Low Island in Vansittart Bay provided a nice flat anchorage away from the NW afternoon sea breeze. The next morning was a glassy calm, and while the tide was out, we walked right around the island.
At low tide, this rock outcrop in the bay resembles a growling animal
We set off early, before the heat of the day that generates a breeze each afternoon. We estimated it to be almost 3 miles around the island. At times we were rock hopping, and at other times walking through soft deep sand.
The south west tip of the island is a collection of rocky coves and short beaches. We bothered a number of oystercatchers as we walked by, and found another osprey nest low on a rock.
Beyond the rocks on the end of the island, there were a number of longer beaches that are punctuated by small rocky outcrops. The dunes above these beaches were covered in turtle mounds, and the prints of new hatchlings could be seen emerging from the sand and disappearing into the high tide line. As we approached the eastern tip of the island, where there is a small and shallow gap across to the mainland near to the DC3 wreck, there was a line of mangroves separating the beach from the sea, and this gave way to rocky beaches again as we turned along the southern shore.
Leave a Reply