(and other unbelieveable but true stories…)
Hey family and friends! Welcome back to the blog.
We are currently enjoying a beautifully peaceful stop on our casual meander through Victoria, parked at a fantastic HipCamp called “Shacks” near the boat ramp at Indented Head. From our van, we have a view to the bay.
Staying right here on the peninsula has got us completely fascinated by the local history. We mentioned before the unbelievable story of William Buckley, who famously walked out of the bush right around this stretch of coast. If you don’t know the tale, Buckley was an escaped convict who ended up living harmoniously with the local Wathaurong people for thirty years. Standing at a massive six-foot-seven, he survived because the locals believed he was the literal reincarnation of a late chief whose ceremonial spear he happened to find in the dirt. Everyone uses the old phrase “Buckley’s chance” to mean you have no hope at all, but given the sheer string of miracles that kept him alive, Buckley’s chance was actually a pretty spectacular thing!
The unbelieveable truth about Fort Queenscliff
Inspired by these coastal tales, we rugged up on a bitingly cold winter afternoon to conquer a 12-kilometre return walk stretching from the Queenscliff Lighthouse out toward Point Lonsdale. The walking trail follows a wide concrete path hugged tightly by a massive sea wall, giving you a front-row view of the narrow heads entering Port Phillip Bay.
Along the way, we paused to explore Fort Queenscliff, a spectacular fortress dating back to the Crimean War era. We’ve been listening to an incredible audiobook on this leg of the trip called Australia’s Most Unbelievable True Stories, and it features this very fort for a truly staggering military trivia note: Fort Queenscliff is the exact site where the very first Allied gunshots from any country of both World War I and World War II were fired!! The shots were fired to defend the bay and one shot resulted in an immediate capture of prisoners of war! Standing there watching massive cargo ships pass through those tight heads while picturing those historic moments was unreal.
The Incident
Of course, a Cotterill adventure wouldn’t be complete without a bit of self-effacing chaos. The wild winds were whipping the waves clean up and over the concrete seawall path. Seeing the massive sea spray, Jo saw a golden opportunity for a moody, dramatic action photo and instructed Peter to stand right near the edge.
Peter obligingly stood his ground, but as the next swell peaked, it became instantly clear that this particular wave was an absolute monster. Needing to protect the expensive drone safely packed inside her backpack, Jo completely abandoned her post and bolted for dry land.
Peter was left to face the elements entirely solo and took the absolute brunt of the icy ocean. He was drenched from head to toe. To make matters sweeter, he was wearing a brand-new pair of US size 7 Hoka shoes that he had put on for the first time that exact morning. They were instantly converted into portable, freezing-cold foot baths. Peter’s pants were soaked and his pride was entirely washed out, but at least the Hokas survived the maritime baptism!
A Final Biblical Reflection…
We couldn’t wrap up this post without reflecting on the original Peter who famously tried his hand at walking on water. When you look at the similarities, both Peters found themselves out on the rough waves during a howling gale, and both ended up completely overwhelmed by the elements. But the differences are where the real truth lies: while the biblical Peter started sinking because he lacked faith, our Peter only got drenched because he had too much faith in my questionable photography skills—right before I completely abandoned him to save the drone! Furthermore, history doesn’t record the first Apostle ruining a brand-new pair of US size 7 Hoka shoes on his big day.
Let’s be honest, given our Peter’s recent absolute defeat by a digital laundromat app, his vocal aversion to prime real estate being “wasted” on cemeteries, and his general preference for being left alone to watch the football game, it is highly unlikely this particular Peter will be chosen as an apostle or head down the path to sainthood anytime soon. We’ll just stick to documenting our casual meander in our regular family updates for this blog and we will leave the actual water-walking miracles to the experts!
Until the next wave hits, keep chasing those horizons!
Jo and Peter
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