It’s already been two weeks since we arrived on Deal Island. A length of time that seems too short for how much we’ve explored and done, and yet too long to have feasibly passed without some undiscovered giant gravitational field warping space-time here. The days have just flown by.
The island is more beautiful than I could have imagined. It’s suitably rugged and wild, with granite cliffs visible from almost anywhere, casuarina forests carved by strong winds and dense fields of tussock growing to shoulder height. The currents in Murray Pass are so intriguing, I could spend days staring at the patterns they make in the water. Today I saw zigzags of swell, at other times it’s whirlpools and eddies, and often water going in so many different directions it seems nonsensical. Closer to shore, the waters have a tropical aquamarine colour and are exceptionally clear. The snorkelling has been marvellous – but there’s almost no need for a mask. If the water is still, you can see everything clearly from above the surface.
The caretaker’s cottage overlooks East Cove with views of Erith and Dover Island, and from my bedroom I can see over to Little Squally Cove. The garden hosts an abundance of birdlife, which we’ve enjoyed watching over breakfast or dinner. A couple of families of Cape Barren geese also live in the compound. They’re unperturbed by us, but otherwise very territorial, spending much of their day reminding other geese where the boundaries lie. The goslings are distinguishable by their attempts at honking which come out as little squeaks. It’s adorable.
There are ample reminders of past (harder) lives on the island. The original lighthouse keeper’s cottage now serves as a museum, in which there is ample material to while away colder/windier days. The lighthouse itself sits a good 45-minute walk away, on the southeastern peak of the island. I believe it’s the highest lighthouse in the southern hemisphere – so high, that much of the time the light was above the clouds, rendering it useless for navigation. Inside, noises generated by the wind are truly disturbing. It’s a marvellous, but eerie place.
Being here has rekindled a spirit of adventure and wonder, the strength of which I haven’t felt since I was a child. I genuinely think this could be the best thing that’s happened in my life! I’m so grateful.