Stradbroke Dreaming

[shapeofthings]

The first morning at Stradbroke I woke up in darkness to the distant laughter of a kookaburra. Instead of rolling over and dozing off, as usual, I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed and scurried out the door. A higher urge was driving me - the urge to photograph!

By 5:15am I was on the road, driving to the ocean side of the island as pre-dawn light softly crept over the sandy heaths. By the time I parked and began the walk over the rocky point the sun had beaten me, but the scene was still glorious! It was serene out there, nothing but the surf and my own breathing and the odd bird call.

Around one point and along another I walked, amazed by the blue of the water down in Little Gorge. Then movement caught my eye: not one but two sea turtles, swimming in the rough surf in the shallows! Beautiful creatures to watch, but sadly lacking in photographs.

Around the last of the rocks, the sun truly risen and fellow walkers arriving. Circle back around through the heath by the road then along through the dunes to the beach, deserted but for prints of a dog and his master.

Along the sand back towards the car park. No swimming today, the stranded bluebottles loudly declare. Never mind, breakfast is calling...