The track down to Little Island runs along the top of a series of little beaches and through small palm groves. As we get closer to the foothills of Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower we start spotting the circling petrels – there’s one, there’s another … hang on a minute … as we really focus and look we realise that there are hundreds, maybe thousands of petrels up there, soaring in the wind currents.

Once we reach the small clearing at Little Island we settle down on the grass to watch and supposedly call the petrels. A few “hoots” later and we are suddenly getting buzzed as petrels swoop down and over us, some slowing down for a good look and others coming in to land on the grass right beside us.

The longer we looked more petrels appeared and more and more swooped right in close. Gradually, those landing staggered off into the grass and palm trees to look for a cosy spot to spend the night.

We headed back to Capella as the sky darkened, stopping along the way to watch a magnificent sunset over the ocean. The gathering clouds on the horizon created some fabulous “alien light” with the swooping petrels silhouetted perfectly.

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The walk starts with a stroll along the grassy dunes at the top of Old Settlement Beach before climbing steeply and relentlessly to the top of the saddle. While the steps make the climb a little easier they were clearly built for giants (or at least someone with VERY long legs). You are quickly surrounded by the forest as you ascend and soon come face to face with some of the unmentioned local wildlife … the biggest spiders in the world!! Well, possibly there are some bigger somewhere but definitely the biggest just hanging around at head height as we walk along.

We emerge from the trees onto the saddle and scramble up to Kim’s Lookout. As we marvel at the views to the north of the Island (and the camera comes out to snap some shots), we suddenly realise that these are serious 360 degree views and in fact looking back to the south along the Island, these are the postcard views that drew us to the Island in the first place.

As we make our way along the ridge from Kim’s to Malabar Hill, we are entertained with the antics of the Red-tailed Tropic-birds cruising the wind currents and crash-landing into their nests on the cliffs.

We finally reach the clearing at the top of Malabar Hill and settle onto a comfy rock to enjoy our lunch. Capella Lodge has packed a lavish lunch pack which we devour as if we haven’t seen food for days (well, it’s been hours) and feel particularly smug that we have earnt the rich chocolate brownies!

The final stage of the walk goes quickly as we descend Malabar Hill, cross the cow paddocks, through the palm grove and out onto Ned’s Beach with spectactular views the whole way down. Our expedition ends with a rest, a refreshing paddle and a spot of fish feeding at Ned’s Beach.

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