Beaches

Following the departure of the coastal low we have visited the local beaches expecting to find many interesting things washed up.  Cutting to the chase, the flotsam was not that diverse: mainly seaweed.  However there was interest in seeing the water running out of creeks and the erosion.

Getting to Bastion Point the immediate interest was the mound of foam at the waters edge.

When we left the beach an hour later we saw the corpse of a very large fur seal right beside the steps.  I haven't included a photo as its a tad gruesome.  However I am curious as to why we didn't spot it on the way down.  Either (1) I was distracted by the foam or (2) the foam covered the body..  It will start to get stinky so has been reported to Parks.

There was more foam further down the beach.

The mouth was now quite wide and flowing very strongly.   The outgoing water was very brown: whether this was due to sand being carried out or just tannin in the run-off was unclear to me.  It meant the waves were brown all the way to the steps, and for a long way out to sea.

The next day we went to Davis beach to look at the now open Davis Creek.  The Creek opening was not greatly exciting but the amount of erosion was fairly spectacular.  This bank was 2 m high in places..

While at the Creek we were entertained by 2 sub-adult White-bellied Sea-Eagles.  They didn't dance but just soared looking attractive.  Both photos are the same bird: the second appeared too far away to get a decent picture.

Close to the Creek opening we were interested to see the various black layers visible in the exposed face of the dune.  As there has only been one recent huge source of ash we assume this reflects the way the sand has built up this year with rain events washing ash and charcoal out to sea and subsequent high constructive tides covering it with clean sand.

Going along the beach to Betka the only debris of interest was a much higher than usual number of Cuttlefish 'bones'.  When we got to Betka the water was flowing back into the estuary, reflecting the incoming tide (and presumably the run off into the River having calmed down.

Certainly the road bridge was well out of the water.