Paddling in paradise

I woke up this morning with trepidation. Would the weather behave today?

Cracked open the curtains to reveal a beaming sun and still air.

Off to do some kayaking!

I was the only solo paddler so I went with one of the guides as they were all double kayaks. This was a good thing as it turns out. I didn’t have to worry about where to steer and, although we often needed to wait for stragglers, it meant we could do a fair bit of fast paddling to catch up.

We paddled around Coles Bay in the Freycinet National Park. This is yet another beautiful place, surrounded by towering pink granite mountains and sheer rock walls.

We paddled for about an hour and a half before pulling into a tiny beach to have a morning tea break.

We had a guest for tea who even made sure to put on their lipstick…

Back in the kayaks and we continued on our way. The wind had picked up a bit, so the paddling was a bit more work. A couple of boats were coming back, leaving big wakes so we had a bit of swell to contend with as well.

We were also on the look out for rays and sharks. Coles Bay is a protected area as it is a breeding ground for them. The water is crystal clear and you could easily see the bottom where it was shallow.

Around another curve and we came across ‘Bonny’, a female White Bellied Sea Eagle who has resided here with her mate ‘Clyde’ (not very original names) for over a decade. She sat majestically on a dead tree, surveying her world with the confidence of an Apex predator. These birds are huge with a wingspan of 2 metres. We watched her for a while and paddled on.

Paddled back, fighting headwinds and enjoying the incredible scenery (although it is very hard to paddle and take photos…)

It was a great way to spend a few hours.

I realised that I would have time to do the Wineglass Bay walk after all, which I was thinking I was going to miss. I rode the 10 minutes or so to the walk car park and even had time to change my shoes.

This walk is on very well made paths (with a lot of stairs).

It winds its way up and through massive granite boulders.

As you ascend, incredible views of granite mountains and Coles Bay open up below.

After slugging up even more stairs and rounding a corner the view I had come to see appeared.

Wine Glass Bay. One of those iconic views that is used in all the Tasmanian advertising. When you see it on the television or magazines it is easy to think that the images have been somehow enhanced. How could the water be that blue and the sand that white? The perfect curve of the bay.

The reality is, the photos don’t do it justice. The water is bluer than the photos, the sand is pristinely white, the curve, immaculate.

Return journey back to the carpark to get changed and back on the road.

Next stop was Binalong Bay, on the way to the Bay of Fires.

Riding along with the ocean right near the road, by my right shoulder it was hard to concentrate on the road. I was looking for an opportunity to stop and get a photo of one of the beaches in the region. They are just amazing.

In Binalong Bay, I finally got the chance, finding a carpark near a beautiful beach.

The sand is the whitest that I have ever seen, blindingly so. It is fine and soft, almost powdery. The water is bright crystal blue, changing to cobalt as the water gets deeper.

Again, the photos don’t really show the intensity of the colours.

Moved on to The Bay of Fires, an area that extends from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point. The rocks are covered in a bright orange lichen. I had seen this before in some other places but not the same concentration. It was beautiful.