Alexandria

This is a beautiful beach, secluded, peaceful, hardly anyone here, it takes about a forty minute walk to get here (hence no cars) and it is one of the quietest beaches I have ever been on.

Why?

Because it is Alexandria Bay - one of the few nude beaches in Queensland.

We went here "for a laugh" because we were parked quite close to the end of the main Sunshine Beach which is the biggest beach in Noosa.

Alexandria beach was practically empty, but disturbing nonetheless. Miss DaVinci had given me the low down on nude beaches in Oz - mostly occupied by freaky and weird old men. How right she was. Very few people around (as the photo shows) but those who were were old, weird, and freaky. We didn't join the 'vibe' I am happy to say, as I think we may have been hit on - especially by the old naked grandad looking character that perched himself, despite a patch of sand 50 metres by 2.5 kilometres in area, within 15 metres of us.

Quite frankly, f*** off you pervert.

Anyway, once he has left us, and his leering and comedy smiles at us, we went into the sea for a splash. If there is one thing I will remember from Alexandria Bay, it's not the weird and naked men, or the gay couples frolicking in the dunes (did I mention that?), no, it's the ferocious current in the sea. There are no RSL lifeguards here, and some huge signs up telling you not to swim. No shit Sherlock. The current in the sea here was like something I never knew possible on a beach. Absolutely no control whatsoever over your body once one of these tiny looking waves gets hold of you. You are LOST, I assure you.

Given that I have only ever really paddled in a few lochs, and the Forth River, the waves in Oz are just awesome fun. But this, this was scary. I didn't get to the point where I was in any difficulty, but feeling the wrath of the sea like that was an eye opener to the fact that a small insignificant looking wave can pick you up like a crane and throw you around. Then, of course, there is the rip. This beach didn't have a huge rip, but the concept was there for sure - the surge of water well under the surface, which happens around breaking waves. Jeez, for just two or maybe three seconds today, I am sure I felt this, and felt totally powerless. That, together with waves with properly knock you over, let you understand that the Pacific Ocean is a powerful beast.

And then there's the sharks.

Anyway, not much update on the cousins' plight in Victoria. Non-stop news coverage of the fires on the TV news, and this looks as if it's the worst natural disaster Australia has ever seen. It seems as though what was going on was truly horrifying.

Cousins are all good, and uncle is camping out with one of them. Here's hoping that the fires will die down, and hoping too that those who perished went quickly. The Aussie PM, Kevin Rudd, summed it perfectly when he said that "Hell in all its fury has visited Victoria".

May they all rest in peace, as this has been a very grim few days for this beautiful country.