Mimosa Rocks to Eden

Dawn light from my campsite

I woke soon after dawn and decided that ablutions were in order.  As no other campers were up and about, I heated water and managed a mandi bath using half a billy of water.  Feeling much better for it, I relaxed over coffee and breakfast before packing up my camp.  

I chatted briefly with a small group of guys camped nearby - comparing notes on possums and rubbish bags and I remarked that I had noticed a wetsuit - yes, one had been snorkelling the previous day, at Mimosa Rocks, and he reported the visibility to be 30-40 metres and he had heard the whales - the water, to mix my metaphores, looked like a millpond of gin and I was most tempted.  

From the lookout  - my entry spot

After doing the short walk along to Mimosa Rocks and reading the interpretation signs about the vegetation and indigenous history, I returned, determined to snorkel.

Getting into the wetsuit borrowed from Janet was easier this time, I think I may have lost a little weight.  I selected a point of entry to the water based on the least need to negotiate my way over the stones that made up most of the beach and set off.  

Mimosa Rocks - the end of the boardwalk

There were some quite varied rock formations, and I rather enjoyed the shallow fingers of rock running out from the pebble beach.  These had some lovely small fine-spined urchins hidden in the crevices.   Across the middle of the bay was more open with the larger boulders occupied mainly by limpets and nerites and across the other side a mix of long-spined urchins forming barrens and more prolific seaweed growth and associated fish.   The long-spined urchins seemed to each occupy its own little hollow - I did wonder if this is opportunistic or whether they create the hollows.

Aragunnu Beach

The young chap who reported 30-40 metres of visibility may have been mistaken in his units.  30-40 feet, maybe.  I was toasty warm in Janet's wetsuit, but had no idea of the time I had been in.   I think I heard whales - either that or my sinus were squeaking very erratically and irregularly.  Since I have not experienced the latter before, I am going with the whales.

After the dive I wandered over to Aragunnu Beach, just for a look, before continuing on my way.

Tathra historic wharf and museum

From there I headed towards Tathra, with the intent of looking at the historic wharf and the museum that sits on the Wharf. The Wharf itself was partly closed because of reconstruction but I did look at the museum and enjoyed some aspects of its display. 

I was intrigued by the story of the wrecking of the 'Kameruka' in 1897:  the lives of 48 people were saved by tying a rope around a pig, which swam to shore, and the people followed the rope.  It sounded quite unlikely!

From Tathra Headland

The ships docking at Tathra wharf were known as belonging to the 'Pig and Whistle Fleet' because their cargo was often pigs, which burst into a screaming frenzy whenever a ships' whistle sounded.

An old sign, showing superstitions of the sea, advised that one should never take aboard flowers, priests, women and black travelling bags.  While I had been aware of the third, the others were news to me

 I could not walk from the museum up to the headland lookout but I took another route and admire the view from their it was interesting to note that the headland at Tathra has the most amazing view it's much more than 180 degrees and it was very important during World war 2 for detecting enemy action and it seems that an enemy action there was much more than I was aware of I was aware of action around Darwin but certainly wasn't aware of action that this far south anyway you learn something new every day.

Occupant of Merimbula Lake

I thought I might go onto Wallagoot Gap and have lunch as some of the information I had showed that to be a beautiful scenic place but as I proceeded along Wallagoot Lake the signs told me that I needed a valid national parks pass to proceed and the only method of procuring one seem to be by putting the right amount of money into an envelope and putting it into a little post box thingy. As I didn't have the correct change and since I was only going there to eat my lunch I decided it was all too hard, and continued onto Merimbula.  While looking at the parks pass information sign, I could hear some rather irritating noises, a bit like wind chimes which had not been properly tuned.  I later identified them as bellbirds!

Native Oysters, Merimbula Lake

I found the beginning of the Boardwalk in Merimbula. The Boardwalk runs alongside the lake and explores the Wetlands, including the Mangrove swamps and it really was quite scenic. I would quite happily have walked further then I did but I was limited by the fact that I wanted to get to my destination, Eden, before dark.

Merimbula Lake with oyster farm

I had one more stop I wanted to make and that was the Pinnacles in the Ben Boyd National Park. 

Red, rust stained, weathered sedimentary rocks

As I approached the lookout, the sunlight picked out orange rocks through the trees and that looked absolutely amazing. Not wanting to miss that excellent lights on the rock I hurried and when I came out onto the lookout it really was an absolute WOW moment. Orange rocks atop a layer of white rocks and the prospect of knowing more about the geology intrigued to me and I was able to find out about this subsequently.

The Pinnacles - WOW!

 

The Pinnacles from a slightly different angle

I had decided, after camping with very basic facilities for two nights running, that a hot shower, access to a washing machine and a fridge to freeze my esky blocks was highly desirable.

Pinnacles Beach

Feeling the need for a good hot shower, a washing machine, a fridge to freeze my eski blocks and the ability to rinse and dry snorkelling gear without raising too many eyebrows, I chose to check out the suggestion of the Mystery Bay campground caretaker and looked at Booking.com to see what they had to offer in Eden.  A particularly good price on a caravan park cabin at Boydtown had me book, without great expectations.  Apart from the lightning quick check in and subsequent difficulty in getting through the boom gate, the place exceeded my expectations for the price.