Memories of Maria

Hi, Fiona made a short video/slideshow of the trip for you to enjoy...

click here to view in youtube: Maria Island Memories

The trip (w food)

And we're off....

 Ready....?

OMG! Where are we going...... 

....Thank goodness!

                   

Better and better....

Eeny, meeny, miney, moe....













Way cool!

....This would be where I would insert shots of the washroom and toilet facilities.....so if you could kindly provide the necessary photos...it would make for a nice set.... (Mr Nate Graham and Ms Sarah Tinkerbell)

Yes! I was getting hungry...

Local apple and date cake

To Haunted Bay

Test run for our legs

From Casuarina Beach Camp to Haunted Bay (8 km return)

 




Steep trek down to clear views...

Dinner... 

nb: was too hungry to remember to take a photo of lunch... which was a Turkish Pide Bread filled with Prosciutto sun-dried tomato pesto, Boccocini, Cucumber, Red capsicum and Mescalin Lettuce

The concentration that went into preparing dinner!

Bruschetta (Ital. Ciabatta Bread, pan-fried with garlic and Olive Oil), topped with Vine Ripened Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs, Rocket, Goats Cheese and Olive Tapenade

Pan Fried Spring Bay Scallops served on a bed of risotto with zucchini, fresh asparagus, chives and saffron

Summer Pudding with fresh berries and King Island Cream

 Breakfast (most important meal of the day)...

...and one that I was too hungry to remember taking a shot of esp after watching our lunch being created...

Nicoise Salad: Pinkeye Potato, Eggs, Fresh Green Beans, Tomato, Tuna, Olives, Capers and optional Anchovies

Markers used to get back to camp after morning walk...

The birds however didn't co-operate as they promptly left.

Made me think that perhaps I'd eaten too much such that Sarah and Nathan had to request back-up

The crossing of McRaes Isthmus from Riedle Bay Beach to Shoal Bay Beach

To our morning tea locale...

Onward to the local prison

        Remains of the Convict Barracks, Point Lesueur

Where we promptly and without question (well some of us) did a group photo line up...

...and the MIA inmate

nb: I seem to be too hungry at lunch times to remember to take photos of lunch prior to inhaling it (tomatoes and all).

Shots taken after our release from the Island Prison

Seagulls were most obliging

Part of Booming Bay

Steady climb up....

















                              and up.....

to a resplendent view...

a cheerful and determined hiker...looking forwards to the end of a 13km hike...

Ratatouille on the stove

                                                                 Woohoo, Dinner!

Meat on the BBQ (chef who was given a
stern warning to check the gas)

Steaming Japanese Shitake Mushroom soup, made with Fresh Tasmanian Shitake Mushrooms

Mine!

Gourmet Mixed Grill of Marinated Quail, Duck & Roo Sausages and Lamb Cutlets; served with spiced Couscous and fresh Ratatouille

Chocolate Mud Cake served with Island Berry Coulis and Cream

What I wouldn't do for a wide angle lens!

Dinner - take1

Dinner - take 2

                           
                     



  Dinner - take 3

Dinner - take 4

                               

Bed Tea

My friends are known to do some pretty luxurious things all around the world in five star trips etc but even they had to say that in all their travels, they have not been served tea in bed and esp did not expect to see this on a hiking trip.

Congratulations Nathan and Sarah, you sure know how to meet and surpass the expectations of your guests...!

A quick first aid fix to ensure a enjoyable hike

fresh Pancakes served with various spreads and jams

On our way to Bernacchi House

Favourite shot... perfect balance of earth, water and air...leaving only a footprint.

Onwards to Bernacchi House

 Getting close

We're here 

To Bishop and Clerk

This was so not in the narrative description of the hike to Bishop and Clerk....Tree Hugging?!

Happy Hikers

A true expedition...

An expedition that went through this...though it was far from done at this point

Almost there...

There... 

On our way down...a lot easier...

No, Terry didn't leave us behind for dead...

Done.

For posterity

On our way back

Need I say more?

Roasted pumpkin and pine nut salad with Grana Pandano (parmesan), avocado, rocket, asparagus and a white wine vinegar and hazelnut oil dressing

Crispy skin Huon Valley Salmon with a caper and soft herb mash, baby spinach and roasted garlic aioli

Refreshing Lemon tart served with cream

Expectation met...

Lapping up the luxury

 The two kind of ponies available....

Fossil Cliffs

Seminar on fossilization

Just chill'in...?

Whale searching

Red Capsicum, Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata with a Bacon, Cherry Tomato and Spinach Salad (courtesy of Andrea - as I'd already inhaled mine)


A few jumps off the jetty before it was goodbye to Maria Island..

The End

Meeting people is a numbers game and in my line of work I meet hundreds, individually and in groups situations and it isn't easy to always meet the right combination of people in each and every situation. These four days was truly a pleasure to have been able to spend it with individuals, who were in themselves wonderfully unique and who as a group added to the experience, made it fun, memorable and wholesome.

Thank you.