DAY 7: COSY CORNER TO CAPE LEEUWIN 21.5KM

Waking this morning was quite an effort. Yesterday’s sand had taken its toll. I felt very tired and flat. I fuelled up with toast and avocado and coffee. Everyone was feeling the effects of yesterday. Lauryn was suffering with her feet but today was her birthday and this was her goal so we all wanted her to achieve it.

We returned to Cosy Corner and commenced the climb over the headland down to the beach. Murray our guide explained this last day in the terms of the hero’s journey as described by the philosopher Joseph Campbell. Pretty deep for a Kindergarten teacher. But a good way to process our week. A surprise greeted us with the highlights group forming a guard of honour to our last beach.

We rock hopped over a lot of mini blowholes before reaching the beach again. This is the most south facing beach and we were walking into the wind just to make the effort harder. Today we had our last 6 kms of foot sucking sand. Many an expletive passed our lips but we soldiered on.

Lauryn was suffering with her feet so I dropped back to chat and distract her until we could stop for morning tea. She was feeling pretty demoralised and we were working on options about lightening her load or taking her pack plus giving painkillers. Murray looked at her boots and suggested he relace them. What a game changer. He released the laces across the top of her feet and she was relieved of the crushing pain and could smile again and feel she could finish after all.

Finally we could see the Leeuwin lighthouse, small but visible. That sight really inspired us to pick up and get going with real determination. The funny thing was as we got closer that damn lighthouse seemed to move further away. None of this up the road for Cape to Capers, we walked all the actual track. Through small bays and rocky headlands, over slippy rocks and then finally onto the headland where we decided to take a pit stop before progressing. There were three toilets and I took the middle one. While there I saw a snake slide in. I wasn’t too concerned and calmly called out that the others should avoid this toilet. The snake turned out to be a young active tiger snake. When it sidled up the wall and turned toward me I quietly and calmly left it to continue its journey while I went out the opposite direction. Everyone was amazed I so calmly kept up a running commentary, but I have had many snake encounters and usually just being quiet and going in the opposite direction is the best policy.

As we walked up to the lighthouse finally the Highlights group were there to greet us again with another guard of honour. As we entered the lighthouse compound we let Lauryn go first as this had been her challenge to herself for her 40th birthday. We were all thrilled to make it.

We adjourned to the souvenir shop where I bought everyone a pin of the cape to cape. A pin of valour for the determination of the newbies and survival for the oldies! I am not one for corny souvenirs as a rule but this deserved to be acknowledged so I bought a Cape to Cape t-shirt too.

Back to the bus and champagne and nibbles for celebration.

This evening we are celebrating back at Surfpoint and we have purchased extra Champagne to celebrate Lauryn’s birthday with a cake provided by the chef from Surfpoint.

To top off the night we are presented with a video diary of our week walking and certificate of completion. It was a very merry night. Tomorrow we leave.