Our Great Adventure: Day 114 10/01/2015

We had originally planned to walk along the Great Ocean Road from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles but it was all getting a bit complicated (and costly) to organise with hike in only campsites and transfers so instead we decided to do day activities along the way. Today we'd booked to go sea kayaking at the Marengo Marine Sanctuary which is just west of Apollo Bay. After breakfast at the guest house we drove back down to the coast to meet Dan, our instructor for the tour. Supplied with wet suits, life jackets and helmets and signing a declaration (we definitely are back in a western country) we dragged our two seater kayak down to the waves. The weather had improved a bit from yesterday but it was still chilly and the sea looked a bit menacing. There are a number of reefs just off the shore which form the sanctuary. We paddled passed the first one which is home to a myriad of sea birds (and you could smell them too). It was hard going with the swell and paddling against the tide. The next reef is home to over 200 fur seals who were all very noisy and boisterous. Apparently most of them are males who dropped in on the reef en route to join other colonies. The fully grown seals weight from 250 to 350 kg. We paddled up to the reef and after waiting a few minutes a group of seals headed down to the sea and slide in, swimming past us and out towards another reef. We paddled around for about 45 minutes, being taken away from the reef by the tide and having to paddle back in, watching the seals pop up and down in the sea. It was about 3 metres deep where we were and unbelievable clear with the bottom visible. A number of the seals swam passed us to get back on the reef. They seemed to be as curious of us as we were of them. It was great to see them in their natural habitat with we both felt that we really got very close to them. Paddling back to shore was much easier and it didn't take long to get close to the shore where the waves were breaking. We lined up the kayak and road the waves back onto the beach. It was great fun but despite Dan's offer to go out again we declined, both feeling the efforts of the paddle out against the tide. After changing we drove into Apollo Bay for tea and muffins. The weather was still a bit overcast so we decided to do a walk around Lake Elizabeth which is not too far from Forrest. After purchasing lunch we drove back in land to where the walk starts. Fed and watered we set off. The walk is described as 3.5km taking 3 to 4 hours which we found a little odd and a very long time for a short walk. The path heads through the bush before reaching the shores of the lake which was formed back in the 1970's following a mud slide. It's home to a large population of platypus although being nocturnal creatures we didn't see any but did see an array of birds, some of which we recognised. The view across the lake is surreal with dead trees jutting from it's waters. The walk takes you around the shoreline although the vegetation is very dense making it difficult to see the water. Part way along we were glad that we'd picked up a stick as we came across yet another snake but luckily this time it soon slithered off, (after checking its markings when we got back we found it was only "mildly venomous" not totally venomous"!) At the head you cross over a boarded walkway and continue back on the opposite shore. We were back at the car in just under 90 minutes wondering what we should have done to make the walk last 3 to 4 hours! Back in Forrest we stopped at the local store for tea. Unfortunately they didn't have Earl Grey but did have Yorkshire Tea which was a real treat for Simon. In the evening we frequented the micro brewery again for another lovely meal and this time Simon had Mr Poppins, a guest ale and apparently very nice (enough for Simon to down 3 pints!)