Sorrento – near Melbourne (part 2)

Black swans are Australian waterbirds. They are found in wetlands and around the shoreline. Some were taken overseas in the days of early European settlement, and some have bred* successfully in parts of UK, Japan and elsewhere.

When I see boats moored * in a sunny bay I always feel like going out in one! Can you see the swimmers on the pontoon?** When you were a child, did you ever jump off a pontoon*** or bridge into the water? Magic.

Now that you are an adult…you can take part in a swim from Sorrento to Portsea. This year’s swim was on 11 February. It is called Pier to Perignon, and is a 4.5 km ocean swim, organised by Portsea Surf Life Saving Club. The prize is a bottle of champagne, and the event is more about personal achievement than a massive competition. Check out oceanfit.com.au for  information about other swim events. Why not train next spring, and enter the event in 2019?

Sorrento Pier is a great place to walk along on a calm day. But not if you have high-heeled shoes on!

You can go on the ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff. You can walk on and off, or you can take the car. You maybe lucky enough to see dolphins on the trip. Queenscliff is a small town with an art gallery and tourist shops as well as a number of cafes and restaurants. Then you can come back on the ferry when you have had enough.

The walks around Sorrento make it an interesting place to stay, even if the weather is too cool to swim. There are plenty of options to stay for a few days… Mount Martha, Rye, and McCrae to mention a few.

* successfully raised their young

**we say parked for a car or motorbike, and moored when a boat is tied to something.

*** pontoon= floating platform which is anchored.