I unloaded the video camera which goes back to the Aussie Day ride we did so I have more to do there. In the mean time I have made longer films but also taken short clips as below. These are the kind of sounds that are played to sleep by. I have been looking at the glo-worm timelapse photos. You really need a zoom facility like up to 500% to see a series of white circles, so I guess it proves there is nothing like your own eyes for this sort of thing.
We have made it back in quick time as Debbie had a doctor's appointment. I had forgotten how close the Otways are from here. It is only a 2hr drive to Apollo Bay. I am glad the timing was perfect to miss driving this route during the Cadel Races over the next three days. We were all over the route, the signage was up with feed stations and litter zone sites all labelled. There would be many delays and detours from tomorrow. We had a last minute visitor to our cottage when a peacock flew in honking like a truck. It started following me around so maybe it gets fed like the chickens who also follow you around. It will take a while to get thru the films from the video camera but I do have a short phone one.
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| A PeaHen and two EggHens |
We drove into Apollo Bay for lunch at the Seafood Cafe. We spied this one yesterday and tried it today. It was Lobster Roll for me and Marinara Linguine with extra mussels for her. After that we drove around to Marengo and spent the arvo around there. I have hired a unit here on two previous occasions when the Great Victorian Bike Ride came to town. It has great walking along the sea shelf with many breaking waves. There is also the seal colony which is so close you could touch it. We snoozed on the beach for a while and watched the world go by.
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| The Shelf |
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| Splash One |
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| Splash Two |
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| Marengo Stroll |
There was one section of track we had not walked as yet, a short loop of less than 2km however we added the arboretum area as well. There is also another track which they have marked on the map as closed and I think I might know why, Fallen Giants. This first loop is littered with massive trees both vertical and horizontal. They have the track running beside some but sure enough we came to one fallen across ways and it looked recent. Only thing to do was climb over.
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| Not our photo |
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| Beside tree one |
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| Over tree two |
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| Arboretum |
I did not know there was a Glo Worm season. It seems these critters only glow in the Summer months. So what happens for the rest of the year? Sunset was at 8:40pm last night and we timed the 20 min walk to arrive at 8:45pm. The ambient light was still slow to go and we had to get thru a tricky 50 metres of creek bed with the usual boulders, moss and fallen logs. Not to forget the bugs and the leeches. At 9:10pm we could start to see them. They seemed to be in clusters and I could see them better by looking slightly to the side. Debbie held the phone on my shoulder for a time lapse photo and we can see Worms in the shot. Getting back out was slower. I brought a torch just for this part. Once on the track it was easier and we returned at 9:40pm.
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| Eco Pod now abandoned and full of webs |
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| All Aglow |
There is a lot to see in the forest down below our cottage. We did a morning constitutional with a walk back to the grotto and return. Fresh rolls for lunch would be good, so we drove to the bakery in Apollo Bay (25 min) for morning tea. Everyone has gone home, the street was empty. Back at home base we set out at 12:45 with our packed lunch. We went straight to the end of the trail, for an engineered masterpiece at the Pavilion. It is a shelter complete wth comfy cushioned couches that is built directly across the stream. The water comes from pools behind and runs below your couch out to cascade pools in front. Someone has thought a lot about this. We spent three hours on this activity and could have stayed longer.
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| The Tiny House |
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| We raided the hen house for eggs |
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| Humungous downed Tree |
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| The Pavilion |
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| Forest Pools |
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| Cascades |
We have this cottage for three nights but it is way bigger than places we have had at Port Fairy the last few years. This one is two bedroom with a kitchen, living room and separate bathroom. Huge! The other accommodations here must no longer be used. There is something called the Tiny House which can be towed around, as well as the EcoPod which is about the size of a two man tent. Don't do it. It used to be a dairy farm and there are cows in distant paddocks but it is all forest down below and there are water falls we haven't seen yet. There is no internet but we have brought our own. Also no TV but we can watch shows on the laptop. Be Prepared!
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| The Goose Tree |
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| New Kitchen |
We drove our way to Apollo Bay for lunch at the pub. It was good pub food here. The original plan was to go across the road to the beach afterward but the heat was too much. So plan B was to turn up at the Source early, like 2:00 pm. There is a French couple here house sitting, and they said no problemo, we will finish cleaning in 15 min. This place has its own walking trails to waterfalls and on a 38 degtree day it was perfect. We walked to the grotto then the Fairy Tree falls and lastly to the Monomeeth Falls. This was the best requiring an abseil down to the base of the falls where we opened the anniversary champagne. Cooling off in this natural shower was the best and touching the moss on the wall was a sensation hard to describe, soft, cold and calming, We got back to the cottage at 5:00 pm after 5km of walking and we had not explore all the trails. We have two more days for that.
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| Abseil |
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| Moss |
We delayed til around 11:45am as the cloud cover was still hanging around but we could see it burning off and sure enough after we parked, got the bikes out and rolled down the hill into the Yacht Club, the Sun was out. We found a table in the shade straight away and the food arrived faster than the drinks. This is a good thing to do on Aussie Day, I recommend it. We left the crowds behind and rode around to the Rippleside area and the park there gets turned into carnival town and I did not realise this til we got there. Debbie got her photo taken by the Geelong Advertiser as the best looker there. I will put a similar photo below. There were antique cars with Aussie day flags and she was matching. We moved onto the next beach for a rest stop. There are some apartments here going for $4 million if anyone is interested. Next it was back to the Geelong water front where we had a look at the Young Endeavour. We have been on this boat before so just took a few shots from the dock. Lastly we had drinks by the sea pool watching the yacht races and getting back here around 6:00pm.
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| Just another yachtie |
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| Access all areas |
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| Similar Geelong Advertiser Photo |
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| Carnival Row |
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| This pool was mayhem |
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| Eastern Beach |
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| Two flags |
We have poles here in a few places mostly holding things up. Not like other houses where there are proper masts with ropes to furl and even fly flags at half mast. James got out half a dozen zip ties and there you have it a flag pole. We were looking for the car window flags which don't seem to be available in the newly restored Coles and Woolworths stock pile. We will have to go with the old ones again today. Nothing like the rest of the country to remind you of a wedding anniversary (45). Only another 25 to catch up to my parents.
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| I will get some more photos by the end of the day |
We have been hanging out to see if the huge renovation of the yacht Club has made it in time. They have spent a few years on this and it was frantic last week laying concrete for paths etc. All the yachts came in as we watched them passing by but this time a New Zealand navy ship was dominating the course and coming out of Geelong in the opposite direction. James has brought some produce like at least 50 tomatoes which is good as our patch has not produced anything except fruit this year. His next stop is Collendina where the tomatoe fairy will deliver some more. I will be trying out the newly fixed bike today. Hooray.
We heard that Estelle was coming and the pool was looking very smudgey. It is not a quick operation to empty it, clean it out then dry it out. The nifty lounge matresses underneath are taking a beating but still look ok. They needed a squeeze and as much hang time in the Sun as possible.
We have had a few cooler days with an on shore breeze which usually means a washup of bits and pieces along the tide line so I was keen to check it out. Another thing I keep forgetting is to bring a small shovel as there are some big holes that people or dogs have left. I was taking my time getting lots of small items like butts, rope, lids and for the first time a paint brush, when a woman came up keen to see what I was collecting. I have had this before and the look you get when you show a bag of rubbish sometimes sends them running. I had a nasty dog poo bag as well but she thought it a good job. Then came the questions How do these grass balls form?, Why are these barriers here? How far can I walk? I should get paid by the hour.
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| tide was at maximum submerging this groyne |
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| They should have left a card "Poo for You" |
We travelled to Burnside for a luncheon with Grandpa & Grandma. She is recovering from her overnighter at the local hospital. They were at the bingo that morning so the recovery is well underway. I have been working on the videos I took when we were cruising for cruisers the other day. I can only put shorter versions here but they do capture some of the action. I cleaned out the last of the nectarines from the tree this morning. I still think the final tally was half for us and the birds got the other half. We are considering cutting this tree down before it gets any bigger. Yes we only had it in for two years but with two newish trees, it seems that all the growing power in this patch is being drawn up by those trees, so maybe one has to go.
Cruise ships are anchored from the bow only when not docked which is what happens at Geelong. With two of them in view you can see how they align with the wind and within 30 minutes you can see the port side then the starboard side, both ships pirouetting at the same time. We started the ride on top of Eastern Park and went down to the foreshore at the sea baths. The ships were in view the whole time. It was then a beeline to Cafe 43 right across the other side for lunch. They make a meatball baguette here that is the best. After lunch it was our first swim stop at St Helen's beach. Then we stopped off at the boardwalk for a while and finished off the ride with a swim at the sea baths. It was a good day out with a 12 km ride spread over 5 hours. All this cruise talk has made me book a cruise to Japan this week.
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| this one is mine |
It was so calm towards the end of the day, I went across to the beach twice. The first time I did my swim and I can report that the big fish are back. There are also clouds of tiny fish as well. The calmness meant you could float without moving and they would just swim about as if you weren't there. The Sunsets are back as well, as the Sun has been heading North for the last month. Today is cruiser day. I have never seen two cruisers go passed on the same day. It may be a tad crowded in Geelong with two boats unloading but we will go anyway.
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| calm |
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| Silver Muse |
Almost need a rest day after yesterday's exertions. We started with a bike ride and were intending for 20km but got to 22km. We stopped off along the way to test out the new phone gizmo. It is a phone stand that looks a bit like a three legged octopus complete with suction cups. The other part is a remote button that can take a photo eg a selfie without holding the phone. Later, after the PB work, we went across to the beach at 4:00pm, where you can watch the world go by. I can tell you that the Tassie boat takes 90min to get thru the heads and arrive at Geelong, thanks to the Clancy's who are watching the world go by at Safety Beach.
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| no hands |
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| Note motor bike tracks on our beach now. Low tide was early so these riders may not have been seen |
Debbie is concentrating on some PB work and it was blowing strong so we went across the road in the late afternoon. This allowed for the wind to die and for some of the sting to go out of the Sun. I have just finished the six week skin eating course of cream treatment. Hooray. It was being applied to two areas. Someone remind me not to do this in Summer. I now have a completely clear skin condition except for the healing needed on these now nasty sores. The doc is happy with it but wants to see them after they heal. We cooked up the home grown corn last night. It does have a different texture but still added to the meal.
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| itchy |
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| selfie |
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| cornucopia |
