Port Macquarie: The Land of the Pelican.

On our east coast adventure, Port Macquarie was the place where we would have the least time. Upon arrival, it felt much larger, more urban and more town-like.

Aware of the famous coastal walk, we moved swiftly, so far, the advice from Kylie and Darryle hadn't let us down: sunscreen applied, Factor 50 slapped on; feeling nice and sticky again, we headed out!

Intense Breeze and Rugged Cliffs

The breeze was intense and cloud soon covered the sun. Convincing ourselves that factor 50 was still a good thing to ward off any sneaky wind burn, we made our way to the footpath.

The sea appeared stormy and the waves and swell rushed hard to land. The beaches below the headland were rocky and more intimately placed.

Each small inlet had towering, rugged cliffs protecting them.

It was more apparent here that we needed to heed the warnings of snakes, take care marked everywhere! We were unsure if it was just us or if locals would also feel the highlighted intensity of signs warning of wriggly serpent friends.

Nevertheless, we took care, although James felt it important to constantly warn his intrepid explorer, CDH, of the possible dangers.

Fun in the Chilly Swell

The rough swell meant no turtles, no dolphins and no whales. It was starting to feel like whales and dolphins were going to elude us completely!

Strolling along the beach was lovely, with the tide coming in and the odd wave sneaking up making it fun.

Although the water was surprisingly quite chilly, it did not stop someone from getting in and fighting the power of the ocean to remain standing.

The Painted Rocks Controversy

Next, we encountered the painted sea break boulders. Remembering people passed or naming family trips to Port Macquarie, the rocks were emboldened and dated, some going back years.

It seemed strange and, at the same time, out of place, almost disrespectful. Helen didn’t appreciate the blatant defacing of the man-made barrier. James appreciated some as almost art, but clearly others were obnoxious and misplaced.

A Truly Special Moment: The Pelican

Then came the highlight. A pelican, a real pelican!

Standing tall on a jetty, upright and magnificent. Cameras out in a hurry!

Two’s Company After All…!

Suddenly, a magnificent specimen was within metres. It was truly glorious to see the creature.

Then flight took over, and it soared across the surface of the water, landing effortlessly and quite majestically on the gently rippling harbour water close to what we imagined to be its mate.

Suddenly, there were more of these magnificent birds. Their huge eyes were incredible, the sheer size of their bills impressive and their wings glided effortlessly when they took to the sky.

As our time here came to an end, we reflected. No whales and no dolphins, but Port Macquarie had delivered an incredibly special moment, one which Two’s Company will treasure for witnessing together.

It will always be the land of the pelican to us!