SUN, SAND, SURF & GREEDY PELICANS – – an enjoyed fish dinner

You will remember that our ‘doors off’ flight had been cancelled – but Jono & The Lady have the afternoon organised.

What better way to finish the last day of the KI Adventure than to spend it by the ocean.  That will put my endorphins in a really good place.  I don’t care how low you feel or what stress seems to be taking over, go and sit by the ocean and listen to the music of the waves.  Works for me I know – maybe it was my days of growing up with the Beach Boys and all that Surfin’ music – but I digress.

Our first stop this arvo will be to Bales Beach.  This pretty beach is part of the Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park which includes vast areas of wilderness and spectacular coastal scenery.

A walk down through the sand trails and we arrive at the beach – –

now you might say a beach is a beach is a beach and I suppose if that is what you think then you would be right.  For me, a beach is more than sand and surf.  It is all the seaweed, shells, wood etc that have been washed up onto the dry white sand.  It is watching the waves as they head towards the shore, it’s the marine life that lives in the shallows – but you get the drift.

It is a lovely beach – however it is windy and the sand blows everywhere but it is still good for me.

The weather beaten rocks on the cliff are wonderful, but it is not long before we come across an item that some human has discarded or maybe their boat sunk and it floated to shore.

However it got here it is covered in barnacles from its journey.

Being the ever so conscious environmental group that we are, the container is carried back with us to the parking area where it is promptly thrown in the bin.  I don’t think they thought about the marine animals living on it!

We continue to walk along, at this stage I am just enjoying the wind blowing in my face and hair.  Back up the sandy paths to our bus and then we are off to see the pelicans.  Andrew & Nina from Kangaroo Island Marine are going to make lots of pelican friends by throwing them some fish so that we can get some great photos.

I love pelicans.  They fly in the skies with such elegance and then they land and glide through the water with grace and poise.  On land, however, they waddle all over the place, but they have such wonderful charismatic faces you just can’t help love them.

Andrew has his large bucket of fish and off cuts and the pelicans can sense the excitement – we can too and get our cameras ready.

Once a piece of fish or a tasty crab makes its appearance, it is on for young and old.  Cameras are clicking away as fast as they can go and the pelicans are pushing to get the best spot.  Don’t worry though, all of them get a decent feed.

There is one guts face – you can most probably guess which one he is, and he is always squawking and fluffing around to get the best position.

Andrew and Nina give them a rest so that they can digest what they have just eaten so it’s time for a little wander.

As I start to walk down further some of the pelicans follow – but not for long – they know I don’t have anything for them to eat so they return to Andrew and Nina.

I am sure that they will soon be back at the dinner table but I will investigate what else this place has to offer.

I just like to get away from all the kafuffle and enjoy some quiet time and it is not long before I am joined by some other birds who come into view; a Pacific Gull tries to get into the action by playing it cool but he has to take a back seat to those already here and who are keeping a very large, yellow eye on him.

Nevertheless he wanders around and every now and again he thinks he got away with it until Mr Pelican pounces.

Nina has taken the bucket and throws some food into the water.  I must say that our friends are quick off the mark so the camera goes onto bird mode.

Some great action occurs as all the birds decide to try their luck. My friend the gull is in the thick of it along with some normal sea gulls.

We don’t have much time left before we head back home but I make the most of it, just enjoy – there is even a photo bombing pelican!

Quite a few photos later, I think that is enough – what am I saying ????  You can never have enough photos.

Tonight is our last night on KI so it’s back to our original Island Beach Lodge for a nice hot shower, some packing and a good nights sleep.

Goodnight Mr Percival – sweet dreams.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY : my new pelican friends