On Saturday 22 November 2014 four of us launched at Walkerville South (Sth Gippsland, Victoria) for a day paddle to Cape Liptrap and return. The forecast was good with light winds and a top of 31 C.

Walkerville South has some interesting history.  There are relics of the lime industry (early 1900’s) including ruins of kilns in the cliffs.

Not having paddled in this area I was to discover that there were lots of natural features along the coast including rock platforms, pinnacles, steep cliffs and sea caves. Much of it is protected in the Cape Liptrap Coastal Park.

Map showing our paddling route from Walkerville South to Cape Liptrap.  Total 26 klms return. Click to enlarge.

Me, Nathan, Ken and Steve.  Ready to go. Click to enlarge.

Steve paddling through a channel at high tide under Bird Rock -only a short distance from Walkerville South. Click to enlarge.

More cave like entrances further along the coast. Click to enlarge.

The water was clear at the Cape- a good opportunity to see whats below.  Ken watching Nathan as he checks out the under water scenery (through a pair of goggles).

Ken’s turn.

Time to come up for air. No seals yet but promising habitat.

Rocky outcrops off Cape Liptrap.  There must be seals around here somewhere? Click to enlarge.

Seals sighted ahead. Click to enlarge.

Views of the Cape and lighthouse.  The lighthouse was established at Cape Liptrap in 1913 to improve the safety of coastal shipping. The light is still in operation and has a range of 18 nautical miles (over 34 kilometres). Time to turn around for our paddle back. Click to enlarge.

On the way back we stopped for a cuppa at an old boat wreck. Click to enlarge.

Time for some fun.  Steve checking out a wave forming as the seafloor gets shallower by a rock shelf. Click to enlarge.

Nathan having  a ride. Click to enlarge.

Nathan feeling adventurous again. Click to enlarge.

An idyllic setting. Wilsons Promontory National Park across the Bay in the background. Click to enlarge.

After we had our play it was time to paddle back to the cars. Click to enlarge.

This is a very scenic piece of Victoria’s coastline.  A fantastic day had by all.

I have always had an interest in photographing Australia’s wild free roaming deer and have spent many hours stalking them with a camera.

What I like most about photographing deer in the wild is trying to outwit and outsmart these amazing animals with their acute sense of smell and hearing, and being part of the inspiring environment where they live.

Excellent photo’s can be produced by infra red or movement activated trail cameras set up on game trails or wallows but this is not the same as taking a photo of deer by stalking with a camera.

I have spent many hours quietly walking the bush or picking my way along steep rocky slopes with my tripod over the shoulder or carried beside me ready for placing on the ground should an animal show itself.  It only takes about five seconds to position the tripod, loosen the friction of the ball head, locate the animal in the viewfinder and lightly activate the remote shutter button for automatic focus, and if the deer is still there take a photo.  However five seconds can be a long time.  If the deer identifies you it will very likely run at first glance.  If it is unsure of what has caused the noise and movement it may remain while you are ever so slowly trying to go through the motions of preparing for a photo.

My camera with the telephoto lens mounted on a carbon fibre gitzo tripod roughly weighs approx.  6 Kg.     With the telescopic legs extended it is over two metres long.  This doesn’t make for easy walking in heavy scrub.  I try and avoid banging the carbon legs on branches.   I try and keep the tripod legs extended so when I spot a deer the camera is at head height or when stalking in the open or amongst low vegetation I shorten the legs to a couple of feet to comfortably look through the viewfinder in a kneeling position.   I have found that the correct height is very important after having to freeze in whatever position I may be in at the time the deer is looking my way and remaining in that position for however long it takes for the deer to look the other way and resume feeding or resting.    Sometimes the deer focuses on me when I’m not properly set up.  At moments like this it is difficult to decide whether to freeze and hope the animal will resume feeding or very slowly make adjustments to the tripod to get the right height or move the lens out of the way of an interfering branch and hope the deer is still there to get a picture.   Often I am in an awkward position and realize the risk of getting more comfortable would jeopardize my chances of further photo’s.

I have found that a tripod enables me to produce sharper images when using telephoto lenses particularly in sambar habitat where there is an often very low light beneath the canopy.   It also increases the time I can take pictures at both ends of the day.  I can successfully capture images at first light and towards sunset.  The natural landscape and vegetation may not be as saturated in colour at this time of day but is important to be in the field then with your camera then as this is the time of the day when the animals are moving and are most active.   Many of my pictures were taken at shutter speeds less that 1/20 second shutter speed.  Using a 300 mm lens there is no way I could effectively hand hold a camera, even with an image stabiliser lens, and get a sharp picture.  Without a tripod I would be limited to good light conditions with fast shutter speeds using low powered lens.   The image stabilizer technology offered by Nikon, Canon and other leading brands does reduce camera shake but does not fully replace a need for a tripod when photographing forest deer.   With slow shutter speeds I have to pass up moving deer .

I find this activity extremely challenging, satisfying and rewarding.

Here are a few of the images of the different species that I have taken over the years.

Sambar

Red Deer

Hog Deer

Rusa Deer

Chital

Fallow Deer

As soon as I get time I will post some blogs of my deer photography trips.

Playing in the waves at Norman Bay (Tidal River), Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, on a calm day in September 2014. Thanks Willem for loaning your Go Pro.

Snake Island is the largest of a number of barrier islands situated within the Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park, South Gippsland, Victoria.  It protects a large sea grass embayment from the pounding waves of Bass Strait.  To the west of Snake Island lies the rugged Wilsons Promontory National Park.

One of the main reasons I took up sea kayaking in early 2013 was to experience our amazing coast with minimal impact and in close contact with nature whilst adding a sense of adventure at the same time.  An opportunity came in April 2014 to do an overnight paddle to Snake Island with Steve who is also a keen kayaker.   I first met Steve the year before when camping at Tidal River and we have had many enjoyable paddles together since.

The forecast was for 15 knots of south westerly on our paddle out with improving conditions the following day.  The tide and wind were favourable so it looked good for circumnavigating the Island.   This would be my first overnight expedition. I could be generous with food and other items as my kayak held about three times more than I could carry when back packing.

Map showing Snake Island.  Note it’s proximity to Wilsons Promotory National Park.  We paddled in a clockwise direction. (click to enlarge).

DAY 1

After a comfortable 16 kilometre paddle from Port Welshpool we arrived at the far end of Snake Island near Port Albert entrance (opposite Clonmel Island). Steve above and me on the right.

Our campsite. Steve likes to travel in comfort -note the chair.

Looking out to the Bass Strait on our first evening.  We were hoping that the wind would drop so we could paddle out the entrance the next day.

DAY 2

Fortunately the wind dropped so we paddled out the entrance. Getting out between Snake Island and Clonmel Island was easy.  Getting across the numerous sand bars was more tricky. As we turned west it became a bit unnerving for me as there was the odd white crest from breaking waves directly in front of us and stretching a few kilometres out to sea.  We could have stayed in the channel until we got well clear of the sand bars at the entrance but this would have taken us further out to sea and added distance to our trip.  We thought it would be safe enough to weave in between the rough sections.  However the moving tide and currents were constantly changing the surface conditions making things a bit unpredictable.  We were on full alert for fast forming waves.   On one occasion a wave was nearing vertical as it approached me.  I had to take fast action.   I picked up my cadence and and managed to climb over its face just in time.  Steve was paddling 20 metres abreast in the way of the wave after it left me and I thought he would get hammered. I then heard it crash expecting Steve to be swallowed in its mass but a few moments later he shot out from the spume at its end with a big sigh of relief.  Fortunately the  wave was relatively short.

Past the tricky section. Steve in front making out way along the coast with the Prom in the background.

Time for a stop on the beach at Corner Inlet Entrance.

After a rest we were back in the water to resume our paddle to Port Welshpool arriving mid afternoon.  It wasn’t as difficult negotiating the Corner Inlet entrance.

Overall we paddled 46 kilometres (30 klm the second day).   It was a great experience which has given me an appetite for further trips along this beautiful coast of ours.  What better way to spend a couple of days?