Breaching at Hell's Gate

​STARTING A HIKE JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT is not my usual practice. My internal clock had that time, but the actual time down under was just after lunch on a bright sunny day. With a belly full of food from an excellent little local place in Noosa Heads, I was excited about this upcoming discovery. This was the definition of escape … I was in a continent which I had never visited before, situated entirely below the equator. I was confused by the location of the sun, I was in awe at the scenery, and it was my first time travelling out of the northern hemisphere!

We had arrived in Brisbane, Australia from Canada the day before in the early morning hours after the longest flight I had ever taken. Every hour on the plane was worth it to visit my daughter Julia and her boyfriend José. They have been attending the University of Queensland for their graduate studies. Joining me to enjoy a few weeks of family time was my wife Linda and our other daughter Emilie. We had selected the mid June arrival date to coincide with their winter break between the first and second semesters. The dates also worked well for planning activities and booking places to stay since it is less busy during the Australian winter months. The extra bonus of having Queensland as our home base (versus New South Wales) was the warmer weather and more sunshine due to its location closer to the equator on the north-east of the country. Linda visited Australia years ago also in the winter when she was in her twenties, so there was some experience in the group. 

Following a joyful reunion at the airport, quick showers, an excellent lunch in the Gasworks Plaza, and a two hour drive northbound from Brisbane, we arrived in Noosa Heads just as the sun went down (Julia drove as I was not ready to take the challenge of driving on the opposite side after over twenty-four hours of travel and a dizzying head). By this time our hosts were full of energy, but unfortunately the three travellers from the other side of the planet were completely beaten, and tucked away for the night early in the evening. We promised to be in great shape for the next day!

Waking up to the sounds of countless birds at 5 am (Linda and I were actually proud to make it that late!), we enjoyed the early morning view of the village and mountains in the distance. The sunrise without a cloud foreshadowed the days of exceptional weather we were about to experience. Noosa Heads is situated directly on the Pacific Ocean and first developed as a result of the mining and timber industries in the 1800’s. Since then, it has slowly grown as a tourist destination and a favourite ‘beach house’ getaway for those living in Brisbane and other cities to the south. Julia had said that the beaches and natural environment were impressive, and that we would love it. We were staying in Noosa for the next six days and had lightly planned some activities that we would like to do, in no particular order. At breakfast there was agreement to let the weather guide us and use a ‘vibes based approach’ as José strongly encouraged. One thing was sure with the clear blue sky and bright sun, our first day would be close to the beaches and ocean water. I was also thrilled when our hosts suggested that we make sure that our first day included an adventure into Noosa National Park to discover Kabi Kabi country. Emilie, Linda and I agreed that staying in constant motion would be required to help with the jet lag.

I am always rejuvenated whenever nature takes hold of my senses and I become entranced with the beauty and longevity of the trees, birds, animals, rocks, and water around me. I gain great hope in the ability of our planet to adapt and fight back to ensure balance. Upon crossing the gates of the park, the evidence is clear that Australia takes their responsibility seriously and seems to be making decisions to conserve (and restore) the natural environment. It has not been an easy journey for this land. Centuries of colonisation and development has impacted the indigenous communities and strained relationships in many parts of the country. Like in Canada, efforts continue and some reconciliation progress is being made with strong leadership by all stakeholders. As a positive step, I learned that this national park is one of over five hundred in the country. No other nation in the world has more protected parks… Bravo Aussies!
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The trail does not disappoint with stunning views right from the start. Looking west towards Noosa North Shore.
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We selected the coastal walk trail which would give us a total of 5.4 km in distance, and provide the most scenic opportunities. Julia also highlighted that this trail passed by some beautiful uninhabited beaches in case we needed to cool off or relax - we have always been a ‘beach bum’ family! The start of the trail is very well maintained and paved in most areas. It was busier than a hike in the wilderness, but nonetheless surrounded by nature and water. Being rookies, we even thought we would see koalas up high in the trees and wild kangaroos roaming about (it would not be until the next week for koalas, but we did see wild kangaroos the next day on a golf course… of all places). Our first surprise was the kookaburras which bounced from tree to tree and entertained us as we strolled by the first beach called ‘Tea Tree Bay’. A few surfers were enjoying the decent waves while others swam and lay on the gold coloured sand. We were just getting started on our hike at this point so we decided to wait and hit this spot for a longer visit on return. That is when I commented to the group that the hike must be deadly hot in the summer. We were in the winter season and still feeling the warm sun between the shade of the trees. I’m sure hikers must select early mornings and evenings on exceptionally hot days instead of our midday experience.

“It’s a turtle. Look, over there!”
Julia had spotted a good size sea turtle near Granite Bay as we reached an elevated ridge. 
“Where, where?”  We all replied.

Unfortunately the friendly turtle was just taking a quick breath and had decided to quickly go for a deep swim the moment Julia spotted it. I was not one of the lucky ones to witness it. But it sure got my attention as I constantly looked around and at the ocean for the rest of the hike in the hope to see other wildlife.  We stayed for some time in hope that it would return but apart from appreciating talented surfers in the bay, there would only be one appearance. The coolest thing is that this turtle (along with so many other unique species which we would see in future days) is completely free and not restrained by anything. After living in Australia for almost six months it is no surprise that Julia no longer feels that enclosed Zoos are necessary. She prefers sanctuaries. 

Soon enough we were walking by the length of Granite Bay as the trail began to be more rough and narrow. Unlike the east coast of Canada which is mainly rugged terrain of cliffs, rocks and stoney beaches, the east coast of Australia is almost entirely sandy beaches. I knew this from my pre-trip research, but seeing these initial swimming gems made me question if it was really this pretty everywhere. 

“Are all beaches like this?” I asked Julia and José.
“Oh Pops. This is only the beginning. You will see. All the beaches are great” 
I replied “Awesome. Australia is afterall celebrated for its beaches. It is a treasure”.
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José, Julia and Emilie at Dolphin Point Lookout. 
Julia spotted a sea turtle near the shore before it swam down to deeper waters. 
🐋 

The signpost confirmed that Hell’s Gate (our destination) was near. The gradual uphill climb raised our heart rates and the tree cover was lighter as we gained altitude on the now crushed stone trail. Once I felt the cool breeze from the east, I knew that we were soon to arrive at the gates of hell. We passed some National Park workers who were doing general maintenance on the trail and wished us a good visit. The trail then turned directly east and the trees and brush disappeared as we witnessed in the distance the expansive Alexandria Bay to the south. We had entered the devil’s domain. 

Hell’s Gate was created millions of years ago when the sandstone outcrop slowly eroded, resulting in the deep narrow cove that we see today. It is a little unsettling to stand next to it over one hundred feet above sea level and watch the waves crash against the dark rock cliffs. On this clear afternoon, the lookout provided views for incredible distances. To the north is Fraser Island, to the south glimpses of Sunshine Coast, and to the east water as far as the eye can see. On my first full day in Australia, I was overtaken by the beauty and natural environment. Apart from seeing the Pacific Ocean from the west coast of North America, this was the first time that I was facing it from the east coast of a continent. It was wide open water for over 13,000 km (8,000 miles) to reach South America. That distance is equivalent to a third of the earth’s circumference!   

My focus was mainly on the cliffs and beaches when José said:

“Let’s stay a little longer. Maybe we will see whales”. He was applying his ‘vibes based approach’ rule for the first time in what would be dozens of well placed and thoughtful moments during our time in Australia.   

That’s when we all turned our eyes to the open water and kept looking in all directions in the hope that a small splash or the shiny back of a whale or dolphin would reflect the light of the sun. Then miraculously, not more than 10 minutes after José’s request, Emilie shouted:

“There. Look. I just saw a spray. Right there directly in front of the point”
“Oh!  There it is. I just saw another one. OMG. There are whales!”
Another spray from their blowholes followed. “Wow. Amazing”. 

Then it happened.

The first breach occurred with an impressive splash (probably three quarters of the whale cleared the water). It was seen by the others, but I missed it. It was the first time the younger ones were witnessing such a special moment. Then it happened again. Another breach. This time I also witnessed it. This followed quickly by cresting of the shiny backs of what we estimate was at least four humpback whales. They were slowly making their way north and had decided to pass close to the Park. Then another breach…we all screamed (and luckily Julia got that one on video). It felt like they had heard our cheering and had decided to have a breaching party and put on a show for us. Unscheduled, not planned, without human interversion, just whales in their undisturbed habitat doing their thing!

Time for a little history lesson.  The Humpback Whale has been travelling this part of the ocean for hundreds of thousands of years. This equates to a very long time of completely undisturbed living prior to the start of whaling (the hunting and killing of whales by humans) a few thousand years ago. While whaling started small, it slowly grew and expanded greatly in the last couple hundred years. It became such a profitable business that humans almost wiped out the species. What started as a very difficult and dangerous activity, whaling was modernised with larger, more sophisticated fleets which enabled a high volume of killing. The high demand for whale oil in many countries ensured financial success for those willing to take the risks. Without care for their importance in the ecosystem of the ocean, or any understanding of the actual numbers living in the vast ocean, whaling was unregulated and negligent. What started as a normal (in small numbers) activity by the Indigenous communities, Norwegians, and Japanese to provide food and much needed materials, it grew beyond its initial purpose. It is hard to say if it was the more popular and reliable fossil fuels that eliminated demand for whale oil, or the alarming plummeting in the number of whales in the ocean, but countries eventually outlawed whale hunting in the late 20th century. One can only imagine the tens of thousands of whales which would have passed Hells’ Gate five hundred years ago!   

It took us some time to decide to leave this wonderful site and start our hike back. We wanted more! By the time we were walking westbound, the pod that had given us a great show had moved northbound and were heading to their subtropical breeding grounds off the Queensland coast. 

“I can’t believe that we have been in this country for only 24 hours and have already seen such a special thing”. I followed up with an optimistic:

“The next few weeks are looking up!”  
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The deep and narrow cove of Hell’s Gate. The long beach of Alexandria Bay in the background.
🐋
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It is hard for me not to mention the other popular swimmers who are seeking attention on this beautiful coast - the dolphins. While the Noosa area provided us an amazing experience with the whales, we were enchanted by their smaller friends when we visited the grand city of Sydney. Many had shared with us that Bondi Beach just outside the capital of New South Wales was a must-see, along with the coastal walk heading south to Coogee. So it was no surprise that on our first full day in Sydney we took the ferry from Circular Quay next to the Opera House to Rose Bay, followed by a thirty minute walk to Bondi Beach (just the ferry ride itself is stunning). The beach did not disappoint with a wide cover of golden sand, both experienced and rooky surfers riding the waves, and swimmers all around. I later discovered that the beach is home to one of the oldest surf lifesaving clubs in the world called Bondi Icebergs. And as advertised there were little cafés to choose from for lunch. This being the winter season, the crowds were small which allowed us to walk around freely and gain a great sense of the area in its more ‘normal’ setting. Linda and I always try to travel during the low tourist periods so that we can observe and melt into the lifestyle of the locals. The natural feel of a place and the culture is best discovered when the people are going about their daily lives and have time to chat and talk. It is also nice not to have to make reservations for each activity!  

I won’t go into detail (as it could be a story all on its own), but that coastal walk starting at Bondi is most incredible. The size of the waves, the hundreds of surfers, the cooling breeze, and the multiple pristine beaches only enriches the city of Sydney. As we walked we were trying to come up with other large international cities that had incredible natural beaches so close to their downtown. Obviously Los Angeles, Rio, and Miami were first, then we added Barcelona, but quickly realised that there were not that many big world class cities with sweeping beaches nearby. As we talked, Julia had kept an eye open for whales and maybe dolphins, with a lower expectation given the proximity to the big city. 

It all changed within the first minutes after we left Bondi. From an elevated section of the trail we witnessed dolphins dancing close to shore, breaching the water, and travelling at great speed. 

Then it happened.

The pod we had spotted made their way into Taramara Bay and started to swim with the large waves towards a group of experienced surfers (the waves must have been close to ten feet). We immediately thought this was dangerous, but soon enough we realised that the dolphins just wanted to join in the action and also show off their natural surfing talents. They would swim with the wave, breach the water, then turn back into the wave as it crested and jump out towards the deeper waters… Ready to do it again. I was breathless as we watched in awe until they moved south along the coast and out of sight. I had never seen anything like it. 
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 Some manipulate her, some think that they can control her, and some even try to predict her next move. In the end, Mother Nature triumphs with independence and power. As we walked back on the Noosa Park trail as the sun was starting to make its descent, I thanked her and her wildlife friends for the breaching show and a wonderful hike. No human being could have planned, scheduled, or predicted the exact moment at which the powerful whales would say hello. We just happened to be at the right time, at the right place, with the right attitude. It is the same mindset I have had hundreds of times when I let Mother Nature take over… Here I am, I have decided to discover another one of your wonders, so let me have it!     

On our way back we stopped at Tea Tree Bay for a nice swim and walk on the beach as the sun lowered over the north-west shore. A simple, yet very happy moment as Linda and I watched our adult daughters bounce in the waves like they did countless times as kids. 

Thank you Noosa!