is 14 degrees!

Interestingly, at my current location, magdec is almost exactly 0 degrees. Like less than a tenth of a degree.

(Hrrggh hmmm – clears throat)

(sotto voce)

Has anyone enquired why? What’s point of this exercise?

You could just lob darts blind-folded at a map of the world and then take off for Outer Mongolia, Burkina Faso, North Korea or wherever.

What about all those confluences 20 – 30 km from the coastline or those near the poles? Must start to look a bit same-same.

Has anyone enquired why?

don’t think so.

It’s just a hobby, Ian. It’s stamp collecting, but muddier.

For me, though, this particular one is just a challenge I’ve set myself. I am getting a bit antsy in Singapore, I am missing the feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere with no signs of civilisation. I’ll get whatever femtokudos comes with this achievement but really it is just for my own satisfaction.

From The Degree Confluence Project

The goal of the project is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location. The pictures, and stories about the visits, will then be posted here.

overview
The project is an organized sampling of the world. There is a confluence within 49 miles (79 km) of you if you’re on the surface of Earth. We’ve discounted confluences in the oceans and some near the poles, but there are still 10,117 to be found.

You’re invited to help by photographing any one of these places.

PM 2Ring said:

You’re invited to help by photographing any one of these places.

Make a collage of the pics featuring people and play Where’s Wally

dv said:

It’s just a hobby, Ian. It’s stamp collecting, but muddier.

For me, though, this particular one is just a challenge I’ve set myself. I am getting a bit antsy in Singapore, I am missing the feeling of being out in the middle of nowhere with no signs of civilisation. I’ll get whatever femtokudos comes with this achievement but really it is just for my own satisfaction.

fairy nuff

Rather surprised to learn that there are tiger snakes in that area.

And copperheads.

dv said:

Rather surprised to learn that there are tiger snakes in that area.

This is new news to you?

neomyrtus_ said:

dv said:

Rather surprised to learn that there are tiger snakes in that area.

This is new news to you?

No; he has memory loss.

Well moderately new news to me. Not brand new.

There are no non-venomous snakes on the island.

dv said:

And copperheads.

copperheads are good top see around here (where there are copperheads, there aren’t tigersnakes

>>copperheads are good top see around here (where there are copperheads, there aren’t tigersnakes<<

That doesn’t apply around this district. We have tigers, copperheads and browns all living in the same area. Well, the tigers tend to be closer to the water courses, but that is all.

You want to get bitten by a Tasmanian snake, you’ll have to get poisoned.

Have you considered limbering up on a practice multi-day walk on a track in Taswegia before launching yourself, single-handedly, into untracked and unrouted wilderness?

Copperheads eat their own babies, which is helpful.

neomyrtus_ said:

Have you considered limbering up on a practice multi-day walk on a track in Taswegia before launching yourself, single-handedly, into untracked and unrouted wilderness?

It’s a good idea.
I trained for weeks to do the 33 km walk to the southern tip of Wilson’s Promontory. It turned out to be one of my better ideas ….

I did not, however, research the snake population there.

“Have you considered limbering up on a practice multi-day walk on a track in Taswegia before launching yourself, single-handedly, into untracked and unrouted wilderness?”

I don’t think that’s going to work out time-wise, but I will soitanly be using the next nine months to do as much relevant activity as I can within moderate travelling distance of here. Gasing Forest doesn’t really resemble Tasmania in any way but it will at least give me a chance to get used to long uphill marches, downhill slides and sleeping rough again.

Can’t really replicate the cold of course…

I have done overnight walks in Tasmania (south-east), I am in general terms familiar with the conditions.

dv said:

I have done overnight walks in Tasmania (south-east), I am in general terms familiar with the conditions.

So you’ve done a fair bit of montane-alpine stuff?

“So you’ve done a fair bit of montane-alpine stuff?”

This was in Three Thumbs which admittedly isn’t exactly the Himalayas. The most mountainous region I’ve been hiking in was northern Scotland.

I have quite a bit of work to do to get myself into the condition I was in four years ago: I’ll find out soon enough whether I am physically up to this or not, particularly knee wise. I can lose fat and gain muscle but no amount of work is going to improve crocked knees.

9 months: it should be doable.

But I appreciate the concern which, on the face of it, seems only reasonable.

dv said:

“So you’ve done a fair bit of montane-alpine stuff?”

This was in Three Thumbs which admittedly isn’t exactly the Himalayas. The most mountainous region I’ve been hiking in was northern Scotland.

I have quite a bit of work to do to get myself into the condition I was in four years ago: I’ll find out soon enough whether I am physically up to this or not, particularly knee wise. I can lose fat and gain muscle but no amount of work is going to improve crocked knees.

9 months: it should be doable.

Mr Neo and I would prefer that you had more experience in montane-alpine Tasmanian and New Zealand off-track walks and high country, and were taking a hiking partner.

Well, I suppose so would I, and if I were living in Tasmania that kind of specific prep would be possible. But instead I will be flying in from South-East Asia and fitting this in a fairly brief window of annual leave, with a goal to not just achieving this but being the first, so I can’t plan to prepare for this over several annual trips with a view to a manned mission around 2018. I’ll be doing what I can to prepare myself. If it turns out I can’t hack it, then like the sensible Herr Mautz I will turn back. (From the sounds of it I will be a bit better prepared than him, given that I already realised I would need gloves and a machete…) .

Be aware that the topographic variation over the path I’ve chosen is scarcely 200 m so I am not planning to scale the Matterhorn or something … no grades over 45%, Google Earth tells me.

From what I can work out, the only macropodiformes I am likely to encounter would be the red-necked wallaby and the pademelon.

snakes are bad. specially in the buttongrass in february and march. but you gotta watch out coz they can still kill your best dog, just like that, in october.

I am pretty used to snake territory: just surprised to find Tigers that far south.

sarahs mum said:

snakes are bad. specially in the buttongrass in february and march. but you gotta watch out coz they can still kill your best dog, just like that, in october.

Yeah, October is when I see tigers too. Just as it warms up. Dozens of them sunning themselves. After that, they mostly remain hidden.

I was checking through the untaken confluence points in Java. Two are “incomplete” (ie didn’t get close enough to the mark). One of these is in an industrial estate or something. The other is at 8°S 113°E and the last team got to within 2 km: naturally, Rainier Mautz was among them.

What is a confluence point?

A location whose latitude and longitude are a whole number of degrees.

I see. Sounds cool

is it wrong of me to want to go there and leave an orange with “Stumpy waz ere” written on it for dv?

In a tragic kind of way

is it wrong of me to want to go there and leave an orange with “Stumpy waz ere” written on it for dv?
—-

Well if I go there and find that I will look at the sky and yell KKKKKHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN

Droppy, see The Degree Confluence Project

stumpy_seahorse said:

is it wrong of me to want to go there and leave an orange with “Stumpy waz ere” written on it for dv?

No. Just an empty soft-drink can or similar.

dv said:

is it wrong of me to want to go there and leave an orange with “Stumpy waz ere” written on it for dv?
—-

Well if I go there and find that I will look at the sky and yell KKKKKHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN

rofl… might be worth it then :P

I find it interesting that the Cote d’Azur, considered to be a warm sort of spot in the south of France, is about the same distance from the equator as the southern tip of Tasmania.

They reckon that, like for like, the Southern Hemisphere is cooler.

morrie said:

I find it interesting that the Cote d’Azur, considered to be a warm sort of spot in the south of France, is about the same distance from the equator as the southern tip of Tasmania.

There is a bit more land to absorb the sun’s warmth between it and the nearest pole, than there is in the southern ocean.

dv said:

They reckon that, like for like, the Southern Hemisphere is cooler.

Also wind off the sea in the S of France will be coming from N Africa, whereas winds of the sea in S Tasmania will be coming from Antarctica.

Stealth said:

morrie said:

I find it interesting that the Cote d’Azur, considered to be a warm sort of spot in the south of France, is about the same distance from the equator as the southern tip of Tasmania.

There is a bit more land to absorb the sun’s warmth between it and the nearest pole, than there is in the southern ocean.

True, but I reckon the ocean currents have more direct influence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_Current
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Circumpolar_Current

Stealth said:

morrie said:

I find it interesting that the Cote d’Azur, considered to be a warm sort of spot in the south of France, is about the same distance from the equator as the southern tip of Tasmania.

There is a bit more land to absorb the sun’s warmth between it and the nearest pole, than there is in the southern ocean.

They get snow there, in the hills at least.
http://www.mentondailyphoto.com/2012/02/snow-in-menton.html
(I met Jilly when I was there)
and it is cold and misty in those hills right now.

morrie said:

Stealth said:

morrie said:

I find it interesting that the Cote d’Azur, considered to be a warm sort of spot in the south of France, is about the same distance from the equator as the southern tip of Tasmania.

There is a bit more land to absorb the sun’s warmth between it and the nearest pole, than there is in the southern ocean.

They get snow there, in the hills at least.
http://www.mentondailyphoto.com/2012/02/snow-in-menton.html
(I met Jilly when I was there)
and it is cold and misty in those hills right now.

I was more generalising that there is lot of stuff to influence the climate in the south of France, whereas the southern tip of Tassie has nothing but ocean all around it and all the way to the frozen lands.

The Rev Dodgson said:

dv said:

They reckon that, like for like, the Southern Hemisphere is cooler.

Also wind off the sea in the S of France will be coming from N Africa, whereas winds of the sea in S Tasmania will be coming from Antarctica.

Conversely, the winds blowing down from the Arctic, across the land mass of Europe are icy. Temperatures in Europe have been the coldest for 50 years just recently.

Well the Arctic is a lot warmer than the Antarctic by anyone’s measure.

>Well the Arctic is a lot warmer than the Antarctic by anyone’s measure.

That’s cold comfort for those who’ve frozen to death in the Arctic.

You’re on a roll.

• You’re on a roll.

Like ham and salad…

dv said:

Be aware that the topographic variation over the path I’ve chosen is scarcely 200 m so I am not planning to scale the Matterhorn or something … no grades over 45%, Google Earth tells me.

stick in the waypoints so we can all have a look at your planned route …

Just checked a couple of the nearby ones, and I came within a few hundred meters of one at the Greenbushes fire earlier this year, and within 40m of one at the Margaret River fire in November 2011.

I was a bit too busy to be able to jump out of the firetruck and go for a suicidal run into the bush with my GPS though :)

“stick in the waypoints so we can all have a look at your planned route …”

Rougher, lower route
http://www.dazvoz.com/low-road.kmz

Along the ridge
http://www.dazvoz.com/high-road.kmz

dv said:

“stick in the waypoints so we can all have a look at your planned route …”

Rougher, lower route
http://www.dazvoz.com/low-road.kmz

Along the ridge
http://www.dazvoz.com/high-road.kmz

Mr Neo and I have had a look. I’m familar with looking online at possible routes more than him. The response from Mr Neo (former DoC field worker in southern NZ doing remote vegetation area survery Forestry Dept plots) wasn’t good (like, “good luck, that’s gonna be a c&*^%t). The higher route (at least not full top traverse but skirt along the lower ridges contouring higher up to avoid the bogs, forest, river crossings and scrub) is more a goer than through the guts of the valley. The Frankland range attack is more direct but stil has high, pointy bits.

It’s an impressive backcountry region.

Thanks for that.

you want 1:25K topos for contouring

https://www.tasmap.tas.gov.au/do/category/25000TOPO

free spatial layers from geoscience australia (klm and shapefiles) are only 1:250K AFAIK

you want 1:25K topos for contouringyou want 1:25K topos for contouring
——

Already ordered.

Ye olde paper ones.

dv said:

you want 1:25K topos for contouringyou want 1:25K topos for contouring
——

Already ordered.

Ye olde paper ones.

well , yeah – goes w/out sayin’, but you can also get rasterised ones as well from TasMap and export a track file to yer GPS using whatever yer got (oziexplorer or ArcMap or QGIS) – but a noice free klm of contours on GE would be noice and free and overlayable with the aerials.

The five I ordered were
PROPSTING (4023)
SOLITARY (4224)
MACONOCHIE (4223)
ROOKERY (4024)
SCOTTS (4423)

Which gives me quite a buffer.

There’s no really easy way to 43 146, which is probably why it is the last apple on the tree.

Me maps arrived…:-)

dv said:

Me maps arrived…:-)

make sure you dress appropriately

Arts, if this is some ploy to get me to describe what I’m wearing…

He’s planning to lead Search & Rescue on a merry old chase.

Bubblecar said:

He’s planning to lead Search & Rescue on a merry old chase.

Haha. The old Hide and seek game where he hides and no-one seeks? lol

I think it would be tough to get actually lost these days, unless you’re a total dingbat.

dv said:

amazingly enough.. that’s how I’ve always pictured you

.dv said:

I think it would be tough to get actually lost these days, unless you’re a total dingbat.

still a few of them about apparently.. they need GPS and shit

Arts said:

dv said:

amazingly enough.. that’s how I’ve always pictured you

except with a goatee

still a few of them about apparently.. they need GPS and shit
—

Harsh but fair … I will soitanly be taking GPS and shit.

I am without beard at the moment.

dv said:

still a few of them about apparently.. they need GPS and shit
—

Harsh but fair … I will soitanly be taking GPS and shit.

Probably a good idea. Though I haven’t yet.

dv said:

I am without beard at the moment.

in that case.. that’s exactly how I pictured you

“in that case.. that’s exactly how I pictured you”

Do you get the joke?

Beard and eating eggs for breakfast on a low water ration can be bad idea. The beard may be shaved off by lunch.

When living down South Mole Creek way, I once got lost on a morning walk through the forest not more than a few kms from my own home. I found my way again within the hour, but it can be quite a scary experience.

dv said:

“in that case.. that’s exactly how I pictured you”

Do you get the joke?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Haydn

You’ll get the other half of the banana if you find the other image, PM 2Ring.

dv said:

“in that case.. that’s exactly how I pictured you”

Do you get the joke?

no

Ah. I was misled by the badly photoshopped turban.

Bubblecar said:

When living down South Mole Creek way, I once got lost on a morning walk through the forest not more than a few kms from my own home. I found my way again within the hour, but it can be quite a scary experience.

Don’t need a forest. If I drove you to some of the country nearby and stood you in a spot, spun you around three times.. you’d probably never find your way home.

Haydn Sikh

PM 2Ring said:

dv said:

“in that case.. that’s exactly how I pictured you”

Do you get the joke?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Haydn

well, that was worth it :P

“ badly photoshopped “

Apologies. Had to work fast.

and Bubblecar wins today’s quince

dv said:

and Bubblecar wins today’s quince

does he like quince?

We seem to be getting off topic. I feel partly responsible.

I and some other fellows were lost once. We were a bit too smarty pants in a navex and thought we could burn through the backbearings cos we knew from a source where the portaloos were to be dropped. Anyhoo we got lost, portaloos are not a good waypoint and the RSM was disgusted and let us know.

I could see the hurt and pain in his eyes. Astonishing as it may seem, ever since that day my friends, I have never taken a backbearing from a portaloo.

dv said:

We seem to be getting off topic. I feel partly responsible.

and so you should. ;)

Maybe you should have taken it from a parrot.

the thing about being lost in a place that looks exactly like hte las place is that it take a long time before you think “oh crap, I think I’m lost”

but gps and shit should help you to not have to scrape your last words on a drink container…

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/community/display/60571-james-annetts-&-simon-amos

Arts said:

the thing about being lost in a place that looks exactly like hte las place is that it take a long time before you think “oh crap, I think I’m lost”

but gps and shit should help you to not have to scrape your last words on a drink container…

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/community/display/60571-james-annetts-&-simon-amos

I know those families.

roughbarked said:

Arts said:

the thing about being lost in a place that looks exactly like hte las place is that it take a long time before you think “oh crap, I think I’m lost”

but gps and shit should help you to not have to scrape your last words on a drink container…

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/community/display/60571-james-annetts-&-simon-amos

I know those families.

GPS wouldn’t have saved them. A beacon neither. They didn’t want to be found.

I mean, just quietly … this won’t actually be my first time in a remote location with a map and a compass.

dv said:

I mean, just quietly … this won’t actually be my first time in a remote location with a map and a compass.

Never doubted that fact.

but gps and shit should help you to not have to scrape your last words on a drink container…
——————————————————
Some real numbats follow bad GPS to get lost in places that you wouldn’t think it possible to get lost.

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

Arts said:

the thing about being lost in a place that looks exactly like hte las place is that it take a long time before you think “oh crap, I think I’m lost”

but gps and shit should help you to not have to scrape your last words on a drink container…

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/community/display/60571-james-annetts-&-simon-amos

I know those families.

GPS wouldn’t have saved them. A beacon neither. They didn’t want to be found.

that’s not true.. Annetts scratched a message on a water bottle that expressed love to his family.. if they didn’t want to be found he wouldn’t have done that

Arts said:

the thing about being lost in a place that looks exactly like hte las place is that it take a long time before you think “oh crap, I think I’m lost”

but gps and shit should help you to not have to scrape your last words on a drink container…

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/community/display/60571-james-annetts-&-simon-amos

Army nav plans always have an action on lost which is usually very broad (albeit complicated by enemy) and might be as simple as avoid the eff odd feature, head east till you hit river, follow river to ummmm Syria.

Why cant national parks have something on notice like on this trail if you get disorientated head downhill toward the west for eg.

Stealth said:

but gps and shit should help you to not have to scrape your last words on a drink container…
——————————————————
Some real numbats follow bad GPS to get lost in places that you wouldn’t think it possible to get lost.

yep.

dv said:

I mean, just quietly … this won’t actually be my first time in a remote location with a map and a compass.

don’t be upset because we are concerned about your safety..

Arts said:

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

I know those families.

GPS wouldn’t have saved them. A beacon neither. They didn’t want to be found.

that’s not true.. Annetts scratched a message on a water bottle that expressed love to his family.. if they didn’t want to be found he wouldn’t have done that

James was driving home.. or so he thought.. He didn’t want the people behind him to find him.

don’t be upset because we are concerned about your safety..
—

More amazed than upset.

The boss lady is also a bit unkeen.
Told her about all this and she said, “So if your knees were injured you’d call this off.”
Didn’t quite like the way she said it…

dv said:

don’t be upset because we are concerned about your safety..
—

More amazed than upset.

The boss lady is also a bit unkeen.
Told her about all this and she said, “So if your knees were injured you’d call this off.”
Didn’t quite like the way she said it…

did she have a big stick in hand at the time?

dv said:

don’t be upset because we are concerned about your safety..
—

More amazed than upset.

The boss lady is also a bit unkeen.
Told her about all this and she said, “So if your knees were injured you’d call this off.”
Didn’t quite like the way she said it…

She’s not named Harding by any chance?

dv said:

don’t be upset because we are concerned about your safety..
—

More amazed than upset.

The boss lady is also a bit unkeen.
Told her about all this and she said, “So if your knees were injured you’d call this off.”
Didn’t quite like the way she said it…

only get worried if she starts reading The Whack Heard Round The World

Pity I don’t live in the Tas.

Anyway, James Annetts was a local boy.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/17/1047749719820.html

These maps are awesome

Mirroring from FB:

I did the “Stanley Hike” in Hong Kong on Saturday, from the Causeway Bay MTR station to Stanley Market partly via the Wilson Trail. It’s only about 10 km according to Google Maps but it rises quite abruptly over 400 m within the Tai Tam country park, a lot of it has gradients over 80%.
It was a fairly warm day, not surprising given the sun passes nearly directly overhead at this time. (HK being near the Tropic of Cancer, and this being near the Solstice… there’s a learning moment for the kids.)
Went through three litres of water.
In terms of prep for 43S146E, this was not a very meaningful jaunt, given that the weather was quite different and there was an actual trail. On the other hand then topography was significantly tougher than I will be encountering on the convergence walk so at least I am content that, cardiovascularly, I am up to it. Are my knees up to doing this five days in a row? Questionable.

My FB friends and “friends” will have already seen some of the pics. It’s quite lovely.

>> I did the “Stanley Hike” in Hong Kong on Saturday, from the Causeway Bay MTR station to Stanley Market partly via the Wilson Trail. It’s only about 10 km according to Google Maps but it rises quite abruptly over 400 m within the Tai Tam country park, a lot of it has gradients over 80%.

Is that a better workout than doing the rounds of every counter on Orchard Rd (no lifts)?

dv said:

My FB friends and “friends” will have already seen some of the pics. It’s quite lovely.

so the rest of us aren’t friends?

roughbarked said:

dv said:

My FB friends and “friends” will have already seen some of the pics. It’s quite lovely.

so the rest of us aren’t friends?

Maybe he means the fb “friends” that aren’t.

Maybe he means the fb “friends” that aren’t.
—

That one

Is that a better workout than doing the rounds of every counter on Orchard Rd (no lifts)?
—

Probably. Certainly more scenic.

Actually there is no walking trail in S’pore rated more than “moderate”. It’s a flat country.

dv said:

Maybe he means the fb “friends” that aren’t.
—

That one

Still didn’t get to see the pictures .. sob, so where does that place me? ;)

so he means.. my friends on facebook and my ‘facebook friends’

nice to see you still breathing…

my closest friend calls me ‘brows’ because I say more with them than with my mouth.

“nice to see you still breathing…”

What a nice thing to say.

dv said:

“nice to see you still breathing…”

What a nice thing to say.

The lady with tashes has been making an excellent effort to be nice and internally glowing of late.

roughbarked said:

The lady with tashes has been making an excellent effort to be nice and internally glowing of late.

Aye. Sometimes her rampant enthusiasm is a little too much early in the day.

:-P

dv said:

“nice to see you still breathing…”

What a nice thing to say.

Doesn’t look like a good idea in Singapore though.

what can I say – it’s a great time to be alive…

Witty Rejoinder said:

roughbarked said:

The lady with tashes has been making an excellent effort to be nice and internally glowing of late.

Aye. Sometimes her rampant enthusiasm is a little too much early in the day.

:-P

ah

could that be TMI?

poikilotherm said:

dv said:

“nice to see you still breathing…”

What a nice thing to say.

Doesn’t look like a good idea in Singapore though.

Let’s not go there for the moment.. It was so sweet, up to that point.

It is indeed a great time to be alive.

And the smog has largely cleared in Singapore.

roughbarked said:

Still didn’t get to see the pictures .. sob, so where does that place me? ;)

Well I don’t want to see a grown man cry so…

Journey starts with the march from Causeway Bay MTR station to Link Rd.

Took me a while to find the start to the Tai Hung Country Trail, because I wasn’t expecting it to start with 340 concrete steps. Not a very scenic start.

View to the east from Wilson Trail

Another view to the east from Wilson Trail

Continued

A view on Wilson Trail

A lot of times I thought I had reached the top, only to find another rocky path to clamber up. I lost my hat … blew away down the side of the hill. CBF chasing it by this point. Not far past this point I did in fact encounter the trig marker that told me it would be largely downhill for the remainder.

Another view on Wilson Trail

Yet another view on Wilson Trail

First view of Repulse Bay and Stanley. I was very glad to see them.

Neat and tidy looking hillsides.

Bubblecar said:

Neat and tidy looking hillsides.

D’you think that’s why all we immigrants want to rub out the Australian bush?

Neat and tidy looking hillsides.
—-

From a distance. Pretty chaotic close up.

BTW, certainly glad I am not traipsing about the Tasmanian highlands right now…

dv said:

Neat and tidy looking hillsides.
—-

From a distance. Pretty chaotic close up.

BTW, certainly glad I am not traipsing about the Tasmanian highlands right now…

Meh, we didn’t even hit our record low, only dropped to -12