This morning I rose like Lazarus when my alarm went off at 7, I looked out the windscreen and saw a most beautiful dawn in a cloudless sky. Better still, the wind had died down in the night. Before going to bed I had laid out everything I needed for a quick start, so I was dressed and on the beach in a matter of minutes.

It really was a spectacular sunrise, I took dozens of shots, and after the sun was up I explored the beach and continued taking photos. In all, I was on the beach for about an hour.

Morning rays across Great Oyster Bay

Morning has broken

I've discovered there is some kind of fraternity among camping travellers, no matter how they travel. Everybody greets me, they ask where I've been, what I've seen, where I'm going next. They share their experiences and make recommendations. Some ask about my van, they share everything, including unwanted groceries. In Hobart people left bags of unwanted provisions in the communal kitchen. I expect they returned to the mainland and didn't want to take things with them. People rummaged through the groceries, cleaners and the like, apparently only taking the things the really needed, because it took several hours for most of the goods to walk out the door.

Because the weather this morning was unexpectedly fine and clear, the people adjacent to me said they were hurrying off to Coles Bay to take a scenic flight over Freycinet National Park. My plan was to go to Freycinet National Park (I can see it opposite my camp site, across the bay), but a scenic flight was a new idea: I stored it at the back of my mind for future reference.

I really was in no hurry to leave this morning, the weather was perfect, the view to die for, and the sun was warm. I was one of the last to leave the camping ground, so I joined the procession of cars, caravans and campers all heading for Coles Bay and Freycinet National Park, a 50 Km drive around the bay.

Nearing Coles Bay I saw signs advertising scenic flights. As I was at the tail end of the travellers, on such a lovely day I felt sure they would be booked out. When I saw a sign pointing down a side road, I turned off to investigate. I found a young man sitting in a building at the edge of a dirt runway. There were a few cars in the car park and two people waiting on the verandah.

The young man (Andrew) said they were busy, but he could fit me in at 3:30. He had five flights to choose from, all of different duration and covering different scenic attractions. I made my selection and left promising to return at 3:30. He didn't want a deposit, but he asked for my 'phone number in case something unforeseen happened. Tasmanians are so easy going, so casual and trusting, and nobody is out to rip you off.

Freycinet National Park has enough attractions to keep a visitor busy for days, it's also immense. Everybody wants to see Wineglass Bay and get the postcard classic shot. There are walks in all directions; I saw so many healthy young people, their backpacks loaded with camping gear and provisions, heading out on trails to limitless exertion and sore feet.

Like so many others, I wanted to do the Wineglass Trail which would afford me a view of the famous bay. The sign said 1.5 Km, 3 hours round trip. Impossible, I though as I hit the well worn track. It didn't take me long to figure that I was going to climb Munt Amos, an enormous hill ahead of me, and 3 hours seemed optimistic at very least. I turned back and assured the oncoming climbers that the walk was a piece of cake; why I hadn't even worked up a sweat.

At also the same time it dawned on me that it would require a much greater effort than a climb up the mountain to get the postcard classic shot of Wineglass Bay. A helicopter would do the trick, but they seemed not to be flying. The view from the top of the mountain would be a consolation prize at very best.

Cape Touville light house seemed a much better option, I could drive most of the way and not risk a heart attack. And so it was I drove up the narrow and winding road to a car park at Cape Touville. There was a well maintained, and well trodden, path around the lighthouse, but not to it. The views were good, I got some shots and was satisfied.

With time to spare, I headed back to the little dirt landing strip in the bush, some 30 minutes drive from Freycinet National Park. Andrew was still there, but now the verandah was empty. He apologised, my flight would be late, perhaps 40 minutes late, and would that be okay. The time passed in a flash as we sat and chatted in his office. Getting young people to talk about themselves, to open up about their dreams and share their aspirations is so rewarding. I was a willing ear, a captive audience, and his vision was so uncomplicated.

The plane returned, they only have one aircraft, small wonder they were behind schedule. The plane takes three passengers, so long as they don't exceed the weigh limit. Two very satisfied sight seers chatted with me on the tarmac before they left the scene. Andrew invited me to join him while he refuelled the aircraft; we were by now best buddies.

I was their only passenger, so I had the undivided attention of Myles the pilot. He was the same age as Andrew, and just as positive. He said I could open the window if it helped me get better photos. I wasn't prepared for the wind when I opened the window at first, but it was okay. I had visions of my camera being swept away by the wind, so I kept a firm grip and mostly the window stayed closed. As I took my shots, Myles wanted to see them, he was great value.

                                                   Flying over Freycinet National Park

Myles got me back to the landing strip some time after 5. Filled with the optimistic energy of these two young men, I headed back to my camp site at Swansea. Tonight I'm tired, perhaps exhausted, it's been a long and exciting day of adventures, people and photography.