DARK POINT

After spending so much time on inland adventures lately, my mind has been wandering back to the ocean and the calm that coastal trips place on the soul. There is something to be said about the deep feelings of contentment that come from walking silently through heath and over sand dunes to the melodic rumbling of ocean swell greeting land.

It was perfect timing when I read Kelto's trip report on Broughton Island while in the process of looking for new areas to explore. I was instantly thinking of ways to reach the island, and one that holds the most interest is wind power. Hopefully I'll have a new kite boarding setup soon which, along with careful planning, will allow a visit to Broughton and the surrounding islands. I'm sure I'll be in the company of some like minded friends who have similar interests in all things adventure.

To make the most of our small window of opportunity, Dana and I camped on Friday night, waking well before sunrise to walk across the dunes to Dark Point under moonlight. The whole area holds significant value for the local aboriginal people who have history dating back 4000 years, and as we walked towards the beach, tried to fathom the enormity of time these tribes had been inhabiting the region.

The moonlight allowed us to walk without head torches and gave the dunes an aura unique, yet desert like. It really is a photographers paradise and Dana and I both were kept busy trying to capture the beauty and colour that twilight offers.
  

 As it became lighter, an array of animal life was revealed in all manner of tracks. It's clear that the aboriginal people would have found these dunes a source of food and spiritual well being. There are Middens found throughout the region that hold significant historical value and we felt privileged to visit such a treasured piece of coast.

It was definitely worth the early start, and plans are already taking place to further explore the area in the not too distant future.