Cape Paterson - skirting Wilson’s Promontory

 

Travelling a few hours west from Port Albert to Cape Paterson, we saw glimpses of coastline that looked fantastic.  Given we are getting closer to Melbourne, we had a sense that there are lots of Melbournians escaping the city to coastal retreats, so we headed further west with the idea we would unhook the van and back track in the car over the next few days.

As luck would have it, on arrival at the chosen park, they had just received a cancellation which gave us a spot for a few nights.   The caravan park is relatively small but well presented and maintained.  We are surrounded by little pop tops and tents - people used to getting away from things.  The situation of the park is outstanding.  It sits atop a cliff - there are vans backed up to the edge that would have a 200 degree view of ocean (I’m not sure about the wind though.).    

Cape Paterson sits on the northern side of Bass Strait.  The water is a deep green/blue.  The weather is cool currently, I wonder what it would be like in the height of summer.  It feels exposed and raw - life needs to be strong and resilient to survive.  

The small town of 700 odd is a mix of older holiday cottages - obvious retirees and then there are the newly built houses - huge, double story in beach fronting streets, they dwarf the older cottages in not just height but scale.  

After set up and supply stocking I walked the beach - I think they are called surf beach and safety beach.  Beautiful rough sea scenery against rocks, large sweeping sand and magnificent cliff faces with extraordinary plants growing and swaying in the wind. 

Pink and Red seaweed smattered the beach - the pink in all shades from a deep cerise to a bright hot pink, while the red was from deep to a bright orange - I’ve never seen it before.  It was not just one or two, but little bright colourful blobs every few metres along the water edge.