Rare Eagle Meets Comedian – Only in Tasmania
There’s a rule that applies to adventure experiences in Tasmania - what you get is not always what you expect, whether it is the wildlife or the people.
We are preparing for a half-day platypus paddle, about 15 minutes drive north of Strahan - the west coast entry point to the Tasmanian World Heritage Area. After the safety instructions are over and the lifejackets, waterproofs and water bottles handed out, it’s a relief to see that the Henty River flows wide and steady. We push off onto a dark, watery trail through ferns, towering blackwood trees, eucalypts and red-tipped myrtles that grow right to the river edge. As we round the first bend, the breeze scatters a handful of gum blossom ahead of us.
My paddling partner in the front seat of the double sea kayak remains trusting of my efforts at operating foot pedals that control the rudder, despite the occasional near-miss with protruding branches and rocky outcrops. Or perhaps Jane’s not the swearing kind.
After a while, steering is not so difficult. Paddling as a single task is also fine. The problem is in steering, paddling and letting my senses take in the rushing cascade of creeks as they feed into the Henty, the temperate rainforest, the pleasure of being so close to the water. On top of that I’m meant to be watching for platypus. It’s a tall order.
Our guide Phil, on the other hand, does all that – and manages to shepherd the three double kayaks, give a few timely hints on improving our technique and maintain a lively commentary.
Later he discloses that he was an actor-comedian-tour guide for five years. A trained graphic designer, he “ran away to join the theatre” after deciding he could no longer sit for hours in front of a computer screen. He played a starring role in the Round Earth Theatre Company’s popular evergreen play, The Ship That Never Was, performed daily at Strahan.
Half an hour up the river, a pair of broad wings unfold and out of a tall, 200-year-old myrtle swoops a rare wedge-tailed eagle, gliding low across the river and landing in a blackwood on the opposite side.
As we paddle quietly closer it takes to the air again, showing the prominent wedge shape in its tail and a powerful wing action. Our appearance on the river has made it curious. It lands and stays put in its high perch, motionless as we slip by. The group is silent.
The wedge-tailed eagle can weigh up to five kilograms and has a wing span of up to 2.2 metres. It is listed as vulnerable, with only about 100 pairs successfully breeding each year in Tasmania, where it has become a separate subspecies after 10,000 years of isolation from its mainland Australia counterparts.
The river cannot be taken for granted. Phil points out the “Loch Ness log”, rising to the left in an arch about a metre above the river surface. “Three days ago that was two metres under water,” he says. The paddling requires more effort now as the river surges. “Stay on the blade,” he urges.
About an hour and a half upriver, we turn back to coast with the tannin-stained current and get serious about platypus-spotting. A brief rain squall cuts up reflections on the water then passes. Soon Phil points out a tell-tale, long ripple but there is no sign of the monotreme, which can stay under water for up to 14 minutes once it dives. “You need a better remote control for that mechanical platypus,” one of the paddlers calls to Phil.
Next stop is Café Henty, with the kayaks tethered together midstream against a log for a floating tea break. Thermos flasks, milk, sugar, Milo, a selection of tea bags, butterscotch, jubes and the one teaspoon are handed back and forth in a good-natured bonding exercise. Never has instant coffee and a chocolate biscuit tasted so good.
Returning to the launching point at the Henty River Bridge, Phil is disappointed that we haven’t seen a platypus up close. It is one of only a handful of his trips where they have remained elusive.
The rest of us are happy with the eagle. And we didn’t even get our feet wet.
Article by Anna Housego© Breakloose Publications. Unauthorised use or reproduction prohibited. Editorial provided courtesy of Tourism Tasmania.