Reflections at The Gantry, Bawley Point

It was a warm winter afternoon in the sun when we stopped at The Gantry to rest. Love climbed up on an old rusty relic embedded in the rock to stare at tiny fish, anemones and her reflection in the still rock pool.

We’d spent the morning driving around looking at houses for sale (like this cute little beach house on Tingira Drive)as we told imaginary stories and I contemplated moving back to my hometown with my little girl. This is the first time I’d ever brought her to region from my childhood. Some places hadn’t changed in decades whilst others were shiny and new.

The Gantry itself had been replaced and as we sat bathing in the warmth of the late afternoon sunlight, I imagined my ten year old self squealing with excitement as I leaped from the end into the cool water below. The rush of bubbles, legs and arms frantically reaching for the surface tickled my skin.

Looking down, I wondered if the water felt cold today. Probably. I doubt I'd have the courage to jump in now, the cocoon of the woollen blanket and Love tucked up against me breastfeeding was the warmth we needed as the sun dipped lower in the sky.

Love found some leftover prawn bait heads and tails and flicked them into the water. The ensuing scurry of blurry round fish scrambling to devour the stinky meal made us both oohhh and ahhh in amazement. It's nice to see the toadfish remained in this area, hungrily feeding on the same meals they've probably been fed for years before we visited.

These photos were taken in July 2017, one month before Love's third birthday. Now this little girl is four and half years old. Time certainly has a way of quietly slipping by but I'm certain that with effort, we can make our south coast trips more regular.

For those who live far from their hometowns, when you do visit are you filled with pangs of nostalgia, joy but also sadness? Exploring the area with Love helped me to revisit old memories and create new ones as we met up with my longest friends and their children.

There’s something magical about the south coast.

Bella x

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