VDLC 2015 Day 3

VDLC 2015 Day 3 Friday 13th had no unlucky connotations for the crew of Fargo. After a leisurely breakfast under overcast skies and cool fresh breezes we took Fargo in a little closer to shore as some of the fleet had left for Schooten passage while we had plans to stay and explore Maria Island a little more closely and wait out the impending weather changes here. Mark B was anxious that he had broken some gear when the anchor chain fouled on raising but it was only a minor issue with no damage done except to “the Anchor Wench’s” self confidence. Taking the dingy ashore after anchoring we walked across the narrow isthmus through a newly cleared section of bracken to Reidel’s Bay on the eastern side. This wide white sandy beach lapped by a gentle half metre swell of liquid turquoise was home to a wide variety of sea birds including Pied and Sooty oystercatchers, Silver and Pacific gulls together with several groups of the endangered Hooded Plovers each protective of their near to fledging chicks. Overhead a continuous chorus of Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos announced their presence. The recently demised Long Finned Pilot Whale on the beach was obviously providing sustenance to birds and Devils alike if the tracks on the beach were anything to go by. We fossicked along the beach for plastics to clear away and left a midden of flotsam material in the bush above the high tide mark for the rangers to collect later on their rounds. Leaving the beach behind we headed west into the dunes and scrub with a loose plan to make our way cross country back to Chinamans Bay Beach. Along the way we encountered a variety of wallabies disturbed from their shelter as well as Forrester Grey roos and even a couple of wombats grazing quietly on the fringes of the lagoon. We needed to cross the shallow fresh water lagoon in a couple of places and whilst I did not get any pics of the Scarlet Robin or the fire tailed finch that were feeding on the waters edge this Tiger snake was one of several we saw that was not the least bit perturbed by our presence. After our bush walk and a hearty lunch of soup and corned beef sandwiches a siesta was appropriate to recharge the batteries before joining “the rump of the fleet” in a beach BBQ. It was great to have time to chat and share the hospitality with crews of the fleet remaining in the bay. “Adagio” and “Great Sandy” and “Fargo” all have a Noosa connection and crew of “Aurora“ helping make up the Queensland contingent. New South Wales was represented by “Liberty” from Pittwater and “Huntress 3” from Lake Macquarie and a non VDLC ring in of “Alabi” from Adelaide making up a merry band sharing the BBQ plus nibbles washed down with beer and wine. We were all pleased the rain held off till well after we had left the beach in the failing twilight.