Going Down South - Day 7

The start of our cruise along the Clyde

With the threat of a day of rain tomorrow, we were compensated with cool but sunny weather today and made the most of it by attending to both practical and tourist matters. By the time we left camp for the day, the washing was on the line and the walls erected around the kitchen section of the tent in preparation for tomorrow's rain.

Our major activity for the day was a delightful cruise along the Clyde River. Staring at Innes Boatshed in the heart of Batemans Bay, the cruise took us first towards the heads of the Clyde and then upstream. To pass under the bridge which carries the Princes Highway and spans the Clyde, the Bridge Master had to raise the centre section. We've seen this done several times from the perspective of a car passenger but never from down on the water. We were provided with lunch - fish & chips & salad - and the ferry also had a bar operating. In fact, our ferry was a copy of the boat operated by Clarence River Ferries on which we enjoyed the Jazz Cruise back in July.

The conditions turned a bit windy at times but the untouched bush of the Clyde River NP rolled past until we reached Nelligen. There, just before the bridge on the Batemans Bay side was Sunlit Waters, the major destination for our honeymoon back in the mid summer of 1979. It looks much the same, save for a new residence built above the property. We could make out the pool and sauna and approximate our suite. We ran through the page book of memories which included me watching cricket (Mike Brearley's flogging of Graham Yallop's team) much to Sue's bewilderment; me being spiked in the foot by a puffer fish and thinking I was dying; Sue's white rabbit with red eyes that she wanted to release; backflips in the swimming pool and the day trips we made during our two weeks here.

We had a half hour stop at Nelligen which is more than you need to see the village but the ice cream was good.

The trip back was spent in idle relaxation, with the odd word here and there, not really needed in the comfort and company of two such well travelled friends.

After the cruise we drove out to Birdland - another part of the honeymoon legend. It was the place where a duck followed Sue from the entrance and all around until we left and also the place where a calf lifted Sue shirt and licked her back whilst she was taking a photograph of the duck! It was too late in the afternoon for us to see all of the complex so we decided not to enter.

Shopping, home to remove the washing, chores ... weather forecast looks foul for tomorrow.