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Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 6:19 am
by nan
Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:10 am
by Mel
I'm a tad jealous of the good views on the coastline you got!
Whenever we were close to the sea we had mostly mean rain and the scenery looked a bit dull accordingly.
Great shots of the silver gull.

Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:53 am
by Bushcraft
Fantastic coastline

Looks similar to many sections of the Transkei/Eastern Cape

Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:18 am
by Flutterby
Lovely pics...love the rock formations!

Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:51 pm
by Richprins
Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:09 pm
by Seiont
Thanks for ongoing interest. Your question RP lead to a little research. This is what I learnt. The rock formations along the coast are wind weathered Sydney Sandstone (Sydney Basin Hawkesbury Sandstone, historically known as Yellowblock). This rock was laid down in the Triassic period. The grains of sand are distinctive and formed between 500 – 700 million years ago far to the south. They were brought here and laid down by an ancient river.
Leaving the sights of Sydney on a beautiful morning though the steady southerly wind of recent days may make the ocean a little choppy.
All thought of a rough passage and sea sickness is soon forgotten as soon we have company.
A small pod of common dolphins
Delphinus delphis. Is this a positive sign for the voyage to come?
We leave Sydney harbour through the North and South heads. A sight virtually unchanged since our historical hero came this way so many years ago.
Now the fun and the rougher seas begin.

A few sightings to keep me on deck and interested as we start to head south.
Australian Gannet
Morus serrator
Little Penguin
Eudyptula minor
Black-browed Albatross
Thalassarche melanophris
But other than those birds, the odd fur seal and a few Little Terns the southern Pacific Ocean seems very empty.
As with all wildlife watching patience and a keen eye is needed. Then suddenly the cry goes out “There she blows!”

Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:00 am
by Mel
Dolphin, penguin, whale, gannet and albatross plus marvellous blue sky... *sigh*
I definitely have to go back one day and hope for the same treatment then.
BTW, as this is a very nature related TT, we could move it to here:
https://africawild-forum.com/viewforum.php?f=112
It would then go out to the public eye as well.

Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:51 am
by Flutterby
What lovely pics!

Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 10:58 am
by Lisbeth
The fairy-wren is a small beauty and also the gull is special.
Gorgeous coast line and very strange rock formation
I love the poem, having the sea in my blood
The company of dolphins is certainly luck bringing
The view of Sydney with the opera in the foreground is great. I went to Sydney ages ago, but I loved it. It had a very special charm half London half New York, at least, that’s what I sensed some 40 years ago

Re: 9333 miles
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:56 pm
by nan