Easter Sunday......

Easter Sunday began as an overcast day but by noon the sun was sining through to present us with a glorious afternoon. It seemed the perfect weather to be out in Jervis Bay watching the dolphins in their natural habitat.

We left the little port of Husskinson and made our way out into the bay. Husskinson is a small township which overlooks the water. The houses sit high on the side of the hills all facing the bay and the wharf. Fishing trallers, large and small motor boats, sailing boats of all sizes and water sports vessels all constantly move about the bay, especially this weekend being Easter weekend and school holidays. It was wonderful seeing so many people enjoying the outdoors.

We motored along the outskirts of the bay past Vincentia and onto an area run by the Navy called HMAS Creswell. HMAS Creswell is a traing college for officers and the lands around HMAS Creswell are absolutely beautiful.

The beaches are white, the waterways clear and the forrests there are very lovely. Up on the hillside we could clearly see kangaroos sitting watching us out on the bay. A small group f dolphins were found here playing in the wtaers and catching fish in the shadows where the hills became cliffs which overlooked the bay.

Apparently dolphins feed each afternoon around this area. The dolphins seemed happy swimming alongside of the boats, keeping pace and entertaining the people. I found it very relaxing out there with the breeze gently blowing, the clouds softly gathering in the sky and an unhurried feel to our sail back to shore. I was extra glad that we had gone when I woke on Easter Monday to find the rain falling.

It's A Beautiful World......

On Sunday we went for a drive to Orient Heads and Crookhaven Heads. What a wonderful surprise they both turned out to be.

Crookhaven Heads is east of Nowra and dates back to 1872 when a lighthouse was constructed on the point. The light consisted of a red lantern from a ship’s mast-head and was propped up by two simple poles. A few decades later on this was substituted with a brass lantern in a wooden lighthouse.

The old lighthouse still stands today, although it is nothing like it use to be. It actually overlooks some of the most spectacular ocean I have ever seen. By the time I walked the track in search of the lighthouse and climbed out and up on the little island, a gusty wind had blown up on that side of the island

It whipped up the ocean’s waves into a frenzy and with great force smashed the waves against the rocks. I stood in awe of the shear power of the ocean, as it was truly a beautiful sight to see.

Meanwhile on the other side of the small island was the most gentle and calm waters that I felt like I was in a completely different area. The waters flow into the entrance to the Shoalhaven River, which is 300km long, the lower 50km is subject to the tides.

Nowra is located about 18kms upstream. One has to sail outside of the heads to open sea and come back into the Jervis Bay entrance to get to where we live. The waters of the river appear to flow from estuary to estuary and go on and on and on. Most are fringed with mangroves, wetlands and marshes and everywhere that we stopped there were locals fishing, shorebirds and reptiles.

I spent hours taking photos and exploring the areas but found my day topped off when a small pod of dolphins made their way out of one of the bays towards the open ocean. I could not attach my 300mm lens fast enough and even with that on I could only photograph them in the distance.

I stopped to talk with some of the locals on the way home, who informed me that the dolphins are there regularly and that I should perhaps bring a tripod and a picnic next time in readiness for them. They even told me where to set it all up. Now how is that for good public relations lol.