Saturday 25th January – Stradbroke Island

Coronavirus Queensland

Australia confirms its first case of the coronavirus—a Chinese national who flew into Melbourne on a flight from Guangzhou on January 19.

Home

Bronwen and I spent the morning chopping up fallen down tree in the back yard and stacking it into a pile of sticks.

Bronwen with the world’s smallest chainsawThe ever-growing pile of sticks

Stradbroke Island

We left home at 2:20 and drove to Cleveland, catching the 3:25 PM Gold Cat over to Stradbroke Island, and then the bus to Point Lookout. We arrived at “The Shed” around 4:30.

We went for a walk along the beach and took Wallace (the Mavic Mini drone) for a few flights—the first time he’s really been properly used. It was quite windy so he couldn’t get very high before having strong wind warnings.

Bronwen makes a new friendPretty flowers on Stradbroke IslandCylinder BeachBronwen posing for Wallace the DroneNed and Bronwen posing for Wallace the DroneFrenchmans BeachCylinder BeachBronwen flying Wallace the DronePoint Lookout

Sunday 26th January – Stradbroke Island

North Gorge Walk

Bronwen and I went for a walk along the North Gorge Walk and tried taking Wallace for a flight, but it was still quite windy.

Protest against a whale observation buildingKangaroos on Stradbroke IslandCylinder BeachBronwen looking for dolphins

Dolphins at South Gorge Beach

We went for a snorkel at South Gorge Beach in the afternoon. The surf was very large, and I broke one of my flippers when waves bent it backwards. At one point two huge dolphins swam within a couple of metres of me, while we were inside a small crevice in the rocks that was only as wide as the dolphins were long. It was quite scary.

Bronwen at Cylinder Beach, Stradbroke IslandSouth Gorge BeachA fearsome sea monsterPlastic waste floating around Stradbroke IslandNed’s broken flipper

Evening

We spent the evening wandering around the beaches.

Bronwen looking at Frenchmans BeachBronwen walking into the sunsetBronwen not scared of sharksBronwen wondering what I’m doing with my phoneBronwen in the sunsetBronwen unable to walk on water

Monday 27th January – Australia Day

Morning

Bronwen and I took Wallace down to the beach and climbed some cliffs and played around with drone photography.

A lizardBronwen sunbathing on a rockBronwen sunbathing on a rockBronwen sunbathing on a rockBronwen overlooking the oceanBronwen keeping an eye on the fishermenBronwen not falling to her deathBronwen checking for incoming submarines

North Gorge

In the afternoon we went for a walk to North Gorge and found that the ocean had washed up a nice amount of sand into North Gorge and a lot of people were swimming there, so Bronwen went for a swim while I took Wallace for a flight and tried to take some nice photos with him.

North GorgeSwimming in North GorgeSwimming in North GorgeBronwen swimming in North GorgeBronwen swimming in North GorgeSwimming in North GorgeBronwen not swimming in North GorgeBronwen unaware of the incoming wave

Evening

After lunch we took Wallace for a fly above some rock pools we found, before packing up “The Shed” and catching the 5:55 PM Gold Cat back to the mainland and driving home.

Bronwen in a rock pool, Stradbroke IslandBronwen in a rock pool, Stradbroke Island