Saphire Coast

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Wednesday. Drove east out of Melbourne with a howling tail wind. Lovely countryside. Turned off to Metung (at Richo's recommendation). Trees, water, boats and a pub to look at them from. Huge cloud bank rolled in from the west. Nextstop, Lakes Entrance.
Thursday. Walked over foot bridge to long spit on east side of entrance channel. This had the most fabulous assortment of birds. A large brown-grey gull perched next to a seagull on the bridge. Rainbow lorikeets, wattle birds, large sandpipers, black swans, pelicans, a small green parrot with a red mask and others. Then back on the road more howling westerlies pushed me through green fields to Eden. All that I expected. Green headlands and sheltered coves. "Endeavor" tall ship at pier. Gave sticker for entry. Fascinating, especially having read two of Patrick O'Brian's novels. I have now reached the east coast from the west - a milestone. From here northwards the weather and water will get warmer.
So let us speak of Eden. Tall eucalypts sparkle in the bright sun. White clouds rush past. The banksias are in gold flower, a sweet food for wrens and wattle birds. Terns dive for fish. Here ferns grow happily in the understory. Or should I say subplot? After all to pass this way but once will be enough to cherish for a long time. In this vast and sometimes harsh Australia, the billabongs of life and hope are at our core. What dreaming. What long seen ages of time, measured and unmeasured are our truth. Yesterday in Eden I encountered doubt. We do have the answers but. We can achieve the flagoz dream.
Merimbula. I felt the ancient beach in the limestone cliffs of the bay. Black Lake hovered inland. "Southern Cross and Boomerang" fluttered blessing and being blest by the land, the sky and the sea. Seagulls, cormorants, flocks of birs with long curved beaks, surfers and strollers, their dogs. Wave crests blown off by powerful winds coming down through the valley. White water on the headland. Its possible I'm becoming a sage. I've already been a sinner. It seems appropriate at 61. I'm starting to pick up litter on a regular basis. There are so many of us with so much time yet we willingly walk through rubbish -it being beneath us to stoop to picking it up. I feel immensely better but, when Gaia's beauty is unblemished. Late, at the wharf, facing west, green hills in the distance, white caps on water. When will this wind subside? Then on to the RSL and Lawn Bowls Club, where the pokies have created huge halls of blinking lights and tinkling sounds. At least the beer is cheap.
Sunday. Headed for Middle beach but found a burnt out scene - blackened trees. Went to Short Point where a dozen dolphins milled about in the surf.
Tathra. Whisper her name. Most beautiful of the three sisters. Arching bay with great stone headlands. Mighty waves rock the earth. Great plumes of white. Two cascades flowing OUT after the crash. And red rocks with red lichen. Blue sky, blue sea. At the pier a woman enthused over flag. Got sticker. A guy from Canberra got one too. A clifftop walk to the strand. Then swim in the foaming surf. Great black cocatoos.
Bermagui. Bad boys at the pub stole my flag when I went to the car for a book. Police only in town two days a week. Read. Finally a bloke shouted at a guy to "Give him back his flag" and the guy scurried off to get it. Bought bloke a drink, thanked him and gave him a sticker. Redbodied parrots with blue wings.

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