Guerilla Bay to Moruya North Head
19 kms (1482 km) 8 hrs
Started today with a magnificent winter sunrise from Guerilla Point Lookout and then a walk out to Burrewarra Point and its little lighthouse. Guerilla Bay Beach and Guerilla Bay Small Beach were wonderful shimmering in the chilly early morning sunshine. BTW Guerilla Bay doesn’t refer to some long forgotten revolutionary heroes but an adapted spelling of the indigenous word, "guarella", meaning "big rock".
Next it was around to Barlings Beach, Melville Point Lookout and Tomakin Beach. I cheated on swimming the Tomaga River and went via the bridge (although it is a short and relatively easy swim) - apologies to the purists.
From Mossy Point I then crossed over cute Candlagan Creek and then to magic Broulee Beach (pronounced brow-lee - thanks for the heads up Jack and Sue) - just perfect as the mid-morning sun began to warm the day.
Broulee Island, which is now joined to the beach via a sand spit is an incredible place. It's a relatively pristine nature reserve and you can circumnavigate it via rock platforms and stony beaches. It's got a quirky history of having memorial plaques attached to the rocks near the north-eastern tip of the island - so many that a stern NP notice now warns against the practice. I rather like it - definitely beats a graveyard.
Anyway, I love how easy it is on our coast to amble a few clicks along a beach and then get to a place that really feels away from it all. On the tip of Broulee Island I sat and ate a humble sandwich and an orange - rates with the best meals of my life. German has a word 'gibfelschmaus' which is literally a 'summit feast' but conveys the sense of that wonderful taste of food that only comes in a perfect natural location after a little exertion. The daintiest morsels in the most luxurious establishment don't taste near as delicious as a ordinary sandwich on a tranquil island on an exquisite winter day.
After my Gipfelschmaus I continued around the island and then southwards to perfectly calm Shark Bay, around Broulee Head and then a lovely stretch of sand all the way down to Moruya North Head.
The Moruya River is a 'thou shalt not pass' water crossing so it was a lift around to Moruya Heads Lookout and South Heads Beach. Lovely Point Pedro was next and then North Congo Beach before arriving in Congo (NSW to be clear not central Africa) where I'm spending the night. Just another magnificent day on the coastal camino.
Bingie Dreaming Track from Congo to Tuross tomorrow. Expecting ever more coastal optical ecstasy... on, on...