MD suggested a drive - lovely idea... even if it's a miserable day, we're always up for a drive!
 |
| Passing the Bruthen Flats, the water is lapping very near the road |
 |
| Looking back over towards Bruthen, there's suddenly a lake |
 |
| Those are hay bales floating away... we felt so sorry for the farmers. |
We continued on to Metung which is another lovely village on our list of places we visit. It's tucked away in a peaceful corner of the Gippsland Lakes system. Through the main street and out on to Shaving Point.
The rain had eased so we got out to enjoy the calm stillness of this lovely little spot.
Some swans... ok, I'm a sucker for swan shots....
Hang on, go back to the swan photo and have a close look .... there's a long sort of ripple way over in the background....
An excited call from MD ..... "Look - over there"
DOLPHINS !!!!!
A pod of 30 to 40 dolphins were swimming and frolicking over a large area of the lake. We were beside ourselves - what a sight!
Their babies were sticking close to them.
It'd started raining quite heavily but we didn't care... we walked along the sand and were enthralled. Some purposely came in close.
I can't convey with my photos just how many there were. They all took turns at appearing and disappearing, flopping on their backs, showing off.
I'd point the camera every which way trying to anticipate where one would pop up next.
It was so exhilarating to have such beautiful creatures seemingly having fun with us.
.... lol, even the swans were included in the delightful playful dolphins' fun.
 |
| The village of Metung The arrow is where we saw the dolphins at Shaving Point |
We spoke to some locals and were told that this pod had been visiting regularly for quite a while.
The name 'Shaving Point' is because the land quickly shaves off into 30 metre deep water, which the dolphins like.
(I sort of envisioned it was where old sailors would go and sit, have a shave and swap yarns .... ha ha, a lot of free-range presumption goes on in 'Susan-land' sometimes ;-))
.................................................
It's now Saturday and the rain has eased over here in East Gippsland. The water is receding.
Sounds like your weather has been similar to ours (until recently) endless rain. We haven't had dolphins in London though! :)
ReplyDeleteThis was an incredibly exciting and unexpected sighting/surprise, Susan! How wonderful! My hubby & I would have been just as excited and oblivious to the rain. How rare is that to have had swans and dolphins swimming on the same piece of water. I'd never have thought this possible without your excellent photographs!
ReplyDeleteI loved accompanying you on your drive, but the best part of it all was this once in a lifetime highlight!
how special to see the dolphins. How long do they stay. we might have to drive over and see them too. The rain had stopped today here, but forcast is more rain tomorrow. stay dry and warm
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful sight Susan! Dolphins are so friendly to humans and I've never had the chance (yet) of seeing "wild" ones. Yours came so close to the shore...I can imagine how happy you were when they turned up!
ReplyDeleteOh Susan! You have way MORE rain that we have had here in Tassy. Gorgeous sunny day here for working out in the garden at the shack. Now no matter how hard I try to photgraph the dolphins that come by here, I have never got such great shots like you have achieved. fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteFabulous! There is something so very inspiriting about sea creatures, especially when they seem unafraid.
ReplyDeleteI am opposed to zoos in general, but I did go to Sea World. The dolphins and whales (Shamu) were incredible.
Lucky you!!
Oh Susan I am so excited just seeing the photos I can only imagine how excited you were. I would not care if it was raining it is a photographers dream. I love Dolphins.
ReplyDeleteIt is so funny how the world works people in the middle of the USA are dying for water and over there you are floating. The people in Somalia have not had rain for two years I can't even imagine this. Mother Nature sure should spread it around more.
Great shots Susan I am still excited. B
There sure is a lot of water down that way and cold too I expect. What a thrill to see the dolphins frolicking. Great captures not easy to know where they are coming up.
ReplyDeletethe rain sounds heavenly to me, but too much is not good. i do feel sorry for those farmers and cattle!
ReplyDeletewhat an amazing sight to see all those dolphins! wow! i bet they were having fun showing off for you and very curious about the swans too! love it!
Hi Jenny, yes, here in East Gippsland we've vastly increased our rainfall figures from this time last year. Today was a lovely sunny day and the instant lakes are all receding.
ReplyDeleteAw thank you Desiree, we are still on a high actually - it's lovely to share this experience too.
We were absolutely drenched - but, of course, it was of no concern... the camera got wet too. On the way home I had its zoom fully open and was drying it by the warm air vent from the car. All seems in working order!
Angela, so right ... very special! Don't know how long they stay. Last year (at the beginning of July) we were on the Metung Wharf and two suddenly appeared and swam under the walkway we were standing on. We were totally startled - no camera and too surprised to even reach for the mobile phone camera. They swam off fairly quickly and joined others a long way off. That's all we saw of them (we hung around for quite a while!). Apparently it's not uncommon to see them, but, naturally, completely open to chance.
Thanks DeeBee, they are so friendly aren't they.
I'd love to tell you of another experience we had.
Back when we were doing our Grey Nomads travelling in our bus, we'd been staying at Wonga Beach (in Far North Qld). It was nighttime, the full moon was up and shining it's stairway down to the water. Warm, balmy and blissful. We were fishing (in a deep channel) sitting on our chairs right down at the shoreline. We heard squeaking sounds and there, in the shadows, were two dolphin fins. They were playing trying to get our bait (some fishermen told us the next day). They hung around only momentarily, but long enough for us to be totally enchanted with that night. We consider ourselves doubly fortunate to have also had this recent encounter as well :D)
Bluezbandit Deb, ha ha, it's usually the other way round isn't it! We were fortunate in that we had a nice sunny day today.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comments about the shots :D)
Mary, thank you very much - yes, we were lucky... very lucky indeed!
Thanks Buttons, I totally agree, dolphins are captivating aren't they.
We were watching a programme on Somalia too and I was thinking the same as you. It's perverse how things like that work. Same with the food situation - we have so much, and so much is wasted, whereas.... it's just sad.
Hi Diane, yes it has been cold - very frosty tonight and chilly.
Thanks re the shots... oh yes, I was in a whirl photographing - the light was so bad and the rain was in my eyes ... ha ha, guess I'm sounding sooky when I say that, but it was darn good practice. Thank goodness for the 'multiple shots' option - sometimes I just anticipated where the next one might surface, pointed and held my finger down! I kept it in 'sports' mode for the movement too, and I think that made a good difference.
Hi texwisgirl, it must - with all your heat and dryness! Would send some over if I could, believe me :D)
Glad you enjoyed the photos - we enjoyed showing them off!!
Hi Susan, my grandson and I looked earlier this morning. He really enjoyed the dolphins and swans. These are one of a kind photos for sure. It would be exciting to tramp through haze, mist and overall bogginess to get these shots, and well worth the trip. Love the photos and your story!
ReplyDeleteWOW! WOW! I would have had to stay and photograph the dolphins also. What an amazing treat!
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
ooooohhhhh how exciting, i would have wet my pants, seriously!! you must go back and check on them!!
ReplyDeleteone of the best days of my life was my swim with a dolphin, they are a beautiful creature!!
Hi Susan, that's great how your grandson enjoyed the photos. Our children and grandchildren were the first ones I sent the photos through to. Got such a thrill out of it all.
ReplyDeleteTerry and Linda, thank you very much - it was :D)
Debbie, ha ha... I love your reaction. Yes, I was thinking we must go back real soon.
I loved reading about your encounter with them - perhaps I should've just thrown all caution to the wind and jumped in the water.... WOW, there's a thought :O
wow! what a wonderful & unexpected sight!! dolphins!! in one of your pictures...they sure look VERY close to shore...
ReplyDeletethe floating bales of hay...poor cows (and farmers of course)...the 'moo-moos' have to swim to get their dinner??!!
ooh, I LOVE visiting Susan-land...never know what I might find here!!
ReplyDeleteHi Laura, yes, we sort of held our breaths... just to see how close they'd come. The way the locals were out viewing, it seemed they didn't always come in quite that close. So it was a very lucky moment for us indeed :D)
ReplyDeleteLOL Dmarie!! Ha ha, sometimes even I never know that ;-)
Wow, wow and WOW!
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible privilege to see the dolphins and calves up close like that. Lucky you. I am soooooooo jealous. :o)
Thanks Vicki, oh it really was... that's exactly how we felt!
ReplyDeleteWhat a thrill! If I had been on the beach and they had come up that close, there is no way I would have been able to stay out of the water. I would have had to try going in!
ReplyDeleteCalling Ravens, yes, I reckon you would've too - and I would be there egging you on!!
ReplyDeleteWow, Susan....what fun seeing them so close like that! they are so neat....
ReplyDeleteBumbleVee, it was so cool - felt unreal at first!!!
ReplyDelete