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- Home - Club Information - Meetings - Facilities - Beginers & FAQ - 22/06/2006 11:05 PM

 

Trip to Sorrento & Pt. Nepean National Park.
  On Sunday 23rd Jan. 11 Members & Friends arrived at the Sorrento pier and boarded the good ship "Nepean". Weather was perfect and seas calm. At 11am, Capt. Shannon steered us out to the Seal Colony resting platform where th seals in water waved a welcome and those on the platform put on a tremendous "turn". They grunt, fight and smell! No regard for each other at all. From there we steered to the Gannet bird Colony. Once again a noisy smelly lot, nests built on the guano, with many youngsters.
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Our voyage then took us to Pope’s Eye Rock. Origin of the name is unknown, (perhaps a reader could enlighten us) but the structure is a truncated cone of rocks & fill, the top being say 8 ft. below water level.

Large rocks above water mark the perimeter. They are covered in white guano and a small jetty with light is located at the west. The interior forms a fine protected anchoring area for small to medium sized boats, several of which were present. Snorkling and scuba diving is excellent, particularly outside the perimeter on the south side where the water is deep and clear. Pope’s Eye was going to be another "Fort", but was never finished. The area is now classed as a National Park.

From here we steered east towards the shore, and followed it back to Sorrento pier, passing the Quarantine Station and fine cliff top homes.

At about noon we reboarded our vehicles and drove to Pt. Nepean National Park. Here we finished the remainder of lunch, purchased tickets for the transporter and journeyed to the Tip. The 20 min. trip included a taped description of the history & points of interest. At the Tip we observed several ships picking up their Pilots and coming though the Rip.

Those with handhelds tuned to 560.600 FM were able to hear instructions from Harbour Control to Ship Captains concerning locating their ship, and dropping a rope ladder to within 2 metres of the water ready for the Pilot. We tried to make contacts on 146.550 FM, but no success. I have to report that the Spirit of Tasmania did not take on a Pilot, and steamed through the Rip at " a rate of knots!!" A few of us explored the Engine Room and fortifications, which are very extensive indeed. Operation and history of the "Disappearing Guns" is fascinating as is the whole history & reason for the Fortifications, -- heavily bound up with the tremendous quantity of gold that was shipped from The Old Treasury Building in Melbourne.

This trip has to be recommended as an excellent Family Outing, and hopefully will be repeated on Sunday 22nd. Jan. 2005.

KM.