Over the Dunes

On a perfect summery day we set off for a walk we've done before - a lovely trek over sand dunes to the Southern Ocean where the mighty Murray River enters the sea. It's called the Beacon 19 walk. The path is easily followed.

We trudged along through the soft sand as the path gradually took us over the first dune that was covered in scrubby bushes and reeds. 'I reckon this path looks different somehow', I mentioned to Steve. 'I thought it was all duckboarded'. He said he didn't think they would go to the trouble of taking up duckboards, so perhaps I had got this walk muddled up with another one we'd done. You can just make out the sandy track winding to the right of the photo.

Over a couple more dunes, each one steeper than the other.  I was getting familiar with my 'old' camera that I hadn't used for ages. A few years back the camera card got stuck in it and even camera experts could not fix it, despite using delicate dental instruments. And then Jim, a friend of Steve's, decided to have a go and, hooray, did what no-one else could do. So I am having to 'relearn' how to use this camera. So far, so good. I zoomed in on these flowers.  Not bad. At least my focus is ok.

And Aboriginal middens.

Atop another dune and Steve spots the ocean. 

Over the last dune and we were nearly there. I caught this car zooming along the beach. There are a number of beaches on the Fleurieu Peninsula where cars are allowed because of the endless expanse of hard sand. This is one of them.

The beach stretches in both directions. There were cars speeding by, dogs chasing after owners, and cockle gatherers in the surf - all under an azure sky punctuated by cottonwool clouds.

I lay out my towel away from the car tracks. At least the West Coast Eagle would scare them away!!!!!

After the cars sped away all we could hear was the surf. Lovely. We relaxed, soaking up the peaceful atmosphere and feeling content. After a while, it was time to leave.

Nearing Goolwa we spotted the Bombora Restaurant (recently voted one of the top eateries in the state). It was delightful. Did we not have the best seat?

We watched yachts racing past as we ate a delicious lunch.

And spotted some canine customers. (This photo's for dog lover Maggie.)

The end to a perfectly lovely summer day.

Postscript: When we got home I looked up my blog about this walk. There it was - September 2016. And guess what?  The path was a boardwalk! No wonder I wrote ' The boardwalk continued all the way to the ocean, making it an easy 20-minute walk'. Perhaps the boards required constant upkeep as the sand may have regularly encroached over them. Here's my photo from back then - and today. No wonder I thought it was a harder slog than I remembered. 

Notwithstanding the lack of boardwalk this time, it was definitely a lovely peaceful walk surrounded by nature. We'd do it again.