floating blobs of pink.

 

What a beautiful bird…

I take that previous statement back!!!

From top to bottom:  Spotted Jellyfish, Grey Kangaroo, Australian Raven, Darter, Straw-necked Ibis (Juvenile).

I took my camera to Heirisson Island this morning just before it started to rain.  I was hoping to catch the kangaroo in the soft glow of sunrise, and found myself photographing all sorts of creatures.  I crouched in the water and rain for an hour with majorly aching hips to get a decent photo of some pink jellyfish, and learned a few lessons about lighting underwater (utilising only the sun here).  I did wonder if having dozens of little floaters touching me was safe… luckily if any got too near I wafted them away with the end of my camera.

Well, I’m pretty cold now from being out in the rain all morning, so I’m putting on David Attenborough’s “Life in the Undergrowth” and cuddling up with a blanket, while simultaneously mowing down some soup.

Sunday Sounds:

Riptide – Vance Joy

Garden City Movement – Terracotta

ZHU – Faded

Noosa – Clocktower

Flume – On Top Feat. T. Shirt

Whiteman Park.

TToday we went and enjoyed the animals at Whiteman Park.  We were meant to go hiking but I couldn’t help but check out the animal park.  Take a look!  I was “that hog” in the koala exhibit taking as many photographs of the marsupials as I could.  I am pretty sure I embarrassed Mike.

The little one is a year old.  He was very active!

I went to the beach when we got home so I could see if the tide was out…I love looking in rock pools.

These scare the poop out of us both!

There must have been about 200 very docile kangaroo that you could pet.  We even saw a couple mating…  

My first wombat!  They are not native to Western Australia…the closest place would be South Australia.

Possum, beloved here….hated in New Zealand.He is a very beautiful kookaburra.

AQWA Aquarium.

Yesterday my friend and I went to the AQWA Aquarium down the road.  I absolutely loved it.  My favourite creatures were the jelly fish and octopus.  There were some notorious blue ringed octopus there, which are incredible small and adorable.  Had Mike and I not watched a program about the lethal bite they possess a couple of years ago, there would be a good chance I’d have picked one up while snorkelling!  I can’t help myself from touching new and exotic animals.

Photographers, I’ve got a question for you at the end of this post!  Let me know what you think.

Check out some of the cool creatures and life below…  

A sea cucumber.  This was in an outdoor pool, that allows you to touch the wildlife.  Sharks, starfish etc.

My favourite!  They are like a cloud or a dream floating around aimlessly.

Tomorrow Mike will be in Perth (yey!) and we’ll be in starting this journey together…officially!  Tessie will stay in the country at a lovely little retreat (B&T’s Home away from home!) haha and in the mean time we’ll be looking for a pet friendly home to rent.  I miss our little girl, she’s been on my mind and Mike told me she was a lucky dog and got to sleep with him one night (a rare treat!).  Apparently she was ecstatic, and lost her mind!

I feel uprooted at the moment, but we’ve been lucky enough to have some awesome friends to give us a place to stay while we sort out all necessities.  Like jobs and a home.

How do you feel about zoo photography?  Are you a photographer?  Would you used these images in your portfolio?

The Curious Ones.

Mike and I finally got to head out on a charter and swim with wild sea lions this morning.  We signed on with Sea Lion Charters based in Greenhead.  We spent 2 hours swimming with the youngsters and their mums and some smaller bulls.  It’s currently mating season, so the bulls have swum north from Fremantle to mate and fight for their harem.  It was so much fun watching the young ones flip around us, blow bubbles and chase their mom.

Have you ever swam with any creature in the ocean?  How did you feel?

Underwater Struggle.

Yesterday Mike and I had brunch in Jurien Bay, and then headed to Greenhead for some snorkelling.  We started around noon, and couldn’t believe the time we finished (at 4pm!).  It felt like such a short period of time.

A wee little sea snail.  Awww.

Never another soul on the beach…I love this region for the seclusion.

The toe biters swarming in to get me!

This is Mike’s photo which I think is fabulous!  I think he got the best shot of the day!

This is also Mike’s photo!  I’m so proud of him!

This is an unopened flower.  All I see are vagina’s.

This is the vagina (Eucalyptus Erythrocorys) in full bloom!  The enormous blossom is nearly 4 inches!

As far as underwater photography goes, I feel like I’m a new born photographer trying to learn how to shoot again.  It’s incredibly difficult.  Not only was I technically having issues, my subjects were a bit unruly in themselves!

I noticed a small puffer fish in front of me.  I followed him around, and suddenly there were 20 more!

I giggled as one tickled my toe.  The next fish grabbed skin!

If you’ve never experienced a pufferfish bite (they are cunning little monsters) I must warn you of some pain.  They really try to take a chunk out of your toes!!

Mike was laughing hysterically at me as I tried to get away from the aggro little school.  They stayed with me most of the afternoon.

Apparently they are only deadly if consumed, which is nice to know now…but I’d rather of had this tidbit yesterday when I had a bit of fear of accidentally kicking one.  I spent a lot of my time trying to keep my toes out of the water.  I thought if I got one upset and puffed it would stick me, and I’d be a goner!

A Side story…

A little boy last year caught a pufferfish on a line where Mike and his brother and I were fishing (pufferfish are a huge pest for fishermen) and I asked the boy if it was the kind that “blew up?”.  At that point I’d never seen a live one.  Immediately I watched him raise his right leg and crush the little fish.  I wished I hadn’t’ asked.

So there I had it…my first glimpse of a puffed up fish.

I want to also thank the 100+ people who’ve been following along, I’m really grateful for the chance to showcase what life out here is like!  So thank you for reading this blog!  Maybe one of you will have some underwater photography advice?  I could really use some help!!

Adieu,

Holly & Mike