Tarkine Rainforest
19 November

This is what unfavorable photography weather looks like over the Tarkine.

We got up to Jonathan’s cell phone alarm, and proceeded to pack for the journey out of the Tarkine. We double checked our borrowed equipment to assure its proper return, and all our clothes got back in the backpack. We hauled our borrowed backpacks (now filled) to the longhouse and sat down with a cup of coffee and later a bowl of muesli and coconut yoghurt. Rob, Nick and Ira took the time to do some more photography before the bright shafts of sunlight made photography difficulty. It’s ironic that for our visit to a rainforest, we got not only no rain, but bright sunshine and blue skies. Optimal weather for this photography workshop would’ve been clouds, with mist and light rain.

We spent the rest of our time at the longhouse getting ready for our departure, redistributing various items between our bags. Jo loaded our bags and coolers, and other items on the power carrier to haul down the ridge to the bridge over the creek where we would carry them back over the footbridge and up the short trail to the road. After squeezing everything in the back, we piled into the van and headed out - 40 minutes on the gravel road until we reached the highway and went north to Waratah where Ira’s parents were meeting the van. After saying goodbye to Ira and his parents, we retraced our path to the north coast and Burnie, and then east to Launceston. We made our farewells on the sidewalk next to the Leisure Inn/Penny Royal.

After four days without a bath or shower*, we made a beeline to the bathroom to freshen up and get ready for dinner. When we checked in we had made both arrangements for a taxi to the airport in the morning and dinner reservations that night a couple doors down the street.