heinpit.de

At Cave Beach

Jervis Bay Week-end. This year we'll skip the birthday party. After the demanding last months we are itching to get out again. Equipped with tent and snorkel we make a quick dash to Green Patch over Claudia's birthday week-end. When Claudia was there three years ago, the possums were so tame that is was almost impossible to have dinner: The possums came out of the trees, strolled over the picnic benches, climbed onto the table or on someone's lap to have easier access to the dinner plates with food. This year we don't see any possums; maybe we are in bed too early, or maybe because our tent is pitched at a different spot. Despite the December heat, the water is cold, almost too cold. It must be the currents — in November, the water was nice and warm. In the icy water, however, snorkelling is only for hardy people like us. We investigate the reef at Green Patch. A large shark that was spotted by a fellow diver must have disappeared in time. We couldn't find him and are unsure whether that is good or bad...

400 Metres further down

Holidays. The year 2006 was a strenuous one for us. After the really exciting start with the Bass Strait Crossing in a kayak, the remainder of the year had much to much work on offer. We are burnt out and are looking forward to the break between Christmas and New Year when the offices are closed and the whole of Australia goes into slow motion. Since we didn't have time to plan any holidays, and also since every nice location is crowded over the peak season, we simply pack our tent, hiking and swimming gear and head south: Along the coast to Eden close to the Victorian border, and back via the mountainous inland route.

We climb onto every mountain that gets into our way: Pigeon House Mountain off Ulladulla, Mount Duras in the Murramurrang National Park, Kosciouszko and Mount Townsend on the same day (Australia's highest and second highest peaks), Boggy Plains off Dead Horse Gap, and Blue Lake. On the last day of our return track we hike through Bungonia Gorge, Australia's deepest gorge. After all our adventures in this country, we have to take our hat off to Bungonia Gorge: This is the most demanding day hike we ever did in Australia!

The most impressive of all is an experience with no photographic evidence (as it always happens with the really impressive stuff): On Christmas Eve we had booked ourselves in for a boat tour to Montague Island. On the island, we waited until darkness to watch the penguins coming ashore. It was pitch dark during our return trip. However, the water was full of bacteria that become fluourescent in contact with oxygen, so that our boat produced a fluorescent-green bow wave in the night. Suddenly, the dolphins arrived! Six fluorescent-green dolphins sat directly on our fluorescent-green bow wave, playing in its surf. Every now and then one of them jumped into the air and hence disappeared before our eyes (black on black) until he dived back into the water, a green tornado in a green surf. The spectacle went on for 15 minutes, the dolphin squadron escorted us during half the way between the island and the main land. As suddenly as they had arrived they disappeared again into the darkness of the night. We felt blessed. It was Christmas Eve, the day Germany celebrates Christmas.

Nice again and again

New Year's Eve. We celebrate New Years Eve at Vanessa's in our dear old Balmain. Coming from the "suburbs" we have to learn that it is not easy go get into Balmain on such a night. The peninsula is blocked for road traffic. We park our car in the neighbouring Drummoyne and haul a taxi that gets through the first and second row of Police road blocks, as expected. In Balmain's centre, however, a third Police road block admits taxis only if the passengers can produce proof of residence. Therefore, we walk the last kilometer. It's funny how we never got aware of these road blocks when we were still living in Balmain!

Vanessa lives in a nice flat directly on the harbour, with a pool in the garden and view over Darling Harbour. From her house it takes 5 minutes to walk to the ferry wharf East Balmain with its views straight onto the Harbour Bridge. The fireworks are up to our expectations. As a surprise, the high rise buildings in the CBD and North Sydney are integrated into the fireworks. As is Luna Park, packed with light fires. The travel to Balmain was worth it. Many thanks to Vanessa for the great party!