Although we arrived Friday night, it was dark and late when we pulled in. Saturday we spent a lazy morning, then headed off to the town of San Remo to watch the pelican feeding. Every day of the year, the local fish and chips shop gives a crowd of Australian pelicans a free snack of left over fish heads.
The pelicans were huge, magnificent birds. But equally huge and magnificent were the large sting rays just a few yards away, swimming around the beach and harbor. We walked out onto the docks, where we could see them swim under and around us. Incredible animals.
The pelican and sting ray encounter was followed by a trip to the beach, to see the remains of a ship that sank off the coast of Phillip Island over 100 years ago. We were out at low tide, so we could walk up to the ship and touch it.
And then walk further, out toward where the waves crashed against the rocks.
Jonathan liked mocking at the waves, walking back and forth over the rocks until one too many large waves splashed him. Meanwhile, our host Ann found shark eggs in the rocks closer to the high tide line.
After the shipwreck, we walked around the "Nobbies", headland overlooking rocks and islands where seals make their homes. We didn't see any seals -- then. We saw one later at the penguin beach. But at that time, we did see one snake in the grass (poisonous) and several little penguins hiding out from the sun.
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| (Courtesy of Wikipedia) |
For dinner, we went for a barbecue near the "Safety beach". The tide was coming in now, and Jonathan again challenged the waves with a large stick. The waves won. His shoes, socks, and jeans were drenched. And that was our last pair of socks.
We dressed him in shorts and Tim's windbreaker pants after dinner, and headed out to see penguins. We purchased the tickets for penguin viewing online several days in advance. At sunset, the little penguins, who have been fishing solo all day out in the ocean waters to the south of Australia, gather in groups and run up the beach to their nests and waiting chicks. For 25 AUD, you can get a seat on a stand, crammed in with the Asian tourists from their tour busses, and watch the little birds run up the beach. After you've watched for a little while, and the people in front of you won't sit down, and the child in your party needs to use the facilities, you can walk out to the boardwalks around the beach and see the penguins waddle up the hill toward their nests.
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| (Courtesy of Wikipedia) |
While watching the little penguins in the huge crowds of tourists -- we weren't the only ones who thought Labour Day weekend would be a good time for penguins -- we also spotted several wallabies. We also saw a couple of rabbits -- pests! Rabbits and foxes are invasive species that are not appreciated here.
After a late night of penguins, we slept in on Sunday. Except I was awake and wanted to explore! Jonathan was reading on the couch. I convinced him to get dressed and go on a walk with me. Just a few minutes walk down the street we came upon the Safety Beach again. Jonathan retrieved his stick. I made him take his shoes off to play in the water.
We were back within an hour, and after breakfast we all went on a walk out in the bush. It was hot and dry, and the eucalyptus trees were dripping. We had heard that sometimes koalas could be seen on this walk. But they weren't out today. Still, we enjoyed the walk, until it got a little too warm.
Back at the house, we rested from the heat. Until Jonathan got a little too warm. I offered to walk him back to the Safety Beach to cool off, and he accepted. Tim and Jonathan and I headed out for a swim. It's called the Safety Beach because it's protected from the heavy waves. The sea weed seemed to appreciate the relative calm. We had to climb over that as we waded out to swim.
Last stop for Sunday, the Surfing Beach. This beach, just a short walk from the Safety Beach, lies on the opposite side of the island. We all wore swimsuits, and our hosts brought along their boogie board. The waves at the Surfing Beach were very powerful. And cold. I believe the water comes straight from the ice bergs of Antarctica. Well, maybe not straight from there.
No one wanted to play with the boogie board. The water was too cold, or too rough. I jumped over a couple of waves, getting a little wet and a little cold, and then I was in! I had the board to myself for some of the fastest boogie boarding of my life. It was great! Just out a little further, the surfers were also having a grand time. And everyone was happy, until Jonathan looked the wrong way and got tumbled by one of the powerful waves.
Time to go home.
Clean up for bed.
Monday morning we slept in again. Unfortunately, one of our hosts had to return to work by noon. Not the holiday he had been hoping for. But Ann took the rest of us back to the Surfing Beach. In the car, Tim talked about how he would try the boogie board today. And then we arrived, and the water was too cold on little Timmy's tootsie toes. And Jonathan, after getting tumbled by the wave the day before, was afraid to try. So I had the board to myself again.
The tide was on its way out Monday morning, rather than coming in as it had been Sunday night. The waves were much less powerful. I had to go out further to catch any waves, and then they lost their power before they flung me up onto the beach. It was a much more calm experience, and my sand scraped knees appreciated it.
After I could no longer fight my way back into the waves, I came up on shore where Jonathan was building a sandcastle.
I created a sand dragon to attack his castle.
And then we were tired, so we went back to the house.
We ate. Cleaned. Went back to see the sting rays, and took a walk to a playground, then ate dinner at the fish and chips shop in San Remo. We left as the Labour Day traffic was dying out, and drove back to Melbourne.
What a lovely weekend! Thanks to our friends for taking us!
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