J's Camping Trip

J spent last weekend camping in Glendhu Station with a guy from work and some of his friends. 

You see that little, tiny box near the ocean? That's where they stayed. Roughing it is just fine, but they were banking on hot water and electricity, both of which were not, in fact, present. So that was a disappointment, but they made do. And you just can't beat the location! How beautiful!

The sleeping arrangements were cramped, but again, you make do.

One of the big attractions of this location and of the entire trip was that they were going to be able to dive for paua. I think I've talked about it before, but just as a reminder, paua are large sea snails, called abalone in the States, and ormer shells in the UK. They're brown and crusty on the outside, but you can polish that away and reveal beautiful, swirling purples, blues, and greens. These colours are also on the inside, although lighter.

J and the guys got all suited up in wetsuits to go and collect paua, which they were told were always prolific in this area. However, after multiple failed attempts to find even one that was big enough to be legally harvested, they had to give up. They found out later that a fishing boat had come in and illegally harvested not only all of the full-grown paua, but a large percentage of the smaller ones. This breaks multiple laws, and for good reason. The paua population is carefully regulated and maintained, as they are not a species that easily "bounces back." J said that it would take at least 5 years for this particular area to repopulate, and 10 to thrive. All because a fishing company didn't care. It's so disheartening!

Really, I look at all this natural beauty, and I don't understand how people don't want to take care of the ecosystems and wildlife here. (Although I do have to remind myself that many people do, and many people put lots of effort into conservation, so I shouldn't forget about them).

J and the guys took walks around the stunning landscape. I love the exposed rocks. I need to go out there sometime myself!

If for nothing else, I must go and see this amazing rock formation! It is a natural, charmingly fragmented white stone bridge, and I love it! Even J was impressed, and he is not a landscape kind of person.

The water runs under said bridge into this pool. It is so cool!

They also got to feed lambs, the lucky guys! It is spring here, and the countryside is full of beautiful, fluffy babies, a fact which kept me entertained during the entire drive up and down the mountains the weekend before. But lucky J got to actually spent time with them!

He and this lovely baby made friends. Animals always adore J, of course, and he is rather fond of them as well.

So, even though the weekend had its downsides, it is always good to spend time somewhere beautiful. Maybe this summer we can go out there together and he can show me around.