Why we built a beach house by the sea, part 2.

Why we built a beach house by the sea, part 2.

Progress has been slow over the winter. Heaps of rain so the water tanks are over flowing. However we have been able to work on the inside as most of the outside is finished.

I have made a tiny garden of local plants. All the same type of grasses for a unified, coherent kind of effect. The ground is very sandy and it is certainly best to choose local plants as not much grows in this area.

We still have plenty to do, but at least we can sleep in the beach house and not in a caravan any longer.

I chose wood for the walls due to its warm feel and the natural vibe it adds to any home.

I’ve made a path out the front from some old left over slate and put white rocks along the front. These limestone rocks are everywhere here. I don’t think I’ve seen one beach shack without these limestone rocks.

It is such a lovely place so peaceful and relaxing. Nature at its finest.

 

Emus walking past the beach house
Sun hats hang up at the holiday house
Bathroom
bedroom in holiday home
Light shade and wooden walls
Shells collected and put on a shelf
Empty room with wooden walls

Growth of plants is slow and keeping bugs away is a constant chore. We are trying to be as natural as possible but some of the insects are so resistent I have resorted to getting the spray can out and try slaughtering them this way. White vinegar was just not working. Soon we will put in more furniture and some homely touches.

Living here is very peaceful as most of the holiday homes are vacant year round. They soon fill up around Christmas and Easter, dogs, kids, bikes, music, but hey, when it’s only for around 10 days I  will put up with anything!

Photographing surfing, (what not to do.)

Photographing surfing, (what not to do.)

Surfer in a wave

Surfing life in South Australia…

 

…..is mainly centred around family holidays and extra weekend breaks. Over the years I have learnt what to photograph when my children are surfing and what NOT to photograph!

 

We have a beach house at the bottom end of Yorke Peninsula and as I have mentioned in my other blogs, we have been frequenting these beaches in this area for many years.

It’s always been all about the surfing. Right from the beginning when my children were little we had to choose a holiday destination that had waves. At the tip of Yorke Peninsula, the various beaches around the peninsula are known for their great surfing waves. Consequently over the years we grew to love all these spots.

My love for photography also grew over the years and one of the most challenging aspects, was the capturing of fast moving bodies on a wave. However as was my custom, time and time again while waiting for one of them to catch a wave, my thoughts and the direction of my camera would drift off to survey the sights. A bird, a yacht, a beautiful cloud, some sun bathers, what ever it was, inevitably I would miss the golden shot.

That evening while viewing the photographs of the day, I would be reprimanded… “Oh my goodness, she’s done it again, photographed a bird instead of my tube!!”

 

I have learnt to focus my entire attention on endlessly watching the waves and the surfers. It can give you a bit of eye strain keeping focused on distant objects on a bright sunny day, However, good sunnies and a sunhat go a long way in saving the day. And when you catch that magic shot it is well worth the wait.

 

Huge waves to surf
Orange surf board
Waves and surfer
Surfer and green ocean wave
Huge wave
Surfers
Surfer and jet ski
Surfer and jet ski
Surfing with a jet ski
Surfer
Seaweed and surfer
Yacht

A moment of boredom and a yacht sails by in the distance. How could I resist??

Seagull in sepia

A bird or two but what a view.

Surfer
Surfer walking

The beautiful Chinamans Hat Island

The beautiful Chinamans Hat Island

Cinamans hat Island

Chinamans Hat Island is located in the Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.

 

 

As the seasons and the weather change so does the look of this tiny but beautiful island. I often stop and photograph these changes, some days rough, some days very calm and still, some evenings like a fire has been lit. It amazes me the way the ocean colour changes to suit the sky. Like a well dressed and fully colour coordinated woman.

This tiny (well dressed) island is only some 350 meteres from the shoreline and some have been known to walk over to it at low tide. Well I think it would have to be a very low tide for this to happen.

When visiting this area of Yorke Peninsula be sure to stop and walk down to the small but very clear waters on this beach.

This has always been one of our favorite spots for swimming.

Just around the corner of Chinamans Hat Island, is the surfing beach called Chinamans. Very tricky, don’t get confused!! At the surfing beach you can walk up to the ramp and if there is a swell there are bound to be a few surfers out.

Certainly a lovely spot to visit, surf  and swim.

China mans Hat Island
In rough weather.
Chinamans Hat Island with a radiant sunset
Chinamans Hat Island in a storm
Chinamans Hat Island
Chinamans Hat Island
Chinamans Hat Island in the twilight
Chinamans Hat Island

As a photographer….

Your favorite location has the unique ability to change with the seasons, the time of day and the weather. How could a photographer ever get bored?? The variety is endless. 

Another thing I will do is edit the same photo in a different way. Maybe add a different sky, maybe darken a cloud, maybe lighten the entire image. It is time to start experimenting and seeing where your creativity leads you. You will learn so much as you experiment with styles, techniques and your camera. Have fun!!

Canola fields are here again, get your camera out!!

Canola fields are here again, get your camera out!!

Dark sky with sun rays and a yellow canola field

The canola fields of South Australia are quite spectacular.

Yellow being the brightest visible colour in the spectrum makes these fields an eye catching sight.
The colour yellow is uplifting and joyous, but is also calming and relaxing. I find these farmers fields will certainly add an unexpected lift to your day. Why not take a trip into the country in the months of August or early September to view these fields.
My images were taken in the Barossa Valley, Strathalbyn, on the Yorke Peninsula and Curramulka all in South Australia.

In some of my images I have changed the sky using photoshops sky replacement tool. Such a lovely effect when the heavens really stand out.

Canola fields are plentiful in the farmlands of South Australia, relatively easy to find, actually thats a joke you can’t miss them, they are sooo bright!!!

This is not a long blog as I feel these bold and vigorous images speak for themselves. 

 

Canola and old house
Canola field and one tree
Old tree in canola field
tree in yellow canola field
Yellow and green
Canola field and crow in a tree
Canola field

A dream coming true, photography by the sea.

A dream coming true, photography by the sea.

In the last few years we have found ourselves on an endless quest in search of a place to live, a place that belongs to our heart and gives us peace, happiness and quiet.

 

We believe we may have found this perfect spot, a place beside the ocean, a place with memories a place that is quiet, a place to build the dream……

 

The love one has for the ocean is beyond all boundaries and can often be traced back to childhood. Long days spent lying on sunny sands and cool nights awaiting sleep while listening to the sound of the crashing waves on worn grey pebbles.The fisherman is indeed married to the sea and the surfer has inexplicable longings to master the relentless, whitecapped wave. The ocean never leaves or forsakes its lovers, it permeates deep into their soul, where water meets water. And the sky meets the horizon, and the sandy land is impressionable upon its inhabitants.

Our family have been holidaying in Yorke Peninsula for over thirty years. On the very first visit, in Casurina camping ground, we encountered a rustic, rugged, and dramatic environment, which tested our bodies and camping abilities to the extreme.Things have not changed much from that time. The huge waves, the rugged surfer, the strange but friendly emus, the orange kangaroos, the enormous cliffs, the lonely uninhabited islands, the shipwrecked coastline, the sultry fisherman, all of this has made for a holiday destination which captivates the heart of the adventurer, the explorer, the sun soaker, the swimmer, the surfer and any other who enjoys the saturating experiences of nature.
All and everything in its finality that we have learnt, is that whilst we are packing to drive back to our homes, our hearts are full and yet silently empty. We cannot speak, words would destroy the beauty of our holiday experiences, and any sound is a sign that we are departing this strange but very magnificent place.

 

The one point of hope is that we will return, for now/today we have made a claim to a small portion of sandy land and our dream is to build a tiny holiday home to bring all those old memories back to life again!

A photographic diary of this journey is now possible with my camera and my heart melded together. I started this blog to record and relive all the moments, that we have experienced. I intend also to record the travels to and from our holiday home, as the innumerable golden canola and wheat fields, salt lakes, small towns and animals are all part of the dream.

Gallery

Pelican
Coffee outside
Time to read a book
Steps to beach
Fishing
Swing under the jetty
Seabirds flying
Two girls swimming
The beautiful blue ocean
Girl and seabirds