LOCAL resident Ben Stainer has just completed an epic 10-day coastal walk from his home at Potato Point all the way to Sydney living off the land along the way.
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He took no food, living off only what he could find on the trail.
The 41-year-old plumber and would be survivalist was 95 kilograms when he started on October 19 and lost 13kg on the trip, although he said finding enough food was not a problem.
“I know I could survive quite well, especially down here as there is heaps of food,” Ben said.
“I did burn a lot of calories with all the walking but if I stayed in one spot, I could easily do it.”
Toward the end of the trip, his longest day of walking saw him slog for 15 hours walking from Windang to Port Kembla to cross the port then to Royal National Park south of Sydney.
At night, he said it took four hours for his feet to cool down and they were too hot to keep inside his sleeping bag.
Among the biggest challenges were the numerous creek and bay crossings that he had to complete with the longest swim probably being 1km across Batemans Bay.
Another major crossing was at Port Kembla where he had a friend join him for safety, and the guys were actually worried about being intercepted by the water police or maritime services, but they made it across unscathed by either sharks or the authorities.
As a member of the Narooma Numnutz winter swimming club, Ben is adept at ocean swimming although not with the gear and being by himself.
Ben carried all the gear in backpack that was placed in a large waterproof bag for the swims across the various waterways.
He survived off fish and stingrays that he speared, abalone that he dived for and also oysters picked off rocks.
On land he was able to get carbohydrates from various root tubers, while for snacks he had native grapes, geebung berries, prickly pear fruit, wombat berries and native cherries.
For water, he was able to access water taps along the way to remain hydrated.
“I tended to have my protein of fish and abs in the morning and then had the fruits and berries that I picked along the way during the day,” he said.
“Some days I missed food, but it wasn’t too bad.”
Another component of the trip was reconnecting with his Aboriginal ancestors at Billong, the land of Wandandian tribe and he also stopped in at Wreck Bay.
It turned out the biggest challenge was the rugged nature of the coast with big cliffs and off-limits areas such as at Jervis Bay meaning that he did occasionally have to leave the beach to walk along more inland roadways.
The section between Bulli and Royal National Park also required him to head inland to avoid the cliffs.
He said he was up for another epic walking adventure although this time he said he would like to take along a cameraman so the trip could be probably documented – anyone putting their hand up?
Here are some of Ben’s Facebook posts from along the way:
Oct 20 Facebook entry:
Seas choppy no breakfast dive, walked beach to Moruya Heads found an old beach shed, moving on to collect some takeaway cockles for lunch in the mangroves. Picture of mangrove fruit editable but you must process it. Eagle and prey on route to my little swim found a nice spot to relax and lounged around for a while, moved on to Moruya airstrip. Than found some black cockies and a water dragon laying in a billabong. Time for lunch cockle takeaway. On to a 200-year-old canoe tree, used by Yuin people. Passed some wild asparagus and ate as was hungry. Finally camped at an ocean cave as I think might get wet tonight. Cooking fish and seaweed. With some fruit which is not local and testing of poison. My bed is 5m to high water mark ocean views.
Oct 20 Facebook entry:
Some family history my great great grandfather King Billy Jimmy Golding last of the Wandandian tribe. He was in his late 80s in photo. Would have eaten much the same food as I have been posting. No health problems like today with Aboriginal people. We have recorded history that he would walk from Jervis Bay to as far south to Wallaga Lake and far north to Botany Bay. He lived to 100 and his wife lived to 110 by newspaper reports.
Oct 21 Facebook entry:
Have to be quick no power in solar charger. Stopped at a place before Clyde River crossing. Collected some lunch of wild grape that's the black ones. Plus some prickly pear fruit, it’s not native. Note didn't video today's crossing due to power but biggest yet crossed about 1 km of water. I am about to go out of charge and service area for about three days heading to Ulladulla.
October 23 Facebook entry:
Dive for breakfast swim, walked to pebbly beach camped. Next day walked to Meroo on the way picked up afternoon tea of native cherry they are the best should sell them like blueberries. Lots of photos. Heading to Ulladulla making good ground. Doing on average 10 hours walking per day plus say 1 hour for getting food.
October 24 Facebook entry:
Stopped in at the in-laws at Narrawally. Not cheating brought my own food - abalone. No photos today as had no charge. But will give brief on events. Camped at Meroo last night on a remote lake, fish started jumping everywhere last night as thousands of flies landed on the water. Spent most of the night trying to hand spear the fish but my out-of-water spear throwing needs practice. Today rained in the morning packed for Narawally ate mainly native flowers plus picked up some honey suckles and sucked the honey out of them for energy and abs for afternoon tea. Walked through bush at back of Burill Lakes and reminded me of when I was younger… Recharged my phone at in-laws now so heading off to camp at Conjola. Thanks for cooking the abs for me.
Got to Conjola. Was cliff hanger to day prayed for help from god as the tide came in and I was 4m up a rock face and got hit by a wave. Only way to get to safety was climb 20 of crumbling rock face with a back pack on. Shit myself couple times as rocks just crumbled. Time for bed heading to Wreck Bay tomorrow — at Conjola Lakeside Caravan Park
October 25 Facebook entry:
Heading to Wreck Bay Aboriginal community. As kids we would holiday there as my nana has friends there. Nana grew up in a time of change she was not allowed to speak in her Aboriginal but her nana would. She went to school at the Naval college as her dad was white man who was a hydraulics engineer . That's how my dad’s uncle became a plumber and my dad and now me . Her cousins where not allowed schooling. My nana taught me about abalone , her job as a kid was to collect it at low tide with a hessian sack. They were everywhere then she said. Abs where like potato for them, she would tell me.
Family history: This is my great great grandmother. She was 110 . She used to tell about when she was little she saw sailing boats and had never seen a white man before. She used to talk about to my nana’s mother about going to Pigeon House Mountain for corroboree and special business. I was told she was very wise and strict from her cultural upbringing. Tomorrow I’m heading for Myola to find an old grave site of a family member in the bush.
October 26 Facebook entry:
Breakfast oysters on a rock. Crossing Curinbene Creek near Myola. Opposite Husky pub to see grave
Billong our Aboriginal family home land of Wandandian tribe.
October 27 Facebook entry:
Crossing Port Kembla with Ben Neaves tomorrow morning. Just would like to thank everyone for their support, especially Charlie Greer for posting food on Facebook. Last three days I have walked 41hrs my feet take four hours to cool down at night. As I hit the city sea is barren and bush has hardly any food. I have been eating black boy core, which is starch carbs, plus grubs and figs.
October 28 Facebook entry:
Will be at Bundeena tomorrow morning before lunch. Then swim Port Hacking, then done.