Hash-Packing the World

The excitement never ends. Here's what happened in the last 24 hours:

During our beach lunch we saw an osprey and a whistling kite dog fighting over the beach right above us. Wow! The osprey was so much larger, but the kite gave it his best before hightailing it out of there.

After lunch we climbed Indian Head. We immediately saw several pilot whales, a pod of bottlenose dolphins resting on the surface, several eagle rays, and a large school of giant Spanish mackerel. Our gymnastic humpbacks were in even greater form this afternoon. At one point we saw six--SIX!--breach at the same time. We also spotted another turtle and what Troy believed was a massive tuna. Just as we were leaving Indian Head, one final look out to sea offered us a very rare glimpse of a female humpback with an hours old calf. We could see mom's big breath, then baby's tiny ones as it hugged her side near her hump. Troy said it was, in his four years, the "whaley-est" trip he's ever had.

On our way back to camp, we stopped at the Maheno shipwreck that washed up in the island in 1935 after an illustrious life as a cruise ship and a medical ship during World War I. I'll let you read about her here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Maheno

After dinner, Navo and Deb along with Uncle Joe put on a traditional dance and song in the beach for us and another Drop Bear group staying in town. There was a film crew taking footage of the event for their movie "Refugia."

Day 3 began with another beautiful sunrise, then breakfast and packing. We jumped in the trucks, dropped off the baggage trailer, and headed inland. Our first stop was Pile Valley and its magnificent trees that have never been logged. They are even more incredible considering there is no soil here, just sand.

Next we made our way to Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie). The lake is made solely from rain water. Aluminum in its sand filters out the tannins that leech from tea tree (paper bark) root systems, which typically turn water a red-brown color. We were the first ones there and were able to get some uncommon pictures of the almost perfectly still water.

While everyone else went swimming, I took a walk around part of the lake where I spotted a pied cormorant. I also walked a bit of beach that hadn't had anyone disturb it yet and noticed several different footprints in the ankle-deep water. Troy believed they were goana and kangaroo rat tracks.

Now we're at Central Station Campground. This is the only location in the world where a rainforest grows on sand!

We've walked down to Wanggoora Creek, a sacred spot for the Butchulla women. At first glance the creek looks like it's just a sand bank. Then you notice the sunlight glinting off the water surface and realize its water is just that clear. Beautiful. We spotted a kookaburra, piccabeen palms, and giant ferns, one of the oldest plants on Earth.

We're about to have lunch and we already have a couple of little stalkers, two gray butcher birds who will take food right out of your hand (but you're not allowed to feed them).

I can't believe this trip is almost over.

So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️Read more