This morning was mild and sunny: such a relief after the past few days of gale-force winds ripping branches from the trees and lashing the coast with white-capped waves.
I drove to Red Rock, a picturesque hamlet not far from home, intending to walk by the estuary and capture a few good, scenic shots.
I stopped at a lookout, where a rustic wooden seat offered a place to rest and enjoy the view. The sun sprites twinkled on the water, and sent the rainbows dancing on my lens. In the distance, a sandbar led the eye to the silhouetted hills.
I turned towards the ocean where the breakers met the calm waters of the estuary. The ebb tide had revealed vast stretches of sand, textured by the receding waters.. I love liminal spaces, so I resolved to walk around to the mouth of the estuary.
The waves pounded the sandbar, but metres away in a tiny cove, the water was limpid and calm.
Several miles from shore, The North Rock Wildlife Sanctuary broke the surface of the ocean, while behind it on the horizon lay North Solitary Island , home to a lighthouse which guides shipping along this stretch of the Pacific.
Meanwhile, the waters of the river mouth moved restlessly, as the tide began to turn.
Turning back to the path, I found the eponymous red rocks – 300 million year old jasper, a form of red quartz,
… and then, further around the point, a vestige of the original cliff face.
The Red Rock landscape is varied and beautiful. I plan to make many visits to this gem located so close to home: to wander the beach, and learn the many moods of this hidden corner of coastal New South Wales.
