A walk to Oyster Lagoon

Sat Feb 13

02 13_Wedgetail Eagle_Jagun — At best guess this Wedgetail Eagle is about 4 or 5 years old, almost adult with another 15 years to look forward to, with luck. A kookaburra bombs it and it leaps away.

Just metres inside the forest, a female Satin Bowerbird’s persistent alarm call alerts us, and there he was, a magnificent Wedgetail Eagle, first one seen in Jagun. It’s one of the largest eagles in the world.

How it manoeuvred its six foot wingspan through the trees I have no idea.

jagun track There’s so much to see, from the forest floor to the canopy.

Grey Gum bark Leaflight, Jagun

Half way to the end we hear a Satin Bowerbird running through his repertoire, more machine than bird, for five minutes we wait trying see it in the thick scrub, other birds are joining in liberating music. Strange how parts of the forest are planting silence and others springing up with song.

Jagun

The walk enters sandier country where banksias proliferate.

The lagoon is thin-waisted, those heavy rains may have breached the sand bar.
Oyster Creek with floating light Oyster Creek, rail bridge

An Azure Kingfisher lands on a dead Banksia tumbled off the bank in front of me, flies away before I can fiddle my camera on.

Jagun end of the track — Jagun, end of the track

Oyster Lagoon Oyster Lagoon1

Camera off for our skinny dip, the sea warm (25.4, air temp 27 – perfect), the breakers bracing, yanking us around like kids.

Boatshed Beach, Numbucca in view

A perfect day without the zoo or movies. These hours are not found on a mobile’s calendar stringing existence together.

I photograph simple patterns the sea has inscribed on the beach, nomadic sandlines and runnels, pecks and furrows, simple delight.
Sand patterns Sand patterns1

Kelp sculpture The world feels inclusive when one gives it just attention. I ask myself, why am I taking photographs and come up with an answer – to share. Art is not just about ‘making special’, but wanting to share one’s perception/vision/techne. It is performative, constructive/ deconstructive, but also communicative (even if you are the only audience).
Only cloud hugging Nuungu Mirral

A solitary cloud hugs sacred Nunguu Mirral tight. The Gumbaynggirr Male initiation site holds the surrounding landscape in its thrall, seeming distant despite the name Jagun. The sky is only limited by the luxury of blue.
Offerings to our aesthetic sensibility

The altar to aesthetics changes all the time, though I have only ever once witnessed an offering made by small child in her mother’s arms. This provides evidence for my argument natural-aesthetic-natural.