It takes a month to settle in and get to know and remember this place and its rhythms. Visitors have been few. We had a gale for a few days, which slowed the pace of visitors arriving, while those already here stayed put. When the weather calmed, we received the next wave of visitors (one boat) as the sailors island hop their way back north to the mainland. We walk or run one of the seven primary trails on the island, which end at beaches, every day. Then we sit and watch the water. We don’t buy ANYTHING! So nice to be removed from consumerism. The fact that the internet is terrible, usually nonexistent, is mostly a blessing in disguise; unless you really want to get in touch with someone. In a real emergency, we have an EPIRB.

The Cape Barren geese run past our bedroom window in the middle of the night and make all sorts of noise. Tim has constructed a little barrier to keep them away from the water tank and it may have helped. There seems to be quite a rigid social order among them. I watched a family arrive at Garden Cove the other day and the parents weren’t satisfied until they had completely banished another pair from the beach. One day, a goose plopped itself in their water basin and sat there while what appeared to be her ladies in waiting, groomed her. She would get up periodically and shake out her feathers. I don’t even know if it was a female but I get to imagine. Each night, a brush tail possum saunters by our sunroom, where there is usually at least one skink sneaking about. We’ve seen a pod of dolphins in two of the coves repeatedly. Unfortunately, those little red jelly fish with long tentacles are back and Tim doesn’t like to swim with them.

Cooking and the garden continue to keep me busy. Mostly harvesting the garden, still with heaps of tomatoes, zucchinis and cucumbers. Green beans are finishing up. We still have several pumpkins, two patches of beets and carrots, arugula, lettuce and capsicum (peppers). I make yogurt, bread and ginger ale every few days. I am using the most primitive, backstrap loom to weave some beautiful bands, one of which is adorning my sun hat. Mostly I am enjoying this domestic bliss in an island paradise. Who wouldn’t?

Harry the huntsman spider is over MY side of the bed.

I’ve adopted a live and let live attitude this trip to Australia but they may not land on me! I’ll omit a close up view for the squeamish.

We’ve had a west wind, which blows away our internet reception for some reason. But the weather is fine today and we have a bit of trail work to do. Maybe I’ll have reception at 1000 ft elevation near the lighthouse.

This brown falcon lives and hunts around the compound. Now that I have spotted him, and he has spotted me, I see him all over the place. Sometimes swooping, other times just keeping an eye out. We are in the midst of a gale and here he is hanging on to the fence post. Same with me. Winds gusted to 50 knots, frequent squalls blew through, hail pummeled the roof, then the sun shone. Repeat. I checked the garden early and shored up some broccoli, and checked again after the hail. So far only some delicate lettuce, and perhaps the zucchini, suffered. Time will tell.

The radio said there were 3-4 meter seas in Bass Strait and here in Murray Pass, it looked like smoke on the water. Always nice to be secure in these conditions.

Tim has been more committed to swimming than I. He brought a sleeveless wetsuit which is good for the water temperature and the occasional small jelly fish. I mostly dip. I watched a pair of manta rays off the jetty the other day and if internet ever cooperates will post a video. On the day I took this picture of Garden Cove, I watched 3-4 dolphins swim close to shore. Another video, another day. It was lovely to watch and to have the time to just sit and watch until I and they tired of it or moved on.

Some of the seaweed is so pretty, they make a nice still life photo. We’re lucky to have so much beauty around us.

Except for this guy, which is abundant in the waters around Deal Island. It is a giant cuttlefish. We see the bones (?) all over the island. If you ever kept a caged bird, it is the white shell they liked to sharpen their beaks on. Any way I keep a sharp lookout. On the beaches, it looks like people lost the insoles to their sneakers but is only the remains of the cuttlefish.

Big wind brought a big cat. This power cat is nestled nicely for the moment. We haven’t met the residents but they took a walk to the lighthouse yesterday and tooled around in their dinghy. I always get to thinking that we are only visitors here. Deal Island will carry on with our without us. Only the geese, wallabies, penguins, birds, spiders and snakes (only little white lipped snakes) are permanent residents. We just try to make a small mark of keeping things working and tidy. In that vein, I shoveled a barrel of goose and possum poo.

Flame robins welcome visitors to the museum. They are fun to watch flitting around the bird bath.

These limpets aren’t too mobile. I spotted them at a low, low tide. They didn’t look like they are going anywhere.

I never tire of this view of the compound from Barn Hill. The cluster of buildings is the compound, which includes the Museum in the former superintendent’s house, the workshop/garage, fuel, generator and radio sheds and the garden. Our house is surrounded by the trees which serve as a much needed wind break. Weather has been mostly fine, although I don’t see that term used in the weather report lately. We had a good downpour two days ago.Yesterday misted on and off as the clouds drifted by but we both went swimming in Garden Cove, a beautiful cliff lined beach, after we finished some projects around the house. We had seen some red jelly fish last week but they seem to have drifted away. Boaters reported they only had a mild sting, and tasted pretty good cooked. No thank you to both.

The handy sewing machine in the house is is carrying its load. Yesterday I used silk thread I brought to weave, to sew a plastic window screen to place on the entrance door where visitors check out the maps and come to talk to us. Next I found some material to cover the arms of a recliner which has the foam popping out of it. Now I can get back to weaving.

The last of our recent crew of visitors left yesterday so we are on our own for the first time this trip. We love to talk to visitors but we also love to have the island to ourselves. I guess that’s why we enjoy care taking in remote settings. I had decent enough internet where I did some work work. So strange to renew a patient’s script from 16,000 km away!

Here’s a reverse of the first photo looking up towards Barn Hill. You can see part of the solar array that provides our power on the right. It encourages me to use all the electric appliances in the house. I have used the bread maker, rice cooker and slow cooker. Tim doesn’t follow me around turning lights off as much as he does at home. The garden is enclosed in green screen to block the wind and keep most of the animals out. It’s fully enclosed with chicken wire and netting. To the left is the workshop, which is organized quite well this year. We’ve spent plenty of time working on projects in there in bad weather. It sings in the wind. The Museum has a wonderful collection and is housed in the nicest building with the three chimneys. It is partially obscured by the paint and fuel sheds. In the foreground is an old pump house, tank site and very important plumbing fixture for our water supply.

And the lighthouse from afar. We couldn’t see it most of yesterday due to the fog. Tim heard a boat’s foghorn and I went out to look for the boat. He pointed out how silly an idea that was. I never saw it.

This rope has been here since at least 2011 and still does the trick. It helps you descend (and ascend) the final bit of the walk to Squally Cove. The devious among us like to pull it up before the last person grabs it. Girls just want to have fun.

This log is another improvement on the same trail: steps carved into a log on-site. I think this trail was quickly created when there was a shipwreck in the cove and access was needed.

This view from the lighthouse shows the rolling hills of Deal Island and in the foreground the remains of the upper compound where two to three families lived. The superintendent (boss) lived two miles away but had a good view of the lighthouse from his front step.

The lighthouse awaits some much needed repairs to seal cracks that allows water to seep in. In the meantime, it is still lovely. We take the two mile walk there every couple of days, We’ve had some boats visiting and most people take the walk. It gets steep, then steeper and then very steep. But well worth it.

My favorite walk is Barn Hill, just off the compound where we live. It has stunning cliffs, alligator and dragon rock formations and a beautiful view over Murray pass to the adjacent islands, Dover and Erith. The cliff edges give a thrill especially when the wind blows.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, skinks abound. I have seen their burrows in the back of the caretakers residence and find them all over the island.

We have had a few boats tucked into East Cove awaiting the next leg of their journey, We joined them for a barbecue on the jetty. The brush tail possums were very brash. One almost climbed into one of the guest’s lap and tried to rummage around in their food stores. I guess they enjoy the barbecues as much as everyone.