Cartwright Point, Mooloolaba, Q'ld, Australia
(This is my entry for the #beautifulsunday challenge, hosted by @ace108 and the #sublimesunday which is hosted by @c0ff33a)
Meeting up with friends in Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast over the weekend proved to be a very relaxing and enjoyable time for all of us. We stayed in our friend's apartment and made the most of the fine weather by visiting Point Cartwright which is a short distance to drive from where we were staying.
Point Cartwright is situated at the base of the headlands at the northen end of Kawana Beach. It is a poplular recreational area where people picnic, fish, swim and surf. The cliffs at the headlands provide spectacular views of Mooloolaba itself, the Mooloolaba River and Mount Coolum to the north.
Our aim was to climb the headlands to enjoy the view for ourselves but before doing that we parked the car at the base of the hill. The Mooloolaba River was a picturesque sight with boats of all descriptions either moored or motoring or sailing towards the mouth of the river or returning home after venturing further out to sea.
People everywhere were soaking up the sun and appreciating the scenic beauty all around. Even a white faced heron watched the activity on the water with interest as he stood on the rocks at the edge of river.
Two teenage boys were trying their luck at fishing. I thought their green dinghy was really cool and would have loved to join them but I'd prefer to go a lot deeper than where they were situated. The deeper the water, the bigger the fish in my experience.
A lonely kayak sat on a sandy stretch waiting for his passenger to get back in and throw his line into the water.
Two more fishermen waited with baited lines (and breath) to haul in a big one or two or three.
At the end of this path sat a beacon on the rocks. The water was much deeper here and this is where I would fish if I had a fishing line. I peered into the buckets of those who were fishing but didn't see anything worth taking home to cook. If I stayed longer, perhaps I would have been rewarded with watching some fish being caught but there was too much to see and this was just the beginning of our walk.
Wherever we looked, the views were amazing and many people sat and meditated whilst absorbing their idyllic surroundings.
Surfers were off to catch some waves.
A couple improved their fitness on the grassy slopes. Not a bad place to work out if you're toned and agile. I'll leave that exercise in these wide, open spaces for those who are toned and agile. (lol)
A dad and his daughter were playing in the rock pools. I used a digital effect on this photo to add interest and variety to this post.
The Point Cartwright Lighthouse was automated in late 1978 and was officially opened in 1979. It is a reinforced concrete pentagonal tower, surmounted by a concrete lantern, and is 32.4 metres tall. It cost $221,000 to build and is unmanned.
I chased a beautiful blue butterfly at the base of the hill and when she alighted on a bush, she kindly spread her wings for me so I could take this picture.
During my walk to the top of the hill I took many shots. This was one of them.
And this was another.
This banksia plant was situated at the base of the big blue water tower. I've accentuated the detail and textures with another digital art filter.
I finally reached the top of the hill without too much puffing and panting which had a lot to do with the many stops I made to take photos. I took a photo of my friend taking a photo of his wife and the view to the north which encompassed part of Kawana Beach.
It was all down hill from here.
It is the middle of winter but the sun is warm enough to enable beach lovers to take advantage of our mild weather to swim and build sandcastles.
Next time I'm up this way. I'll follow these steps to the beach, kick off my shoes and walk the white sandy beaches and take a dip in the azure blue sea myself.
A leisurely stroll along the boardwalk takes us to our parked car. This outing was indeed a Sublime and Beautiful Sunday. Thank you for coming with me.
