Then the azure bay turned red

Australia – Tasmania | Anno 2024

 

Sunday 17 November | Cradle Mountain NP – Freycinet NP

Monday 18 November | Freycinet NP

 

 

Sunday 17 November | Cradle Mountain NP – Freycinet NP

Maybe she was starving when she stole that piece of bacon. But the judge had no sympathy for her. Mary Dodd was just seventeen when she was sentenced to seven years in prison – a sentence she had to serve in Tasmania, a distant and unknown land she had never even heard of. The thought of ever returning to her family and friends in familiar England was unimaginable. Hers is just one of the many shocking stories about colonial Tasmania that we will encounter in the coming days as we leave the wilderness behind and head eastward, back toward civilisation.

Mary Dodd was just seventeen when she was sentenced to seven years in prison

The sky is overcast, and mist hangs low over the forests as our driver, Rick, starts the bus just before eight. It will be a long journey – essentially a transition stage of about 325 km. Our route will take us from an altitude of approximately 980 meters in Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park to Freycinet National Park on the east coast.

 

 

At first, the C132 takes us through vast heathlands. But as we approach the tiny town of Paradise – the name says it all – we are once again treated to breathtaking Arcadian landscapes. Cattle graze peacefully in rolling green pastures, with the occasional farmhouse dotting the scenery.

Then, suddenly, a barren, brown hill appears – a stark scar in the idyllic landscape. An entire forest has been cleared. However, it won’t take long – just four to six months after logging – before a new forest of fast-growing blue gums is planted. These eucalyptus trees take only 25 years to reach heights of up to 40 meters, making them highly sought after in the timber industry. This practice is framed as a source of renewable energy.

These eucalyptus trees take only 25 years to reach heights of up to 40 meters

Blue gum plantation

After the trees are felled, the blue gum timber is shipped to China and Japan. Due to their strength, these trees were once marketed as Tasmanian oak. However, after 25 years, the wood is no longer strong enough to carry that label. Nowadays, it mainly ends up in what are referred to as Ikea-like applications.

Chudleigh, with only two hundred inhabitants, has something special to offer as well. And we're not talking about the rose bushes planted along the road to promote itself as the Village of Roses. Instead, it's the unique Melita Honey Farm, the life’s work of the Dutch Beerepoot family. They settled in Tasmania in 1999 and later opened their shop in Chudleigh a few years after. They now offer a wide range of artisanal honey – over forty varieties – as well as beeswax-based products, including honey-based ice creams and nougat. Behind glass, we can observe busy bees in a live beehive while enjoying our ice cream.

This results in a pure form of honey, with no other flavours mixed in. This is not an obvious task, however

Chudleigh

A special place in the assortment is reserved for honey made from leatherwood. This plant, with its leathery leaves, is endemic to Tasmania and can only be found here. What's more, the plant blooms last in the season, meaning that during this time, bees gather nectar solely from the white flowers of the leatherwood. This results in a pure form of honey, with no other flavours mixed in. This is not an obvious task, however, as the honey must be harvested from hives in a valley 110 km away.

 

Deloraine – Ye Olde British Hotel

Tasmania is home to many unique plants, but it is perhaps most famous for its mushrooms and fungi. This is evident from a turnoff to the Truffle Farm. They produce black truffles, which, according to experts, are the real truffles – black fungi with light-coloured veins running through them. At this farm, truffles are not hunted by pigs but by dogs. For 125 dollars, visitors can join a Truffle Hunt, following the dogs closely and, if lucky, digging up a truffle themselves. However, success is not guaranteed, as stated in the disclaimer.

Further north, the Tamar Valley is one of the well-known wine regions of Tasmania

Deloraine – Meander River

We continue our journey through the Meander Valley. It's still overcast, but it's not raining. Deloraine boasts a few beautiful examples of Georgian and Victorian architecture. Ye Olde British Hotel is a fine example of this. The rather simple building has been standing since 1859 and is still in operation today.

 

Launceston – Cataract Gorge

Bass Highway now takes us to Launceston – or Lonnie, as the locals like to call Tasmania's second-largest city. Although it's quite a large city with over 90,000 residents, a piece of wild nature has managed to survive right on the edge of the bustling city centre. This is Cataract Gorge Reserve, a deep gorge in the dolerite rock. The South Esk River winds its way through the rocks in many small waterfalls, just before it merges with the North Esk River to form the Tamar River. Further north, the Tamar Valley is one of the well-known wine regions of Tasmania.

 

First Basin

We look down on First Basin, a peaceful little lake nestled between densely vegetated hills, where the river seems to pause after leaving one gorge behind and before entering the next. What lies ahead of us is a walk through that second gorge, known as the Cataract Walk.

 

Zeolite

Unusually, we can spot some curious white crystal formations on the rock faces. This is zeolite, likely deposited on the rock by a liquid that emerged from cracks in the rocks.

We cross the river via the Alexandra Suspension Bridge. A pedestrian bridge was already here in 1904, but it was swept away by powerful floodwaters in 1929

We cross the river via the Alexandra Suspension Bridge. A pedestrian bridge was already here in 1904, but it was swept away by powerful floodwaters in 1929. Apparently, it’s not always as calm here as it appears now.

 

 

In a small park with a music pavilion, two beautiful peacocks proudly display their ornate feathers. Suddenly, a heavy downpour starts from the sky. We take shelter for a moment, but it doesn’t take long before we can continue our walk.

 

 

A comfortable path now leads us downstream along the river. It wasn’t a simple task in 1890 to create this path. Several thousand tons of rock had to be removed, all done by manual labour – machines couldn't be used. Sometimes, walkways had to be built to bridge ravines or bypass vertical rock formations. It took three years to complete this path, which is barely a kilometre long.

It took three years to complete this path, which is barely a kilometre long

White-faced heron

Kings Bridge marks the end of the path. This wrought-iron bridge dates back to 1864 and was built in Manchester, England. It was then transported by sea and placed on a pontoon. At high tide, the pontoon positioned itself perfectly between the two riverbanks, allowing the bridge to settle into place when the tide was low. Forty years later, a second, identical span was added to widen the road. This time, they didn’t need Manchester; the bridge was completely constructed on-site. Both sections are still in use today.

 

Cataract Gorge

We leave Launceston behind, driving through pouring rain. Heading east now, we often pass fields bordered by hawthorn hedges. These are part of Tasmania's heritage, as driver Rick points out. This means they can be trimmed, but not chopped down or burned. In short, they are there for eternity, he adds with a hint of irritation.

The hawthorn hedges are part of Tasmania’s heritage, meaning you can trim them but you’re not allowed to cut them down or burn them

The route we’re currently following, the Midland Highway, was also used by the first colonists. Gradually, the landscape transitions to drier terrain with fewer trees. This remains a suitable environment for sheep farming. Further east, vineyards will begin to appear in the landscape.

 

Campbell Town

It is still raining when we arrive in windy Campbell Town. Originally established as a coach stop between Launceston and Hobart, the town grew to become one of the four garrison towns along that route. At one point, twenty-three soldiers were permanently stationed here to protect the colonists from the indigenous population – systematically referred to as the savages in official documents by Governor George Arthur. Tired travellers could rest at The Foxhunter's Return, a coachmen's inn in Georgian style dating back to 1833.

Building a bridge over a river isn’t particularly remarkable, but in Campbell Town, they approached it in a rather original way

Campbell Town – Red Bridge

The standout feature in the town is the famous Red Bridge. Building a bridge over a river isn’t particularly remarkable, but in Campbell Town, they approached it in a rather original way. They built the bridge and then diverted the Elizabeth River so that the water would flow neatly underneath the bridge. There was a good reason for this. The intention was to create an elevated embankment road across the plain, as this would protect the area from the frequent flooding. The bridge then became the point where the river crossed the embankment road.

And that's not the only thing that makes this beautiful bridge special. Completed in 1838, it is still in use today, making it one of the oldest bridges in all of Australia. It is almost entirely made of bricks – that’s where its name comes from. About one and a half million bricks were used, all made on-site. At the peak of construction, 220 men were working on it – exclusively convict labour, of course. At night, they were locked up in the cellars of The Foxhunter's Return. Those cells are still open for visitors today.

Each brick bears the name of a convict who arrived by ship from England

Campbell Town – Convict Brick Trail

This seamlessly connects to another remarkable initiative in Campbell Town – the Convict Brick Trail. It's a long line of memorial stones, set into the sidewalk along both sides of High Street. Together, they stretch over a distance of about four hundred meters. Each brick bears the name of a convict who arrived by ship from England. As far as is known, it also includes their 'crime' and the punishment they received, the name of the ship, and the date of arrival. They've even gone so far as to collect this information in the Northern Midlands Council Database, which is accessible online.

For women it was enough to behave indecently – whatever that might have meant – or to be found on the streets after 10 pm to be banished

Campbell Town – Memorial stones of convicts

One of these memorial stones is dedicated to Mary Dodd, the 17-year-old girl we were introduced to at the beginning of this story. Apparently, she arrived in 1822 on the Sir Charles Forbes in Hobart and later married a certain Joseph Barrett. Could Mary have found a little happiness here after all?

Another victim of the harsh English justice system was the sixteen-year-old John White. His sentence was lifelong banishment. His crime? Begging. He arrived here in 1828 aboard the William Miles and eventually managed to make a living as a shopkeeper in Bothwell, we read on his stone.

The sixteen-year-old John White was sentenced with lifelong banishment. His crime? Begging

Campbell Town – Memorial stones of convicts

More than seventy thousand convicts were sent to Tasmania in the 19th century by English courts. It’s estimated that around eighty percent of the Tasmanians living on the island today have a few drops of criminal blood in their veins. However, the concept of ‘criminal’ in this context needs to be strongly relativised. For women, for example, it was enough to behave indecently – whatever that might have meant – or to be found on the streets after 10 pm to be banished.

For the English government, banishing convicts had only benefits

Of course, prostitution was also punishable – for women, that is. Driver Rick gives the example of a single woman in the 19th century who was forced to live off prostitution until she could marry and thus escape her unlawful situation. The couple had a child, but the man died at a relatively young age. The woman had no choice but to return to prostitution. This time, however, she could not escape her prison sentence. Well, concludes Rick, that woman was one of my direct ancestors.

 

 

For the English government, banishing convicts had only benefits. You were rid of all those harmful elements, your prisons didn’t become overcrowded so easily, and you had access to free labour in the distant colony. As early as 1615, they began transporting convicted prisoners to America. Virginia alone took in nearly half of the more than 52,000 transported convicts. Of course, the real colonists were not pleased about all this scum being dumped in their backyard. But there was little they could do about it.

Between 1788 and 1868, about 165,000 convicted prisoners would be shipped to Australia

In 1776, things changed. The thirteen colonies on American soil declared independence from the British monarchy. Dumping convicted criminals was no longer an option. Luckily, Australia had by then been discovered. In 1788, the First Fleet appeared off the coast of Australia. It was a fleet of eleven British ships, six of which carried just over 800 convicts. They landed in Port Jackson, a bay in what we now call Sydney Harbour. Between 1788 and 1868, about 165,000 convicted prisoners would be shipped to Australia.

Gradually, the sun breaks through as we continue our journey eastward. The sky turns partly blue, but in the distance, right in front of us, dark rain clouds still hang. Through mountainous terrain, we descend toward a plain, with sheep pastures scattered here and there.

This is partly thanks to climate change, which has given wine production a boost

Vineyard in the East Coast wine region

Then the vineyards make their appearance. Although we are farther from the equator than, say, Stellenbosch in South Africa or Mendoza in Argentina, Tasmanian wines have earned a good reputation. Due to the cool climate, these wines are primarily white, but here in the east, red wines are also making a strong rise. This is partly thanks to climate change, which has given wine production a boost. Still, it remains necessary to protect the vineyards from cold winds by using hedges and tall trees.

A stunning view over the vineyards, with Moulting Lagoon behind them and, far in the distance, the deep blue silhouettes of the Hazards

Moulting Lagoon and the Hazards

Devil’s Corner in Apslawn is one of those wine estates. We are welcome to enjoy the wines and the breathtaking surroundings. From the hillside, we have a stunning view over the vineyards, with Moulting Lagoon behind them and, far in the distance, the deep blue silhouettes of the Hazards – a row of five rugged granite peaks on the Freycinet Peninsula. In 2022, the winery underwent a major renovation. For the inauguration of the new buildings, the Premier of Tasmania was called upon. After all, who else was better suited for the task than Peter… Gutwein?

A little later, an olive grove passes by the bus window – another sign that the climate here is milder than in the western part of the island. Olive trees, after all, prefer a Mediterranean climate.

No one could have guessed back then that he would become one of Tasmania’s most notorious convicts and that a town would bear his name

As we approach Coles Bay, a town on the shores of the Great Oyster Bay, we are reminded of its unusual namesake. Silas Cole was only 22 when he was deported to Tasmania in 1842 for stealing bacon – a crime that earned him ten years of transportation. No one could have guessed back then that he would become one of Tasmania’s most notorious convicts and that a town would bear his name. Because once in Hobart, he made matters even worse, to the point that at one stage he was sentenced to 75 lashes.

 

Sheltered by pinkish-red rock formations, a crescent-shaped sandy beach basks in the warm glow of the evening sun

Honeymoon Bay

Silas Cole already received his ticket-of-leave in 1850, which meant a conditional form of freedom. He sought and found work as a farmhand and shepherd but also had a knack for business. He purchased a kiln, an oven in which he burned oyster shells to produce lime. He collected these shells from the middens of the Aboriginals – waste heaps where they had been depositing their food scraps for centuries. The lime was then shipped to Swansea, where it was used to produce mortar.

Cole’s entrepreneurship paid off, and the place where he lived and worked became known as Coles Bay. To this day, there are people in Tasmania who are direct descendants of him.

 

 

Today, Coles Bay is a town of just over 500 residents, primarily dependent on tourism. In 2003, it also became one of the first places in the world to ban the use of non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags.

Coles Bay became one of the first places in the world to ban the use of non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags

Pied oystercatcher

Fucus

It is half past five when we arrive at our lodging for the next two nights in Freycinet National Park. This peninsula on Tasmania’s east coast is bordered by the vast Pacific Ocean to the east and the immense Great Oyster Bay to the west. For millennia, Aboriginals here relied partly on shellfish and sea plants harvested from the bay. Since the 1970s, commercial aquaculture has been developed – oysters, mussels, scallops, sea urchins, and more.

 

Silver gull

We take a short stroll to Honeymoon Bay, a small inlet of Great Oyster Bay. It is often described as idyllic, and we won’t argue with that. Sheltered by pinkish-red rock formations, a crescent-shaped sandy beach basks in the warm glow of the evening sun. Gentle waves lap against the rocks. Behind us, granite peaks rise high, their foothills covered in lush vegetation.

With its specialised beak, the pied oystercatcher has learned to pry the shells open just enough to reach the edible flesh inside

Pied oystercatcher

On the rocks, a silver gull stands proudly, surveying its surroundings. It is the most common gull in all of Australia, found throughout coastal regions. Human presence does not bother it – in fact, it actively seeks people out, knowing that where there are humans, there is food to scavenge. It won't hesitate to bother people to get table scraps or even steal unattended food.

Nearby, a pied oystercatcher appears to take a more honest approach to finding a meal. Standing bravely on its tall red legs, it forages between the rocks in the surf, searching for bivalves – molluscs that tightly clamp shut the two halves of their shells, as anyone who has ever opened an oyster will know. But for an oystercatcher, this is a simple task. With its specialised beak, it has learned to pry the shells open just enough to reach the edible flesh inside. For now, however, that skill does not seem to be helping – it seems like she can't get anything edible. Meanwhile the foamy waves crashing over it don’t seem to bother it in the slightest.

 

Great Oyster Bay

In the west, the sun slowly sets over Great Oyster Bay.

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Monday 18 November | Freycinet NP

A clear nod to history is the password that grants us access to the hotel's WiFi network. It directly references the expedition that included the Frenchman Louis de Freycinet. He is the man who, in 1811, published the very first complete and fairly accurate map of Australia – including Tasmania.

It was not until 1814 that Matthew Flinders was finally able to publish his version of the map of Australia in England – three years too late

Mount Amos

That achievement could have been credited to the Englishman Matthew Flinders as well. However, the poor condition of his ship forced him to go ashore in Mauritius during his return to England. There, the French governor deemed it necessary to imprison him on charges of espionage, as war had broken out between England and Napoleonic France. Flinders remained on the island against his will for nearly seven years. It was not until 1814 that he was finally able to publish his version of the map of Australia in England – three years too late.

Flinders' cat Trim arguably became one of the most famous pets in world history

Boulderfield

However, it was Flinders who first proposed the name Australia and was later honoured with statues in Sydney and Melbourne. Even his cat, Trim – arguably one of the most famous pets in world history – was immortalised in bronze. Freycinet, on the other hand, had his name bestowed upon a cape, an estuary, an island, and a mountain. And, of course, the peninsula where we are currently staying.

 

Great Oyster Bay

That peninsula was formed 379 million years ago when two massive granite blocks emerged at the surface through a fissure in the Earth's crust. The Hazards, the chain of five rocky peaks we saw from a distance yesterday, rest on the northernmost block. They are not particularly high – their elevations range between 330 and 480 meters – but they captivate with their rugged bareness, as these rock formations rise starkly above their surroundings.

Their name, however, has nothing to do with the word hazards. Instead, it originates from the captain of a whaling ship that was shipwrecked in the 1820s on the tiny rocky islet of Promise Rock. His name was Albert ‘Black’ Hazard.

The mineral orthoclase gives the rocks and coastline their characteristic pink hue

Boulderfield

Just like the dolerite of Cradle Mountain, the granite of Freycinet was formed by the solidification of magma. However, there is a significant difference. Dolerite solidifies at the Earth's surface, a process that happens very quickly. As a result, crystals do not have time to form. Granite, on the other hand, solidifies deep underground. This occurs very slowly, allowing crystals to develop. In this case, the mineral that formed was orthoclase. Is that relevant to us? Absolutely – it is what gives the rocks and coastline their characteristic pink hue.

 

 

At one time, six to seven hundred Aboriginals lived here. Their legacy includes shell middens, stone quarries, and various stone artefacts. Later, European settlers arrived – whalers, cattle farmers, and miners – leaving behind old mine shafts, abandoned farm huts, and remnants of whale processing.

In 1916 a large part of the peninsula was declared a national park, creating Tasmania’s oldest protected area

This period of activity came to an end in 1916 when a large part of the peninsula was declared a national park, creating Tasmania’s oldest protected area. Today, all these relics – both Aboriginal and colonial – are considered part of Tasmania’s heritage. Covering an area of 169 km², the park is roughly the same size as Washington, D.C.

 

Boulderfield

Wineglass Bay, Pacific Ocean

What we are mainly going to do here is hiking. Right after breakfast, we set out on our adventure. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, but a cold wind is blowing. Our driver, Rick, drops us off at the base of the Hazards. Not to climb these rocky peaks – that would be too ambitious for us. Instead, we will follow a trail that leads us neatly over the saddle between two of these peaks – Mount Mayson and Mount Amos.

On the other side, our efforts will be rewarded with a view of Wineglass Bay, said to be the most iconic sight in Tasmania. If you’ve ever seen a picture of Tasmania, chances are it was a photo of this bay.

 

 

The wide, well-maintained path steadily climbs between the lush vegetation along the slope of Mount Amos. Flowers are abundant in this early spring. Birds too; we often hear them but rarely see them. To the right, we look at the rocky slope of Mount Mayson. The path becomes increasingly steeper until it eventually turns into steps.

Due to the large amount of blood, the water would turn so red that the bay resembled a glass of red wine

Wineglass Bay

Then, shortly after ten, we reach the lookout. The view is indeed overwhelming. We look down at the crystal-clear, blue water of Wineglass Bay with its pearl-white beach. In the distance to the left, we can just make out the Pacific Ocean. In the background, Mount Graham and Mount Freycinet rise, both slightly higher than the Hazards. In fact, they rest on the second block of granite that forms part of the peninsula. At our feet lies the sandy corridor that marks the transition between the two parts, with in the distance to the right, Great Oyster Bay just barely visible.

 

Mount Graham, Mount Freycinet
Wineglass Bay, Hazards Lagoon, Great Oyster Bay

Wineglass Bay is said to owe its name to its graceful shape, as it closely resembles a wineglass. While this cannot be entirely ruled out, it is likely that the name has a more gruesome origin. In the past, whalers often brought the carcasses of killed whales to this shallow bay to butcher them. Due to the large amount of blood, the water would turn so red that the bay resembled a glass of red wine.

 

 

Or as the writer John Skinner Prout phrased it around 1840: “…we approached the [whaling station of Wineglass Bay] and entered on calm waters, thickly spread with oil. Occasional chunks of fat and entrails swam on the surface and ringed it with greasy ripples… On the flenzing stage… two carcasses lay steaming in dismemberment. From the vast mass of meat a wide stream of dark blood ran down slowly to the sea.”

 

 

Today, Wineglass Bay is an idyllic setting where nothing remains to remind one of the horrors of the past. You can descend to the fairy-tale bay, but you would need the time, courage, and especially the energy for a descent of a thousand steps, followed by an ascent of a thousand steps. We’ll pass on that. Along the slope of Mount Amos, we head back to Rick’s bus.

At Cape Tourville you get a perfect impression of how rugged Tasmania's rocky coastline can be

Cape Tourville – Carp Bay, Entrance of Wineglass Bay, Mount Graham and Mount Freycinet

After lunch, we have a few other excursions in mind. For example, to Cape Tourville, a cape with a lighthouse. It's not very old; it was only established in 1971. But that's not our main interest. What we're after is the expansive view from the slightly more than one hundred meter high cape. From there, you get a perfect impression of how rugged Tasmania's rocky coastline can be. In the distance to the right, we can just make out the mouth of Wineglass Bay, with the peaks of Mount Graham and Mount Freycinet above it.

 

Cape Tourville – Lighthouse

The Nuggets

Just in front of us, a little over a kilometre from the shore, lie the four granite islands of The Nuggets. On the largest one, a colony of greater crested terns has settled. They are relatively safe there, although a few seagulls seem to be hanging around. Of course, they are after the eggs and chicks of the terns. The terns themselves prefer to find their food in open seas, not too far from shore. The schools of sardines or anchovies that gather there make for a fairly easy catch. They don’t have to dive deeper than a meter for that. But they have also learned to follow fishing boats, as there are always some bycatch to scavenge.

On the largest of the four Nuggets a colony of greater crested terns has settled

The Nuggets – Colony of greater crested terns

Further out to sea, there is also spectacle to be seen. It is well known that marine mammals such as the southern right whale, humpback whale, and bottlenose dolphin use the shallow waters off this coast to feed, calve, or simply rest. Unfortunately, that takes place just a little too far for us. We do spot them, the streaks of white foam where a fin cuts through the water, or the occasional spout of a whale. But we sadly don’t get a clear view of the playful sea mammals.

 

Sleepy Bay

We now exchange the bird's-eye view of Cape Tourville for the frog's-eye view of Sleepy Bay. A fairly steep descent, partly with stairs but often also over the rocks, leads us down along the steep cliffs. This brings us to a small sandy beach. That in itself is already special, as sandy beaches are rather rare here.

This time, it's not the mineral orthoclase that sets the tone, but an orange lichen

Pacific gull

But it is mainly the brown-red rocks that litter the beach, which create a special atmosphere. This time, it's not the mineral orthoclase that sets the tone, but an orange lichen from the Hymeneliaceae family that has settled on the rocks. It’s a symbiosis of algae and fungi, where both organisms benefit. Grosso modo, you can say that the algae produce substances through photosynthesis that the fungi can feed on, while the fungi form a protective layer around the algae. You could call it a lifelong relationship, because without each other, these organisms can no longer survive.

You could call it a lifelong relationship, because without each other, these organisms can no longer survive

Sleepy Bay

We walk in an arc around the washed-up carcass of a dead sea lion. That too is part of this nature. While the turquoise water gently laps against the rocks, we let the tranquillity of this cove with its rich colours sink in. Yet, this cove doesn't always live up to its name. Because even in Sleepy Bay, storms can occur.

 

Richardson’s Beach

It’s five o'clock when we reach the hotel. We take a short walk to the nearby Richardson’s Beach. You wouldn’t call this a busy sandy beach. However, joggers or walkers do pass by regularly. Still, it doesn’t seem to bother a pair of pied oystercatchers with their chick in the least. This is their territory; at the edge of the vegetation, they have built their nest.

 

Pied oystercatcher with chick

As is usual with oystercatchers, the nest is not much to look at – a bit of sand scraped away, a few twigs placed, and that's it. But they will fiercely defend that nest if needed. If an intruder appears, the male will limp away from the nest. The intruder thinks it has an easy target in sight and eagerly follows the male. Once the intruder is lured far enough from the nest, the oystercatcher flies away.

 

With its long beak, the pied oystercatcher occasionally probes deep into the sand. Until it catches something

Pied oystercatcher with its prey

While one of them stays with the chick, the other oystercatcher sets off. It's low tide. Where seawater stood earlier, it now searches for food. Not bivalves this time, but soft-bodied molluscs without shells that hide in the moist sand. With its long beak, it occasionally probes deep into the sand. Until it catches something. Satisfied, it holds the tiny prey between the tips of its beak.

 

Great Oyster Bay

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Jaak Palmans
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Sailed for and discovered in the year 1642