Big Trees and Twenty Foot Waves

A massive wave at Denmark. The power of the ocean was unbelievable. The photo does not do it justice. The swell was at least twenty feet!



Greens pool (where you get the sharks but not in the bay bit!!). You can just see the tops of the waves crashing over the huge rocks that surround the bay. They act as a breakwater and so by the time the waves roll in and onto the beach they have been reduced to gently lapping at the sand!



The magnificent Gloucester Tree. Sixty metres tall. It was originally used for bush fire spotting. The idea being a fit young fellow would climb the tree and locate where in the forest a fire was wreaking havoc.



...If it was up to me though, the fire would have burned its way through the entire forest before I had got to the top of the tree! There are no safety ropes or guides to ensure we don't fall to our death. The tree just has metal rods inserted into the tree which climb upwards in a spiral. Some parts of the climb are vertical and some parts you have to navigate around branches and 'bouncy' rods (so not safe!)



Dave and me at the top looking very scared! Its a long way down. On the way up we had to pass a couple who were climbing down. It took much dangling by one foot to shimmy our way past them. The ladder became very cosy for a few minutes whilst we played a version of twister on the tree!

Weren't we brave?