The past week has seen Apanie and I gradually re-introduce ourselves to larger islands… from Deal to Flinders, then Tasmania (proper) and now the mainland. It’s been a long journey, with ample time for reflection.
I can’t capture in words the magic of the Kent Group or the impact this little stint has had on me. It would be a list of big (positive) feelings and synonyms for enchantment. So instead, this final post is a list of memorable moments and a collection of photos.
Swimming with dolphins. There were many occasions, but on a particular day at Garden Cove a pod of ~5 dolphins checked us out and then went to get their friends. Roughly 20 of them (including babies!) kept coming back to swim and play with us over the next half hour.
Catching a whopping 2.7 kg lobster, followed by a second one within 20 minutes
Watching an Orca swim through Murray Passage one evening
Getting a tour of Erith Island
A little bird landing on my head during meditation practice
Seeing Port Jackson sharks at Pegleg Bay
An afternoon spent on a beautiful 53-foot yacht with a new friend
Hosting an afternoon of cake and champagne with the Erith mob
Circumnavigating Deal Island (a multi-day adventure)
Experiencing 100 km/hr winds at the top of the lighthouse
Being checked out by a baby Fairy Penguin at Pegleg Bay
Watching a storm roll through at Little Squally Cove – with wild winds and ocean spray across the dragon’s tail
Coming unexpectedly face to face with an eagle ray
Spotting the yellow crested weedfish
Dawn yoga and coffee at the lighthouse
A (silent) electrical storm with lighting that turned the night sky white
Wine and chocolate at the lighthouse for sunset
Assisting a group of kayakers depart through the waves at Winter Cove early one morning
Midnight snacks with a rescue-chopper pilot and his ‘bag manager’. Thankfully of the three evacuations that occurred during our time there, all recovered. This first one was quite a highlight for us though, as they winched the paramedic down on a nearby island and landed at ours while they waited. We had a great chat, got a tour of the helicopter and got to try on the night vision goggles. An unexpected consequence was catching gastro from the pilot… that was a mystery we didn’t solve for a few weeks (when we got word through the Erith mob).
Snorkeling at nighttime on a new moon to see the phosphorescence. What magic!
Subsequent viewing of the video we attempted to make of swimming with the phosphorescence. It’s just black… but the audio of our snorkel muffled glee is priceless.
Catching a wallaby on the airstrip (the little bugger refused to be herded through the gate – and after three hours of trying, this was the ‘easiest’ way to get it off the landing)
Seeing the navy ship ‘Sycamore’ sail through the passage – quite surreal
Meditation sessions on Barn Hill with views over Dover
Being startled by the ghost of Nina Simone in the lighthouse
Watching a low fog roll through the passage
Friday evening cocktails on the viewing seats
Seeing a seal at East Cove
Making friends with the compound geese
What an adventure! One that I will look back on fondly for the rest of my life. Fantastic place - fantastic company.