Ramblings: Umbrella Point Bruny Island 2016

Friday, 9 September 2016

Umbrella Point Bruny Island 2016

Today we're leaving our cars at Kettering, traveling by foot to Bruny Island and walking down to Umbrella Point. Tas is our leader.

The weather is supposed to be warm, but I wasn't prepared for the wind.

I walked up from Woodbridge, arriving just as the ferry was pulling in from Bruny Island. The rest of the group was enjoying an early Morning Tea with lattes at the Mermaid Cafe. Nice for some.

Taken from high point north of Woodbridge. Ferry heading for Bruny terminal

Waiting to load in Kettering

Leaving Oyster Cove Marina

It was calm until we cleared the entrance to the bay and then the wind struck.

On arrival we walked past the shop, turning right through a small gate into a paddock. I believe the present owner of the land has no problems with walkers and gates are either unlocked or open. Tas is making a diversion to show us a Sea-eagle nest.

As we walk towards the location, we get closer to the Channel and the wind gusts become fiercer. The eagle we spotted had problems sitting on a branch so taking a photo became more and more difficult.

Heading for the eagles nest

Lots of whitecaps out there

Eagle in tree. He gave up trying to balance...

...and flew off

Sea-eagle nest

You have to take my word for it. Getting closer and bracing on a good sized gum tree didn't stop the camera from moving around. I'll do better next time.

We moved off from here to the northern corner of Apollo Bay.

North end of Apollo Bay

The winds make walking unpleasant, it even blows my walking pole around.

Looking across to Woodbridge

New, expensive house under construction

Their view will be of Woodbridge as in a previous photo. Not bad. There are already a couple of houses built here. The area we're walking in is a wide public reserve between the properties and the water.

When we take an earlier ferry, Morning Tea is here

Somewhere around here, I watched someone, who shall be nameless, gracefully tilt to the right and gently fall into a grassed up gully. Feet pointed uphill and pack settled into a custom opening in the tussocks. Initially I abused them for not warning me so I could get a photo, then realized I should possibly be worried about their condition. They were, however, laughing at the time so I imagined they were o.k.

I believe, however, my fellow photographer might have taken a photo of the rescue so negotiations with the fallen will determine if a picture ever appears.

Southern end of Apollo Bay

Fewer houses at this end of the bay

I saw the other day that 400 new plantings had taken place on Apollo Bay

These are to provide a habitat for the endangered Forty-Spotted Pardalote, one of the smallest birds in Australia.

Forty-Spotted Pardalote

I think any Pardalote that flew down here today to inspect its future home would end up as a forty-spotted spot on the gum trees behind, due to the wind gusts.

We leave Apollo Bay and walk up to Apollo Bay Road heading south. Easy walking and no traffic - except for a sneaky Subaru that crept up behind us.

More plantings in distant paddock

Apollo Bay Road

Adie meets an old friend who reminds him that Bob isn't walking today

Last time we were here, Bob posed along his long lost brother. He'll be happy he's still here.

We turnoff onto Lowes Road and head toward Umbrella Point

Out of the wind it's warmer and a disrobing session takes place in the middle of the road

Lots of young, tall, straight gum trees

The road goes left but we go straight

Renate wants to show me something on the road side. It's a prickly moses or Acacia verticillata subsp. verticillata, which is what my walking pole is made from.
Mine came from the hills above Verona Sands about 20+ years ago. Seasoned in my workshop, it made a strong, light (and cheap!) walking pole. I just coat it with a little bit of linseed oil every so often.

My walking pole meeting its Bruny Island cousin

We continue down the public access track to an unnamed bay.

Looking south, Umbrella Point is just to the right

Behind as usual, I find everyone set up for lunch in the bush, out of the wind.

Lunch in the bush

Civilization has reached here and there is a geodesic dome just past where we're sitting. Makes an interesting holiday shack.

Geodesic Dome dwelling

Umbrella Point through the trees

We don't go out to the point because of the wind.

A small shack and sailboat on other side of the bay

Tas wants to make the 2p.m. ferry so we finish and set off back the way we came. But before I can leave, he points a fungus out for a photo.

A fungus

We retrace our steps to Apollo Bay and continue on. The wind has diminished somewhat so it's not too bad.

Back to Apollo Bay

Heading north

We arrive back at the little shop by the ferry terminal with plenty of time for an ice cream - this is the only reason some of us come on this walk!

Sitting there, an ambulance arrives with flashing lights, stopping in front of us.

I look over an see the ferry making an unscheduled return to take it on board. Obviously it's a serious emergency, but not enough to send a helicopter.

Empty ferry to pick up patient

Ambulance on board...

...and back it goes

The crew's done this before as it only took a short time to dock, load and depart for Kettering. I assume this means the regular run at 2p.m. will be delayed, but we don't care as you can see from the shop signs below we could stay for a while comfortably.

I think they're sorry they finished their ice cream so fast

Looking towards north Bruny

In the end, the ferry was only two minutes late and loaded us and a few cars for the return journey.

Kettering here we come

Despite the wind, it was a great day for views and a nice walk. We had 11 walkers and covered 9.11km in 2:54hrs. I added another 13km to my total for making a round trip from Woodbridge around Kettering Point which takes me up to 22km.

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I took a couple of photos on the way home which are below.