Sign, seal, delivered

In last week’s Nature Notes I wrote about a fur seal hauled out on Bellambi Beach. Seeing a seal hauled out like that really is one of those 'right place, right time' kind of things. But what if I told you that there’s a place in the Illawarra where you can spot a seal more often than not, and that you can stay completely dry while doing it?

Head along to the eastern breakwater at Port Kembla on Foreshore Road. It’s an interesting spot with the massive cargo ships coming in and out of the harbour regularly but also has a good range of wildlife to spot. If you walk about two-thirds of the breakwater itself on the left-hand side you’ll see a sign warning you not to approach seals. And fortunately for us, this marks the spot that a seal regularly likes to bask in the sun, so just look over the edge and to the rocks below. If you’re really lucky you might even spot two!

Go Slow for a Mo'

Have you taken some time out recently? Really slowed down and just spent some time ‘in the moment’? It can be so hard to do and sometimes you need to be actively reminded to not only take time out but also be guided on how to do this. Head along to the Wollongong Botanic Gardens and follow their ‘Go Slow for a ‘Mo’ trail and you’ll be able to snatch a few minutes of bliss surrounded by nature.

There are seven stations in total, with written instructions on each exercise (in mindfulness – don’t worry no star jumps or push ups required on this trail) and also a QR code, which I used for the audio guidance and it’s really fab. Each exercise only takes a few minutes and it’s totally worth it for how refreshed and in tune with nature you’ll feel at the end.

Weedy Seadragon Wash Up

Have you spotted a weedy sea dragon washed up on a local beach? There’s been reports of large numbers of these absolutely beautiful creatures washed ashore after the recent big seas. So much so, that Professor David Booth from the University of Technology Sydney is seeking details of any sightings, both dead and alive and any specimens that you may have found.

Send David an email at David.Booth@uts.edu.au, using Weedy Seadragon Wash up in the subject line and with the following details:

• Your name
• Email
• Phone number

And for each weedy,

• Where it was first spotted and the date it was spotted
• Where it is now (so they can arrange collection)

Add in any photos you may have taken of the animal also.

You can read more about these incredible animals here.