QUOKKA TIME AGAIN

Because Rottnest is so popular, you have to book 9 months in advance without really knowing what you're going to be doing then let alone what the weather might be like. We managed to get a three bedroom bungalow looking out over Geordie Bay in the hope that it would be warm and that Sebastian might be able to join us. He was far to busy with work and box-lacrosse referring in Melbourne and so we offered the spare room to our friend, Barry. He goes to the island whenever he gets a chance and so was a good guide to places and beaches that we hadn't explored in the past. 


The weather forecast was rather dismal with temperatures in the low 20s and windy conditions but it was never enough to put us off either swimming or drying off lying on the sand afterwords. Geordie is one of Barry's favourite spots and I can see why. Walking distance to four good beaches, balconies looking out to the water, a shuttle bus to the main settlement, and a little supermarket and a cafe nearby. We snorkelled and swam, ate and drank, walked and talked, and enjoyed our 3 days on the island. 


We spotted clumps of banded stilts and sheldrake ducks, a lone pelican soaring overhead and a couple of dolphins cavorting in Geordie Bay. We saw a large manta ray swimming past and a small one trying to hide in the sand. Welcome Swallows swooped in to sit on the balcony at dusk and there were always ravens and seagulls filling the air with sounds. We saw huge golden orbweaver spiders and caught glimpses of King Skinks and West Coast Morethia Skinks. Luckily, we didn't catch sight of any dugites. 


And of course, there were fish. Not the pretty colourful ones we saw last month on Christmas Island but zebra fish and six bar wrasses and lots of other ones that I’m not clever enough to identify. 


And finally, the quokkas. There must be dozen of videos released into the world on Monday 9 March as people gathered around to watch some mating action. My favourite moment - even though it did mean a sacrifice - was on our last day. We were having brunch at the Georgie Bay cafe before catching the ferry home and I'd put a bag with some left overs - grapes and a nice multigrain loaf from the the Rottnest Bakery - on the ground. I went to collect some serviettes and on my return discovered a quokka had borrowed into the bag, broken open the plastic and was happily chomping on the bread. So much for tomorrow's breakfast. 


We had a delightful couple of days and I can see why Barry has been to the island 60 times or more since the 1970s. 


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