Five Mile Beach to Tin Mine Cove
While low tide was not due until after 11am, the water level was much lower than last night when we crossed just after 8.30am this morning. The water did not get much higher than my knees.
The next section was a short but steep uphill with nice views looking back on Miranda Creek.
Up and over the crest of the hill we passed Monkey Point to our right and on towards Johnny Souey Cove.
Johnny Souey hiker campsite was very small, with a tiny patch of flat ground to the left of the photo below. There were much better sites for the boaties down near the beach.
With a nice flow of water in the creek, not far upstream from the beach, we took the opportunity to drink up and refill our water supplies. We then set off along the beach and scrambled over the rocks of Three Mile Point followed by a long, straight walk along Three Mile Beach to Lighthouse Point.
By the time we made it to Lighthouse Point the sun was really beating down on us and we stopped for lunch in some shadows on the rocks. Some kayakers had stopped here too and we chatted a bit with them. One guy seemed to have been here a lot before and he shared with us what was ahead including tips for the dreaded swamp that we would encounter tomorrow. Suitably refreshed and sated we set off on the inland journey to traverse from the east to west coast. This section is reported to be quite overgrown to begin with so some bush bashing was expected. First though was a steep sandy climb.
It was hot but didn’t sap our spirits too much.
The track was little hard to follow at times but the odd piece of flagging tape helped keep us on track. And this sign popped up at one point…
Eventually we made it to Chinaman Long Beach at 4.30pm and made our way to Tine Mine Cove to the north, reaching camp close to 5.30pm.
Alas Tin Mine was pretty busy with a few boats staying the night. And there is always one who thinks its good idea to have their doof-doof music blaring. Why? The hiker campsite is a little uphill and inland so not too bad.
It was a little harder to find a good hang spot tonight but we got there eventually.
The creek water was pretty ordinary but with a hot thirsty day behind us we had no choice but to fill up here and filter. It was a warm night but sleep came pretty easily after a long tiring day and the sleep was good. Tomorrow, the swamp!
Nugget Walks 
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