<< Exploring the Freycinet Peninsula

10/07/14 - A Not So Friendly Beach

The next day we headed up to the Friendly Beaches, a long strip of white sand beach a bit north of us. It was sunny when we made our way down to the beach, passing through the boulders and eroded rock that near the access. We headed south as the clouds darkened. We could see the mountains, including the one we had circumnavigated, to the south, through the thickening mist.

The beach was easy walking. There were plovers and oyster catchers and seagulls of various sorts. We stopped to explore a black rock intrusion. In Hawaii it would have been lava, but here we were unsure. We checked out the tide pools and continued south.

By now the rain had picked up along with the wind. We explored one of the coastal lagoons where it was more sheltered. Then we continued south again, but now the winds and rain were too much for us. We had good rain jackets, but now our pants and shoes were soaked.

We turned around and headed north, back to the car. As if acknowledging the wisdom of our choice, the sky lightened, and by the time we returned to the parking lot there was a sliver of blue in the sky above. It was a real adventure, but we can't say it was the most friendly beach we have ever explored.


Boulders and the beach

The view south with mountains barely visible

A rocky intrusion

Complete with tide pools

A fairly typical tide pool

An oyster catcher in the wind

One of the flowers - It was spring.

A lagoon

or perhaps a river

The wind and rain swept beach

Back to the boulders near the parking lot

Keywords: australia