What better place to spend my 60th than this beautiful, and remote island...
What can I add? Well a few places are no longer operational, I'm guessing covid hit them pretty hard, but the Wilson's are still offering bikes (just not on Saturdays), Humpty Mick's has been renamed and the latest version I believe is the anchorage? (I just was there for the sumptuous food and the most divine muffins earth has to offer, oh, and the coffee has improved tenfold and is now on par with any snobby Sydney beachside cafe...).
Our accommodation was even better than the first three times, with a beautiful view across the paddocks to the top of Malabar and the saddles either side...perfect, thanks Milky Way.
You can either walk the 900m or so to the Anchorage for breaky or make your own in the fully functional kitchen in the rooms, or peddle the short distance...(a few rather steep dips, so if not used to riding frequently, your riding fitness might come into question???
The weather was not out friend this time, and again we had to forgo the amazing day walk up Gower (our previous guide had finished the week before, and we were unsure about the new version, as he may have been younger and more sprightly and tested our mettle even more!) and we had already walked (or rather swum-torrential rain swamped track), the public track to the base of Lidgbird. Those brave enough to barefoot it, will then have to grin and bear the coral like rocks that litter the path, mostly hidden either under water, mud, or disguised as tame normal rocks...(I chose wet boots!). I have added some pictures of the track, barely discernible under the collected drops of rain, and may appear somewhat stream-like...
So, what to do when the weather decides to rage against the island? Watch movies, write postcards, read books, or brave the elements and go swimming anyways, & when the winds die down, do the glass bottom tour with snorkelling (that was awesome, freakin freezing Mr Wigglesworth, but awesome!).
If you like walking in the rain, and Pino coladas on the deck in the evening (maybe not midnight & maybe signing that song with words int he right order...), then go on over, the locals are still the friendliest around, the food, even though the boat with supplies was a few weeks late, was brilliant, and the museum again had more to offer than what we had already seen. There's informative talks, there's informative guided walks, and there is endless sea...and yes, the water temps were low 20's the whole time, hence the 'getting our swim on'!...There's also the Bowlo, with again amazing food, just be sure to book (your host will ask in the morning where you plan to eat for dinner, and give you the times and venues that are open on that evening), as spaces are limited, and there's also the interesting opening times...especially at the end of the summer season and the start of 'everything shuts down for the winter' season...
So, If you're not sold, then there's not, much else that could be said to persuade you to give it a whirl...except maybe that it is kid friendly with great new playgrounds to be experienced, and this place is an artist's dream...So, live a little and experience paradise...even in the middle of winter!