Pull the seaweed rope. Because at the end of it is our pirate ship. And we are off on an adventure.
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Photographed at Secret Beach, Victoria. This place was a pirate’s dream. It was perfect for unstructured outdoor imaginative play.
Travel slow
At Secret Beach we could hear the forest hum as we made our way down the hill to the unpatrolled beach. My tall husband had to crawl through the opening of a cave which the kids sauntered through. I may have adopted the gait of a crab to photograph this in motion.
It is exciting not knowing what is going to be on the other side of the darkness. The cave opened up onto the sea, blindingly bright and lapping at our feet. By the time our visioned returned, the kids were now pirates and there was work to be done.
Learning our limits and when to push them
The kids scrambled all over the rocks that were often slippery and sharp. They had to take their time, figure out what their options were and learn to calculate risk. The pay off was reaching the top of the rock, feeling strong and capable and the rush of getting that amazing view. Some of us may have done a little jig.
Pack a safety kit, check and dress for the weather
Bug repellent will come in very useful at Secret Beach. A dry bag for your phone and camera is really useful.
Leave no trace
We keep it wild for the creatures and the next adventurers.
- We planned ahead and prepared food and water in reusable containers. Pack extra snacks for the beach. Kids are always hungry at the beach.
- We aim to only produce waste that we can take home and compost.
- We are mindful that we are in a wildlife habitat. We encourage the kids to pay attention and look for what could be a creature’s home and remind them to protect and not destroy.
Telling Tales 