Facing Fears

"Pull yourself together, Teddy. Pull yourself together".

- Teddy, Shutter Island

Above: Hanging on the whim cart (horse powered) that was used to move goods from the boats to the compound then up to the lighthouse.

It only took 6 weeks for us summon the courage to step out onto the balcony of the decommissioned lighthouse. It’s the highest in the Southern Hemisphere, sitting 280m above sea level (meaning you are 305m ASL on the balcony)! It was built 170 years ago by convicts and is now closed for safety reasons - so we were a little nervous trusting the structural integrity. Also, we were convinced we could feel it moving in the wind. Turns out the views are incredible - 360 degrees (obviously) and on a clear day you can also see several other Bass Strait islands as well as Flinders Island and Wilsons Promontory. We also discovered we could get full phone reception at the top so we face timed a few people and shared the views with them.

This week’s job list has included mowing the compound and airstrip along with some of the walking tracks. We have also fixed broken gates and repaired damage to some of the buildings. Dan has finished and installed our “Mt George” sign for the sign post which is now pointing to home, 905km away.

We have still been going on regular hikes and enjoying time at the beach when the weather is calm, including BBQ’s and fires. On the wilder days we cook, bake, read, and play cards. Dan may be the current Gin Rummy champion but I have rediscovered my childhood talent for “fish” and remain unbeaten.

With no light pollution, we got a great view of the super moon on April 8. We are certainly spoilt for stargazing opportunities when there are no clouds.

The few spots there are that provide a Telstra connection have allowed for plenty of podcasts, Netflix downloads, FaceTime, House Party and Zoom hook-ups. Pleasingly, despite the semi-reliable internet connection, I’ve still managed to stick to my 12 week self-imposed ban on online shopping ;)

We really appreciate everyone’s effort in adhering to social distancing rules and self-isolation measures on the mainland. Keep it up! We are hoping when we return in 6 weeks things will be a little more normal.