Day 5 GOW
Aire River campground to Johanna Beach 14km
From the Aire River campground, once again first out the door the track follows the cliff-top for about 4km but you cant see the sea because of the thick vegetation between the track and the cliff edge.
You then come out to Castle Cove where the Great Ocean Road meets and there are cars left right and centre. I stopped for a drink and morning tea by the map area. 2 fellas coming from the wrong way decided to stop right next to me, COVID and social distancing right out the door here. It was windy and cool so shelter from the map sign I thought was a good idea.
Back on trail the track winds along cliff tops. Some views to Rotten Point and and then down for a 2km beach walk along Johanna Beach and a small creek crossing. TSoft sand but not too far in distance. From 800m befor ethe turn off the beach you couod clearly see the big yellow arrow off the beach. here were 2 ladies in front glamping style and Brad had caught up to me and powered along the beach to leave me taking video. Once again I tried to follow his footsteps but they were longer than me and my right knee started to feel it so I backed off. The 2 ladies footprints were too small and shorter than mine.
Anyway I followed Brads trail across the stream rock hopping while the ladies took off their shoes and decided to have a lunch break at the lookout lower by themselves until some other people thought it was a good spot too coming from the Johanna Beach camping ground.
I went up accidently the Johanna Lookout with all my gear only to discover the trail does not go that way. So off along the road from/to the Johanna campground the GOW campground is up some distance more and up on the cliff top around 1.30pm. Brad got the ocean view closest to the shelter and I got second in the third to front spot more sheltered than the one in between next to the table. The other tent sites were in more sheltered spots and look good too. One was inaccessible because a tree fallen over blocked the path too it.
Everyone eventually turned up and we chatted in the shelter as the wind was blowing a gale and it was cold.
I went for a walk to warm myself up again down to the campground and pucked up an old sheet covering some campfire coals and try to dry it out back at camp for use when it got cold. It was only dropping to 18 degrees or so that night I think due to the humidity in the air and overcast sky keeping the heat in.
Brad had set up his bivy and a large tarp over his bivy that protects from the wind and the rain.