At low tide it is possible to discover all sorts of amazing creatures hiding amongst the rocks and seaweed or just lolling about in the shallows.

• yummy squid – start their lives inside these squid eggs
• yucky jellyfish or sea jellies – are increasingly common in our bay and are widely despised
• dangerous blue ringed octopus – hiding out during the day, this creature should not be handled if discovered. Its bite can be fatal and first aid using a compression bandage should be applied ASAP and medical aid sought immediately.

Squid eggs

Jellyfish

Rockpool rambling is a fun summer pastime and with sturdy footwear and a little common sense – loads of fun for all the family.

Camouflage is critical to survival in the wild.  Whilst walking in the shallows at Indented Head recently we saw two excellent examples.  The first is an Eleven-armed sea star, which blends so well with the rocks.  This sea star is common to our waters and plays its part in our ecosystem unlike the introduced Northern Pacific sea star.  Their habit of sucking bait from hooks makes them unpopular with fishermen, who too often leave them on piers, despite signs asking that the goodies – the indigenous eleven-armed sea stars – be returned to the water.

Can you find all my arms?

The second example is a young flounder, which hides in the sand with just its eyes visible.  When disturbed, as in this video, it takes off with enormous pace – its other successful defence mechanism.

Another Oil Rig passed by Indented Head today.  It is being towed out of Port Philip Bay on its way to Bass Strait.  When it stopped overnight in the West Channel it was lit up like an enormous, floating Christmas tree.

Oil rig off Indented Head on way to Bass Strait

As the evening sun was setting, we tested the shyness of this pelican by gradually approaching his rocky Pt George post at Indented Head.  As this series of photos shows – he was quite relaxed.

Pelican returns to Indented Head for summer

Peican is cool about our approach

As a child, holidaying on the Bellarine peninsula, these graceful birds were a rare sight.  However in recent years, it is quite common to see them gliding overhead or paddling in the shallows.  Despite their growing numbers, they are still a majestic and pleasant sight.  I can’t help remembering the popular limerick -

A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His beak can hold more than his belican.

He can take in his beak,

Enough food for a week –

I’m blowed if I know how the helican.

Pelican still calm

This pelican was the first to return to our shores for the approaching summer.  Perhaps it’s not surprising that he’s not that shy – he’s well used to getting close to humans.  Over the summer he will position himself on the shore and in the shallows as he seeks to maximise his bounty – the heads and entrails from the fishermen’s catches.

We thought the aliens had arrived one wintry night when we saw a strange large object sparkling like a Christmas tree off Indented Head in the West Channel. It stayed for several days and was well attended by port tug boats before eventually being towed into Geelong. This multi-storey structure was actually an oil rig, the 13,000 tonne Kan Tan IV and over 100m tall. It had made an amazing 45 day journey from Trinidad and Tobago (on the deck of a transport ship).

Kan Tan spent several months in Geelong at Lascelles Wharf being refitted. Then in September it returned to the spot where we had first seen it off Pt George. After a week of testing, it was ready to go again.  It was towed through The Rip to start its new life as a rig in Bass Strait where it is now being commissioned.

Oil rig passes Portarlington pier on way to Geelong	Oil rig being serviced at the Geelong Dock
Oil rig being towed to The Rip	Kan Tan IV going through Rip

In springtime all over the Bellarine peninsula, wild flowers add colour to the foreshore and roadsides.

• Freesias are particularly common around the St Leonards area.
• Gazanias, another South African plant, seem to be very hardy and salt tolerant.
• And of course the hills are awash with the intense yellow Canola crops.  Canola derives from rapeseed and its blossom is a major source of nectar for honeybees.  Apparently Canola oil is a possible source for manufacturing biodiesel so we may see the Bellarine hills carpeted in yellow even more in future.

Spring blooms on Bellarine	Freesias are from South Africa
Gazanias, Lower Bluff, St Leonards	Canola crop on the Bellarine

The strong NW storms in late August churned the waters in Port Philip Bay and battered the Bellarine coastline.  Saltbush and other coastal plants were lost and vast amounts of sand was swept onto the foreshore or out to sea.  The storm surge flowed into homes at Pt Richards and across parts of The Esplanade in Portarlington.

Beach in NW storm, Indented Head

Storm ravaged shore

Locals are used to seeing king tides and storms changing the coastline and moving sand bars.  However we must also hope that those responsible for the foreshore’s management are monitoring these changes and being proactive.  Hopefully next autumn we may see repairs to the protective barrier that has effectively guarded much of the coastline since it was built by a work-for-the-dole program in 1983. I’m sure many residents would be willing to assist in such works.

Salt marsh along foreshore after storm

Eroded shore, Indented Head

The Grassy Point boat ramp was one of the few winners from the storm. Having been covered in thick sand for the last few years it’s now quite clear and trailers won’t be getting bogged.

Grassy Point boat ramp after storm

As summer arrives this blogger may appear to have been hibernating over the cooler months but that’s not quite true. But it’s been awhile since my last post to be sure, to be sure. However it’s never too late to tell a good yarn or alert others to watch out for the next Celtic invasion.

As tradition now decrees, Claymore lead by Willie Hutton opened and closed the 2009 National Celtic Festival in Portarlington. Claymore’s heart is definitely in the highlands as this movie demonstrates convincingly.

It’s somewhat ironic that this festival is held on the long weekend when we colonialists celebrate the Queen’s birthday. The royal family and the English cop a fair ribbing from quite a few performers and even festival goers. We particularly enjoyed the well researched, historical show by Braemar Lockaber No More. We were able to further enhance our understanding of the Jacobite rebellion when we explored the new visitors centre at Culloden during our visit to Scotland in July.

A wonderful weekend was had by all those we attended the 2009 festival, especially the volunteers like us who received free tickets in return for labour. Maria Forde is the 2010 face of the festival. You’re forewarned to be on the lookout for the next celtic invasion as the 2010 Celtic Festival from 11 – 14 June will be another craic-ing good weekend!

These foggy cold mornings make driving hazardous for commuters and very dangerous for cyclists. However they are ideal for morning walks along deserted beaches. The fisherman are few and far between as evidenced by the lack of queues at the St Leonards’ boat ramp. However the pelicans are still about and they put on a graceful show as they glide over the still sea.

Another special treasure found washed up on the shore was this argonaut shell. Some people call them a paper nautilus. The shell is actually the egg case of a female octopus. They are delicate and rare and make prized mantelpiece objects. They are occasionally found after winter storms washed up with the bull kelp to which they attach themselves. It was the first for the season – a great stimulus for more early morning walks!

St Leonards boat ramp

Argonaut shell - a lovely beach treasure

Pelicans fly past Indented Head in formation on foggy morning

While the beach remains devastated by the recent storms, the wild ducks are enjoying the extra water in the saltmarsh and the rain is giving hope to local farmers.

Wild ducks enjoy saltmarsh

Rainbow over Bellarine hills

Water in the Salt Lagoon between Indented Heads and St Leonards is a rare sight indeed.

Water reflects in morning sun in Salt Lagoon