| |
| |
|
Outdoors Information |
|
|
|
Penguin Parade
Phillip Island is a small island and nature reserve off the coast of South Australia, about 140 km from Melbourne. On the island you can see koalas, kangaroos and the main to attraction, the Penguin Parade on Summerland Beach. Every day at sunset, the Little Penguins (also known as Fairy Penguins) because of their diminitive size, return to the beach. As my husband is a penguin fanatic, it was one of the places on our list to visit during our trip to Australia. There is a visitor centre at the top of the beach with details of all the world's penguins, there is a gift shop too and rangers who can answer questions about everything you wanted to know about penguins and more. As dusk was approaching, we made our way down to the beach, as did everyone else. On the beach was a stone grandstand, rather cold on the behind, so bring a coat or blanket to sit on. Some people had even brought along a picnic, a family day out. As it got darker, people became more subuded and talked less, keeping an eye out on the beach to see the arrival of that first penguin. Suddenly there was movement at the edge of the surf and all heads turned as one. There, standing by the edge of the water was the smallest penguin we had ever seen. He looked left, then right, as if he was contemplating crossing a busy road and then he ran quickly across to the sand dunes and the penguin burrows. He must have been the scout, because after him, there came groups of penguins, some consisted of two or three penguins, some had about ten or fifteen, but they all made that same mad dash across the sand into the burrows, as if they couldn't get there fast enough. The crowd of penguin watchers was quiet, except for the occasional, "ooh" and "ahhs" from adults as well as children. The groups started to dwindle and finally no more penguins emerged from the sea. We sat on the grandstand for a while, not talking, just feeling awed at what we'd just seen. Neither of has had ever seen penguins in the wild before, only in zoos and it was an amazing feeling. You could see the penguins here every evening and morning, but they weren't in cages or in small pools, the sea was their playground and it is a sight we would definitely recommend to anyone. There were two floodlights by the grandstand, which didn't seem to bother the penguins, but you weren't allowed to take flash photographs as it scared them. Of course, there were some people who didn't listen to the ranger and they were told off and escorted off the beach, so do listen to what they say. After the penguins had gone to their burrows, you could walk along boardwalks and see them there. They make a lot of noise for all the size of them! It wasn't available while we were there, but now there is the option to have breakfast at sunrise, just before the penguins make their way back to the sea. That's got to be worth a look. So if you are venturing down under, make a small detour to Phillip Island and Summerland Beach. You won't regret it. About The Author Annette Gisby is the author of the novels, Silent Screams and Drowning Rapunzel and the short story collection, Shadows of the Rose. She loves travelling and seeing new places, despite getting travel sick! For more information on Annette and her books, please visit her website http://www.annettegisby.n3.net Article copyright 2004, Annette Gisby.
MORE RESOURCES:
Outdoors - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Different Styles of Tents Available The dictionary defines a tent as 'a portable shelter usually of canvas or other cloth stretched over poles or supports and fastened to the ground with pegs and ropes'. That definition covers a wide variety of structures in many sizes, shapes and styles. Kenya Safari Top Five National Parks The Kenya safari circuit is one of the best in Africa containing national parks and game reserves that consistently provide great wildlife sightings and experiences coupled with high quality accommodation.But within the country itself there are certain areas that are better than others to safari in. Ireland Golf Vacations - Top Tips To Help You Plan an Ireland Golf Vacation Live your golfing dreams on an Ireland golf vacation.The K Club, Ballybunion, Lahinch, Doonbeg, Druids Glen? the names of the courses may not trip off the tongue quite as easily as those of their Scottish cousins but the quality is just as high. About Table Mountain Cape Town - Well Known in South Africa and Around the World Table Mountain sheltered the original Cape explorers in the 16th century, the first European settlers and the many following generations of slaves, immigrants and Capetonians who helped to build and develop our special city.Your first impression of Table Mountain from the city bowl and beyond from Blouberg beach, is almost misleading. What Do Cowboys-n-Campfires Have in Common? I bet you're wondering where the heck this articles going. After all what could cowboys-n-campfires have in common? Well lots actually!Cowboys are full of wonderful tales from their travels and their work. The Cast of Culture in South Africa Drive along one of South Africa's scenic strips and you will notice a landscape composed of a backdrop of wide open spaces, blue mountains and blood-red sunsets. These scenes abound, but given the nature of the culture in South Africa, your attention could swiftly switch to a small boy gallantly escorting herds of cattle, end to end, over a rainbow-like walkway crossing one of the largest and busiest highways in South Africa. Inflatable Pontoon Boats Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and in fact designed several models. The one that has been produced the most is a three-tube model of unparalleled maneuverability and load bearing capacity. Adventure Travel on Horseback When you think of "adventure travel," what crosses your mind? Hiking? White water rafting? Scuba diving? Something as sedentary as a cruise ship or land rover safari? Those ideas lose their "adventure" status when you compare them to galloping on a horse in Africa with a zebra and wildebeest racing along side you, or quietly observing the elephant and giraffe.How can a traveler visit the remote parts of the world's most beautiful and interesting places while. Hard Labor Creek State Park Earned Its Name One afternoon during a trip across the country in our fifth wheel, we were racing the sun to an RV park before sunset. We were driving through Georgia and convenient RV parks near the highway were sparse. Unforgettable Cape Cod Vacations: The National Seashore Gift Take a captivating trip through the Cape Cod National Seashore with miles of white sandy beaches, trails and hikes to take your breath away, and majestic dunes. Just keep reading and you can visit all those places right now. Hiking from Your Own Home Picture this. You are stuck at home knee deep in household chores. Tips for Mountain Bikers in Spain As any keen mountain biker will know, there are some important rules to follow and bike handling skills to master before subjecting yourself and your bike to the thrills and spills of off-road riding. Although most of us ride within our capabilities most of the time, riding on different trails in hot weather conditions can present a new set of challenges requiring some new biking skills and knowledge. Kayak Travel and Trips If you love the thrill and adventure of kayak travel, the waters and lakes are yours to explore! Mankind has always been drawn to the sea and a kayak trip is truly one of the ultimate highs as far as kayak travel is concerned. Human beings have always invented useful devices that enhance our lifestyles and kayak travel is a great and marvelous feat, which blends excitement, fun and freedom of movement in one great adventure. Bunbury Western Australia The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay and the eventual City of Bunbury, was in 1803 by the French explorers Nicolas Baudin and Louis de Freycinet, from their ships the Geographe and Casuarina. In 1831 there was a temporary English military settlement with the first settlers moving to the area named after Lieutenant Henry William St Pierre Bunbury in 1838. GOA - A Carnival of Beaches The state of Goa on the West coast of India, is located in the coastal belt known as Konkan. While this tourist magnet has much to offer: old churches, carnival atmosphere, Portuguese flavour, wildlife, nature and tantalizing cuisine, yet, mention Goa and the first, often only, image that flashes in one's mind is of the BEACHES. Mystic Seaport Captured - Links to Our Past Guide, Part 3 Mystic Seaport celebrates the seafaring past of New England. Known as The Museum of America and the Sea, the seaport is an entertaining journey through 19th century nautical life. Cheap Safari in Africa For $70 a Day - Heres How To Do It You would think that a cheap safari in Africa for $70 a day would have to take place in some shady game reserve in Timbuktu that nobody visits. But not in this case. Wal-Mart Camping And Other Free Places "Do you know about Wal-Mart camping?" We didn't know, but the old man at the campground in Florida insisted WalMart not only allowed RVs and vans to park overnight, but encouraged it. "Free camping," he told us, and we didn't wait long to take advantage of this new knowledge. Bird Watching Journals - Preserve Your Bird Watching Experiences Bird Watching is a great way to escape the rat race and be one with nature. Alas, your bird watching experiences can fade with time. Camping Stove Performance: Ease of Use & What to Avoid Important information about camping stoves..
|
| home | site map | Ocean Photography |
| © 2006 |
