Search for the Shy Albatross Day 7 : 23-08-2015

Crossing from Walker Island to Three Hummock Island today I waited until mid morning so the tidal flow would be low and slow. As Bass Strait fills up the tide rises and as it empties out the tide falls. This happens roughly twice a day and creates a tidal flow which can be very strong. At the turn of tides the flow slows down before reversing and this is a good time to paddle if you're going around headlands, through channels or crossing between islands (if they're not too far apart). 

With a good southerly behind me and the sail up the crossing only took a few hours. Landing below South Hummock I was gobsmacked by how striking the coastline is with big granite boulders and golden sandy beaches. None of the other islands are made from granite, which is a type of rock, and it makes spectacular viewing from the seat of a kayak. I spent the afternoon writing a weekly blog for the Mercury newspaper and setting up the solar panel and battery to recharge. There's a new bird over here too... the Cape Barren Goose. I'll try and get a photo tomorrow but see if you can find out about them in the  meantime.