Another hiking day

Time for another walk - our bodies are gradually adjusting to all this walking, once we unlock the knees, the hips, the ankles etc.  We headed up the hill to the walking trail to Middle Beach.  Each of these trails is really well marked by a post which shows where you've come from, where you're going, and how far it is to each stop.  We walked through dense forests of palms, cane, ferns and banyan trees until we got to the steps down to Middle Beach.  

This beach was quite rocky, much smaller than Ned's Beach, and we clambered over the weathered, moss-covered rocks down to the southern end where there was another set of steps.  Did I mention before how happy I am that I brought my hiking stick?  Up we went, through another forest to Clear Place Point - a seat on a patch of grass overlooking the ocean. There are viewing seats and resting spots all over this island - thank goodness.  

We were doing well, so continued on to Transit Hill, a much longer walk through even more dense forest and farmland, and climbed up to the viewing platform which gave us wonderful 360 degree views of the island, including Mt Lydgbird and Mt Gower, two mountains which completely dominate the landscape.  It was pretty cool and quite breezy standing on this platform - we had intended to have lunch there, but quickly changed our mind.  Though, every time I think it's cold, I say to myself, "Well, I'm glad I'm not in Canberra at the moment, where it's been in the minuses!" So, on we went to Blinky Beach, found a seat and enjoyed our packed lunch while watching the waves crash onto the shore.


By this time we had arrived at the airstrip, which is currently being resealed.  The workers have been working day and night to get the building materials offloaded from the barge in the middle of the harbour (it's too big to get through the reef, so a smaller barge transits backwards and forwards with materials).   


We followed the road (yes, a real road) along Lagoon Beach spotted a couple of Sacred Kingfishers, and walked back into town.  We went past Wilson's Tours, and booked a trip to the northern end of the island to see the Providence Petrels later that afternoon. 


Then it was on to The Anchorage for a well-earned cup of coffee before climbing back up the hill to Lorhiti for a shower and rest.  We've had several coffees, a couple of lunches and one dinner at The Anthorage, and they've all been very good.

At 3.15 we were picked up for our tour.  We were taken by quite a character (can't remember his name), but he was very passionate about the petrels, and the island in general.  He told us lots of stories about people who had come to his island (damn bureaucrats) who knew more about the island than the people who had lived there for several generations - he was an avid conservationist and historian, and gave us his version of life on Lord Howe, rather than the one you might read about in books.  Very interesting.  Anyway, back to the petrels;  he drove us close to the base of Mt Lydgbird and while we were walking along the track we heard this strange squawking noise.  He was calling the birds down from the sky!  And they came -  they dropped down, swooped over us, called out to our guide, then flew back up.  A couple of them went into the underbrush where they nest, and he grabbed one, sat it on his arm so we could take photos.  

All up, we walked around 14km, again most of it vertical, so we're pretty pleased with ourselves.  It's been another interesting and tiring day.