Our only regret today was leaving our lovely room in Captains at the Bay after a very tasty and beautifully presented breakfast. We retraced our steps to the 12 Apostles Car Park, finding it much less crowded late morning than the previous afternoon. We made our way to the viewing platforms and whilst they are stunning, Lesley thought the Bay of Islands was better. We met someone from Victoria, whilst taking photographs, and she remembers there being more Apostles when she was a child, inevitably, one of the stacks had collapsed fairly recently and there are signs that within the not too distant future at least one more will succumb to the power of this sea. On our way back to the car and small group of people at side of the path attracted our attention and there in the long grass was an Echidna, an ant eater. We had seen numerous drawings of these creatures including on road signs, but here was one in the flesh, quite spiky looking and keen not to be seen! It scuttled away into the bushes before a reasonable photograph could be taken.
We drove back towards Lavers Hill, where the only fuel station is able to charge $1.74 a litre for unleaded petrol, bought a few things to supplement our intended picnic lunch and headed off into the Great Otway National Park and in particular to the Triplet Falls. After a picnic under the trees we took the fairly short 2km walk through tall Mountain Ash, previously used in the logging industry, and a large number of giant fern trees to the Triplet Falls which to our amazement, despite the lack of recent rain, was in water and running quite vigorously. It was lovely to spend time amongst the trees listening to the waterfall and the frogs who serenaded us at one point. We then drove on through the forest for quite some time on very narrow, winding roads with few passing places and signs indicating the road was shared by logging trucks and visitors cars, recommending speeds of no more than 20 kpm!
We emerged unscathed without meeting a logging truck, or very many other visitors, onto the road back towards Apollo Bay and turned left onto the GOR towards Lorne. By now a lot of dark clouds had begun to roll in from this sea partly obscuring the hills and forest we had just left and turning the sea a dark grey-green. We drove along next to the sea, waves continuing to pound the shore, past tall cliffs, more forests, several inlets made by small rivers such as the Kennet, Wye and Cumberland towards Lorne.
We arrived at Mantra Lorne in good time to check in and have an early bird drink in the gardens overlooking the sea, the weather having brightened a little and by the time we went to look for some dinner in nearby restaurants, the sun was once more shining on the sea and several folk were promenading along the front. Our Chinese inspired meal in Chopstix was very tasty and good value with a pleasant glass of plum wine for me and a Coconut Panda for Lesley. Back to the apartment to write postcards and blog and prepare for the final day of our journey along the GOR towards Melbourne and our time with friend Carmel.
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