An Island Off an Island

After weeks of changeable and windy weather summer has descended on Dennes Point and there is a definite feeling of ‘laid back’ in the air. It’s partly the weather (blue skies, warmer temperatures), but it’s also the influx of ‘shackies’, here to enjoy their holiday homes which have often been passed from generation to generation. Our little settlement has an unfamiliar but comfortable feel.

Regular readers will know that Ruby is unsettled by new arrivals on her territory ( especially sand-castle building children), and I suspect some Bruny locals feel the same. There is definitely a down side. Ferry queues can be awful and the Facebook page dedicated to such issues ( I kid you not) gives regular status updates. As a consequence we have changed our travel schedule to avoid super busy times, and resorted to grocery delivery. There is also the peril of off-island drivers who hog the middle of the winding gravel roads.

On the plus side there is the sense of holiday tradition that really resonates with me. Family and friends will know that growing up our family’s summer holiday was always at Dutchies ( ie Dutchman’s Beach at Port Stephen’s), and that to this day my sister Jo and I ‘own’ that beach. As we walk with Ruby along Nebraska Beach in the late afternoon, passing pleasantries with those who are also strolling I am taken back to that time; to the hours spent laying on the beach reading, eavesdropping on conversations between Mum/Nana/Aunty Audrey/Aunty Iris/ Aunty Gwen/ Aunty Bet/ Aunty Fay, and floating on the tractor inner tube in the sea for hours.

Here at Dennes Point chairs are permanently set up on the sand in front of shacks, buckets and spades are left out ready for action the next day and boathouse doors are left open revealing the treasures inside.

Summer is fleeting, time to enjoy every minute!