Big tides and big waves

Generally around Easter time we can expect the sea to put on a show for us. During the Easter break I spent time sitting on the foreshore watching the action.

You may notice at the bottom of the crane a surfer is hooking his surf ski up to get it onto the pier. Big surf this day at Two Mile Bay reef but if any local surfers happen to read this I could get my tyres slashed. They are very touchy about keeping this a secret. On this day Kelly Slater, ten times world champion, was surfing the secret spot. We have been graced with his presence before.

This was the same day. The local people generally like to get out in the midst of the bay and get tossed around. It is quite safe within the bay and great fun.

Here is my niece, Madey, pushing through a wave.

A couple of days later and a different scene. Beautiful autumn sunshine and calmer seas.

Early evening and the tourists are making the most of the beautiful environment.

Just a few more.

A magic mushie nestled in pine needles.

Windfall under the sheoaks.

A coastal garden landscaped perfectly by the weather.

So many earthy colours in the one place.

Shipwrecked, and this is relatively mild sea conditions. The ‘Marie Gabrielle’ was wrecked here in 1869 while carrying tea from China to Melbourne. The three-masted French barque was driven ashore at 1am on November 24.

Plenty of green stuff for the animals to eat this year.

Clifton Beach to Gibson Steps

It was the middle of winter and a beautiful day. So we went for a walk.

Leaving the Great Ocean Walk track and coming onto the beach at Clifton.

 

 

Last time we did this walk we had to climb over rocks to get past this point, but this time nature had worked for us with a fresh cliff fall, and we were able to walk through the sand passage behind the fall.

Annie with her found treasures.

Colours of March – representing the southern hemisphere

This bush is typical Australian bush with the very sculptural grass trees, located in a paddock on a friend’s farm.

Nearby coast – Peterborough way.

Worm Bay – good for swimming.

Mutton Bird Island.

Boggy Creek – a little bit inland.

Breakfast @ the Twelve Apostles

It’s an annual fundraiser. The local Red Cross and Cancer Council get together and deliver a delicious breakfast at the Twelve Apostles.

Annie and I started early and walked about 12 kilometres to get there (this was huge for me) – along dirt tracks, through farms, and National Park. It was only in the final half hour of walking that I was needing a panadol or two or three.

Inquisitive sheep thinking that we may be delivering a meal.

Egg and bacon was first course followed by pancakes, strawberries and cream.

The Apostles were looking good.

 

 

 

It was perfect weather.

Chasing Killer Whales

A phone call from Annie – killer whales had been spotted on our coast. They were feeding on the tuna that were doing their seasonal run. Did I want to join them on the boat and maybe get some photos? Would love to.

Annie and Fuzz own Port Campbell Boat Charters.

If the crane breaks down the fishermen get upset as this is the only way to get their boats into the water.

Local fishermen getting their boat back on land. The boats cannot be moored in the water and need to be lifted in and out with each trip.

Looking for the water spout. BTW we missed the orcas but we did find…

Lots of bird activity which meant that the tuna were about. Those rocks in the background are the Twelve Apostles.

Gannets waiting for the leftovers.

Plenty of dolphins to be seen, often cruising alongside the boat.

The captain giving instructions on how to reel them in.

Two tuna were caught in a short time. After that it was decided to stop fishing as two large tuna were more than enough. Many more could have been caught. Legally, each person with a fishing license is allowed a limit of two tuna.

Being a girl, I felt sorry for the tuna.

Annie having fun.

A friendly observer.

Jim the Fisherman with his catch for the day.

Preparing dinner.

Another Big One

Today’s tide and waves were bigger and better than a couple of weeks ago.

And yes, out there amongst it were three local surfers having a different kind of surfing experience, one of them being my nephew.

As a photographer, it is always potentially exciting when non-locals saunter out into the midst of it.

Damn, he realised just in time.

This was taken a second later.

This guy wasn’t so lucky. All that water came down on top of him.

This is meant to be a road, not a river.

A couple of the surfers are right in the middle of that.

To think that only a couple of months ago we had our umbrellas up and towels laid out enjoying the sand and sea.

Wow, nearly got another one.