Half Way

On reaching Hell's Gates

my half way point

I always stop and breathe deeply

have a stretch

give a little sigh of gratitude

and gaze right down the coastline 

to the south

I search the rocky inlet below 

for signs of turtles

check the horizon for whales and calves

on their journey home to Antarctica

and scour the sky for birds

Today white splashes on the grey rocks below

caught my eye

and I zoomed in to find

three pied Cormorants

resting on the rocks

drying their wings

and preening 

after fishing in the ocean below

The Australian Pied Cormorant 

or Pied Shag

feeds on benthic fish

which are those that live

in the lowest layer of ocean

or in the sediment

fish such as prawns and sea worms

No whales today

but I did see some last evening
and hope to spot more tonight...