Thursday 15th
I slept in, having stayed up a bit later working in the studio, trying to tire myself out to ensure a good sleep. I woke with my phone ringing – Matt was checking that the whistling ghost had not returned for me! After an on-line meeting with my coach and a training session at The Beach House Gym at Rye, I set off for Bushranger Bay. Google maps told me I could drive there, but after a little circling around, I realised it was seeing a private road, and that I would need to walk the coastal track. No problem – happy to do so. I put on all my warms and set off. It was a magical landscape, full of the twisting trees which, when weathered and smooth look almost plaited together, a little like celtic rope work. There are lots of little cosy patches , or nesty-beds, as I used to call them – who do they belong to?
There are clearings amongst the saplings that look like fairy gathering spaces – can you tell I grew up with Enid Blighton stories? I soon realised that I had overdressed with my triple layers, and even removed my earmuffs. I started getting a little bit ‘are we there yet’ as it seemed longer than I had anticipated, and I was taunted by the sound of waves that I couldn’t see, and glimpses of the bay. Soon the path graduated down, which of course meant there would be a lot of going up on the return – a problem for future me, but noted at the time. Finally I hit the bay, and got to eat my post-training food. The creek across the beach was wide, and there was no way to cross it without getting wet feet, so off came the shoes and socks and up went the leggings. It really wasn’t too bad, and I kept them off as I wandered to the other end of the beach. The rocks were really black – I’m not sure what kind they are. I took some photos, knowing that my workshop in a week or so requires imagery of geological layers for inspiration. There were lots of baby shells growing in these colonies – I like the patterns of all the colonies, just as I like the way moss grows in similar ways.
Back through the creek and starting the upward journey – I was certainly starting to feel it. I welcomed excuses to stop a few times, and was genuinely thrilled to see this cluster of tiny pink mushrooms to photograph - I had seen one earlier but it was too difficult to get to.
Thoughts of a beer in a nice warm bath drove me on, until I reminded myself to slow down – it’s only a month since surgery, and I don’t want to collapse. Almost there, I suddenly noticed an enormous roo – I had been wondering why I had not seen any kangaroos or wallabies. I left the carpark just as rain came over – perfect timing. Halfway home I veered off the road, having seen a vast patch of mushrooms!
The dreamed of bath was even better than I imagined, as was the beer. A bite of dinner then time to download these photos and write this – it’s been a very busy day! I’m hoping to pretty much just spend time in the studio tomorrow, and feed off all this imagery.
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