Tuesday 7/03/2023 Tidal River – Norman Beach
Wilsons Promontory National Park, VICTORIA
GunaiKurnai and Boonwurrung Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
Faced with a miserable, wet, windy day we caught up with chores and reading until the late afternoon when conditions improved enough to tempt us outside. This was a very short walk from the campground along Tidal River, onto and along Norman Beach and back to camp via the Oberon Track.
Saturday 25/02/2023 Cunninghame Arm Footbridge – Entrance Walk – Birds Lookout – Lakes Entrance Lookout – Flagstaff Lookout – Boardwalk Track – Flagstaff Jetty
Lake Tyers Coast Reserve, Lakes Entrance, VICTORIA
Gunaikurnai Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
After successfully completing our first The Entrance parkrun we returned to our campervan for breakfast. Shortly thereafter we were walking off again towards the esplanade crossing the Cunninghame Arm Footbridge. The Entrance walk commences just over the bridge next to the Lakes Entrance surf club.
Monday 27/02/2023 Sale Game Reserve
Sale, VICTORIA
Brayakooloong Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
This is just a short detour off the main road and well worth a visit. The lagoon and drier marshy areas, together with surrounding trees have created a bird paradise with lots of food and shelter. During our short visit, we got to observe a lot of birds enjoying the offerings of the area.
Tuesday 28/02/2023 Emu Bight – Lake Victoria Track – Trouser Point – Lake Killarney – Sperm Whale Head – Balfour’s Swamp – Point Wilson – Murphy Hill – Tree Fern Track – Murphys Swamp Track
The Lakes National Park, VICTORIA
Gunaikurnai Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
We arrived at Emu Point Campground late yesterday only to have it all to ourselves. After dark, we ventured out to meet the nightlife with headlamps, close to camp I managed to sight four possums in trees and another much smaller creature I couldn’t catch a good enough view of to identify. It was on a branch in a tree and I had the impression it was mouse-like in size.
Friday 10/03/2023 Darby Beach Carpark – Tongue Point Track – Fairy Cove – Lookout Rocks – Tongue Point
Wilsons Promontory National Park, VICTORIA
GunaiKurnai and Boonwurrung Country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
We departed Darby Beach Carpark at 9:40am, appreciative of it being heavily overcast but for the first time in many days not windy or raining. We had been to Darby Beach on the Wednesday but the weather to too unpleasant for us to be tempted to start out.
The Tongue Point Track gradually climbs from the carpark to provide a good view of the meanders of “Darby” Creek to the east as it passes through thick heath. After climbing about 90m you pass through a saddle to catch your first glimpse of Tongue Point, immediately you realise this is going to be a very scenic walk.
Sunday 16/10/2022 Sloth’s Territory
La Fortuna, Alajuela Province
COSTA RICA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart
This is a privately owned and run sloth sanctuary. It consists of a relatively narrow corridor of remnant rainforest through which a population of sloths can be found. We were very fortunate to have Reuben as our guide today.
Thursday 27/10/2022 Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park – Tortuguero Village
Tortuguero National Park
Limón Province, COSTA RICA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart
Following on from our guided night walk, canal canoeing and day walk over the previous 36 hours, today we opted to venture out on our own. Already fully aware that previously our guides had been the first to locate and identify 90% of our sightings we were hoping our observational skills may have improved a touch.
Wednesday 26/10/2022 Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero National Park
Limón Province, COSTA RICA
Participants: Adrian (Guide), Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart
For our afternoon we had booked a two-hour guided walk in Tortuguero National Park with our guide, Adrian. We got underway at 2:00pm after Adrian managed to gain us free park entry after Sue had had numerous failed attempts at making and paying for our reservations on the National Parks website, the only method provided for doing so. It turned out their system was down.
Wednesday 26/10/2022 Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village – Rio Tortuguero – Canales del Tortuguero Rogelio Pardo Jochs
Tortuguero National Park
Limón Province, COSTA RICA
Participants: Adrian (Guide) Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart
Late yesterday we had been greeted by our English-speaking guide Adrian as we arrived at the carpark at La Pavona. This is the “ferry” terminal for transporting people, goods and everything else to Tortuguero 19km, 90 minute trip to the east on the Caribbean coast along Rio Suerte from La Pavona. There are dozens of these long, shallow draft, fibreglass craft constantly ferrying people back and forth along the narrow, shallow tidal canals. Masterful boatmen navigate these canals negotiating a multitude of sharp turns, shallows, concealed boulders and submerged fallen trees multiple times each day with barely the slightest of scrapes across the shallow bottom at low tide.
Tuesday 25/10/2022 Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village
Tortuguero National Park
Limón Province, COSTA RICA
Participants: Bernardo (Guide), Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart, two others.
Seven of us left Hotel El Icaco in Tortuguero at 6:20pm, walking out through the northern end of town and along the beachside trail on a warm, dark, moonless night. In several places, we headed off onto small barely existent sidetracks. Tonight our two-hour wildlife tour was led by Bernardo, a local professional guide.
Thursday 21/10/2022 – 24/10/2022 Hacienda La Pacifica
Liberia Guanacaste
Guanacaste Province, COSTA RICA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart
Hacienda La Pacifica was our base in the area for our four-night stay and the site of our daughter, Beth’s Costa Rican wedding to Pablo on Saturday.
Wednesday 23/10/2022 Station El Pilon – Rio Celeste – Sendero Misterios del Tenorio – Poza Catarata – La Laguna Azul – Los Teñideros – Catarata Río Celeste
Tenorio Volcano National Park
Guatuso, Alajuela Province
COSTA RICA
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart
Our afternoon hike required a drive of around an hour from Hacienda La Pacifica (Canas) to get us to Tenorio Volcano National Park. After paying our entry fees of US$13 we headed off through the forest on a paved track. We were advised that the last attraction was closed as the bridge was washed out.