Locating Yorke Peninsula’s lone apostle.

Locating Yorke Peninsula’s lone apostle.

Embarking on a walk over the towering cliffs of the south end of Yorke Peninsula, we made a journey to try and discover the one lone apostle. A lonely fisherman had reported seeing this legendary rock from his boat in the ocean. But no land living creature, that we knew, had ever pointed out this amazing discovery to us.

Did we really have an apostle? Victoria had twelve, (Yeah right!! There are really only eight and rumour has it, there never, ever were twelve, it was simply a marketing ploy.)

Could South Australia possibly have just one for a few isolated adventurers like me and my husband?
Well we were about to find out!
We felt like the explorers of old….phone, water, sun hat, insect repel, camera, good shoes, snake protectors etc.

I think the explorers of old had note paper instead of a camera, old boots instead of good Nike trekking shoes, kerosene as insect repellent, and as the movies depict they always lost their water on the way so almost died of thirst!!

No dying on the journey for us we’re far too clever and modern.

Cliffs South Australian coastline

Above…looking forward along the coastline

South Australian coastline

Looking back you can see the West Cape light house way in the distance.

Coastline
Coastline South Australia

And there it is in all its glory. We found it!

Green sea water

Looking down.

Coastline South Australia
Coastline South Australia
Rough countryside
The lone Apostle South Australia
Waiting for the surf to come up

Yeah that way mate!

Two kangaroos
Rough terrain
The lone apostle
Beautiful rock formation

TIME TAKEN: Just under one hour to walk there, 30 minutes of taking photos and resting. Basically it took the best part of two and a half hours.

APOSTLE LOCATED: Yes bought a tear to my eye… majestical.

LIVING CREATURES: One shingle back lizard and quite a few kangaroos, and crows.

SIGNS OF HUMAN ACTIVITY: Not a single beer bottle, or cigarette butt, or foot print, now that’s worth seeing!

YES, South Australia does have an Apostle, difficult to find, but picturesque and worth the walk!

Photography a heart and soul process.

Photography a heart and soul process.

 

If you could photograph with your heart and soul, what would your photos look like?

Art is what you see in your soul. Art is a dream you have inside your heart.

 

How do you transfer what you feel in your heart and soul into a photograph???

1. I photograph what I consider to be some of the most beautiful elements of our earth. Then I add my own interpretation of how I see this picture in my heart. Therefore photograph what you consider to be beautiful. Photograph the things, the people, objects or landscapes that give you pleasure.

2. A painter can paint the thoughts of his heart. A photographer must photograph a scene that is, as it is. If you know what I mean?
Therefore I will remove a piece of rubbish, or add an extra star, or colour the sea a shade greener….and so on. I love to add the painters element to the things I see with my eye. So let your heart dominate when you are editing.

3. Photograph when you get that awesome feeling of…..YES this is what I have been waiting for. Get up early or stay up late. That feeling is often not there, but that is what we wait for. It can be pure chance that the light is right, the land is right, the weather is right….etc. The first image of the lighthouse was one of those days for me, truly magnificent.

4. Some images are when things were not quite in alignment with no awesome feeling, but I practised my art regardless. The sun does not always shine and the moon is not always full.  There are days when things just don’t go right. Persist and persist again.

5. Be passionate about your art. Don’t leave it alone for too long. Your passion will come out in your images. They say… “Out of the adundance of the heart the mouth speaks!” We could change that phrase and say. “Out of the abundance of the heart, art is created.”

 

 

My images are of the distant lighthouse. Most times the lighthouse stands alone on these sparse and dangerous outcrops of land. Beacons of hope for sailors in the night. The wild ocean is to be revered and auspiciously navigated.

A lighthouse illuminates that which is to be avoided.

A lighthouse gives us direction, a lighthouse can be a metaphorical word for a sailors safety…Psalm 119.105. Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

 

pink sunset and a distant lighthouse
Big waves and distant lighthouse
Yacht and lighthouse
A sunset of soft orange and a yacht
waves and Althorpe lighthouse
Yacht race
Light house in the distance
Seaspray
West Cape
West Cape in the big storm
Yacht and Althorpe Island in background
West Cape light house sunset
Cape Spencer lighthouse
Cape Spencer lighthouse

 

A side note…The Althorpe Island lighthouse in many of my photographs is accompanied by three cottages. Three families lived there for many years manning the lighthouse. Their only access to the island was by boat.  A life devoted to preventing shipwrecks.

 

 

 

A strange and eerie place to visit

A strange and eerie place to visit

Beautiful beach at sunset

I am very excited to share this blog because it is a day I will never forget.

 

Whilst out fishing one day, we discovered at the back of Althorpe Island, a tiny inlet. (called Salmon Inlet.) As we drove the boat in closer the water colour turned from sea blue into a magnificent deep oceanic green. Very beautiful, very majestical, and quite strange. We journeyed in as close as we could and dropped anchor under a cloudless sky and glistening sun. The steep cliffs rising straight up out of the green depths were dark, rocky, and cold. The saturated green colour of the ocean kept changing as the sun moved over the sky. A bird or two appeared and then disappeared. The silence only broken by the occasional cry from these seabirds.

Even though it was winter I could not resist a swim. Freezing!!! I certainly did not stay in for long, perhaps not a swim just a dip! But as short as the swim was I wanted to jump in and experience this magical spot to the fullest. To immerse myself in the beauty of nature. To feel this dark green effervescent water on my skin.

After my swim we had lunch and simply basked in the peaceful, and arresting vista.
It’s a feeling, a longing, an ethereal presence that comes ever so gently when you discover something so unique and special, like this amazing place.

Do you know what I mean?

Sparkling turquoise beach
West Cape at sunset
A sunset of soft orange and a yacht
pink bedroom
my armoire
Lounge room
Walking along the shoreline
Waiting for the surf to come up
Galahs in the evening light
Althorpe Island in the distance

I wonder at the creativity of God. Depths that cannot be touched and heights that cannot be accessed by our human brain.

How I overcame a lifelong habit of rushing

How I overcame a lifelong habit of rushing

Girl running

I do tend to like this idea of slow living.

One of the things you need to train yourself out of as a photographer is the modern day disease called ‘Rushing”. You may be able to pin point how this condition took over your mind and body or otherwise you may need to simply develop new habits that slow you down.

I often find I am in a rush. I have this anxious feeling of rushing through all my daily tasks, to bring them to completion asap.
This anxious, rushing, feeling, I can trace back to my childhood. You see from the age of seven, I have had to deal with migraine headaches. Very debilitating and painful.

From somewhere around my teenage years, I felt I had to rush to get everything completed in case I got sick with a migraine and had to spend hours in bed with a massive headache. This became a very deeply entrenched habit. More especially in the years I was raising children, you see everything had to be perfect and in order in case anything went wrong.
But as I got older, I have had to retrain my brain and remind myself, why the panic? Tomorrow is another day with a new beginning and a little mess is not going to hurt. If I need to rest then I must rest!

SLOW DOWN, and focus on the fact that this is only temporary, soon the events that I am drowning in at the present moment will not last.

A wonderful side note, as I grew older those terrible migraines lost alot of their severity. I no longer vomit for hours and the headache is quite mild. You see, life can change!

Just how do you slow down?

*Gather less stuff. We take nothing into this world and we take nothing out when we leave. I have found it liberating moving into a smaller home and making myself throw out things I am fairly sure I will not use again

*Read the bible and pray. Dwelling on the good things the bible has to say is very relaxing and calming. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

*Begin the day with peaceful, positive thoughts. Your self talk will set you in the right direction if it is life giving and positive.

*Retrain your mind to stop and enjoy. This process took me awhile to achieve, but some grim determination and a healthy stance against fear has helped.

*Be grateful and make an effort to thank God for all the good things in life.

*Find an interest or hobby that you love and enjoy. When I am out photographing, I find my mind and body are totally unaware of worries and lifes distractions. I am fully involved and absolutely loving what I am doing. The peace and fulfilment after the day is over keeps my mind thoughful and certainly has the effect of slowing me down.

 

 Photography has slowed my mental state down as it involves seeking out and being in the presence of beautiful things.

Below are some images that have brought peace to my heart and soul.

 

 

Yacht in a beautiful golden sunset
Yacht sails in a beautiful blue ocean
Fishing boat in the distance
Yacht sails around Cape Spencer Yorke Peninsula
A fishing boat moored at Pondalowie Bay
Beautiful pink evening and a yacht moored in the bay
Tips on keeping safe at our South Australian beaches.

Tips on keeping safe at our South Australian beaches.

Australian beaches

In the Australian summer:

 

….on the south coast we can be bothered by many things, flies, mosquitoes, snakes, march flies, a hot sun, ants, jelly fish, sting rays, pounding waves and vicious under tows……you would think that a sunny day at the beach would be the worst place to be in Australia.

And yet we flock to the beaches, and enjoy the wonders of a spectacular and yet unpredictable coastline.
I have learnt a few lessons over the years that seem to keep me safe, try these tips on keeping safe and see if you are happier at the seashore.

1. Having been washed out to sea in seconds when I was a lot younger I am very cautious to check the area for rips. Firstly read the signs and take heed. Look for an area with no waves and white water going out to sea. Stay close to the shore and put your feet on the ground regularly.

2. I never venture out too deep if the area is known for sharks, which is most of our coastline.

3. I apply sunscreen, and reapply later especially my face, and lately I’ve taken to carrying a very light sarong which I immediately drape around my shoulders as soon as I get out of the water. Always wear a sun hat.

4. I never, ever swim alone.

5. I carry an insect net which goes over my sun hat and use it when I need to. Flies are notoriously attracted to facial features, especially mine, and South Aussie has many flies. You can use an insect repellent if you like.

6. I check the ocean waves before setting up camp, especially at surfing beaches where the waves can come in a lot further unannounced. Let me explain. Many years ago with my brand new camera we were equipped and ready to photograph the surfers for the day. Umbrella up and gear placed neatly in piles, within about 10 minutes a huge “after surge” from a powerful wave raced up the beach and absolutely saturated all our gear including my new lens. Fortunately I had my camera in my hand only the lens was ruined. Towels all soaking, food all gone…etc. I learnt my lesson the hard way, when the surf is up you keep a big distance from the shoreline.

7. Never go to an Aussie beach without an umbrella. It gets very hot here. We have a new umbrella which has a tie down for windy days. A marvellous invention.

8. Travel lightly. Buy lightweight cameras, …lightweight umbrella and chairs etc.

9. Don’t take those silly blow up toys out on our beaches when the day is windy, which is most days along our coastline. Two summers ago we had a drowning as a mother tried to save her child who was blown out to sea on a blow up floatation animal.

10..Don’t touch jelly fish, don’t touch stingrays, and look out for concealed rocks beneath the sand. Many a stubbed toe has resulted from kicking an unmovable rock just under the sand.

11. If you are going to venture along the cliffs for a few photographs, either watch out for snakes or wear snake protectors.

12. Don’t take young children swimming at a big wave beach.

I guess that has put you off our beaches…is this my secret weapon for keeping you off the incredibly pristine beaches in South Australia? Well I hope not!
Many flock to the overcrowded beaches in Queensland, where you sit within two inches of another tanned, greased body. But the South Australian coastline although isolated is extremely beautiful and truly lovely for swimming.

Wherever you are, stay safe.

 

Gallery

Turquoise beach