Trial Island

There was such an extraordinary amount of interest expressed that I just had to blip it. (little laughy face goes here)

Trial Island is just off shore and the lighthouse is manned, rare these days. It's an ecological reserve, home to 14 seriously endangered plant species. Six of those only grow on this island, and no where else in the world!

I went to the top of Anderson Hill to take this. It was quite blowy up there, but you could still hear the tide ripping through the channel. I've often been up on Anderson Hill and watched kayakers attempt to pass through the channel against the tide, paddling and paddling and paddling and just going nowhere. The coast guard is occasionally called for help.

If you look closely you can see four antennas across the island. Those are ours. We're actually in the process of rebuilding the towers and transmitters. The crew had to barge all the material out, then hand cart all of it to the site along a footpath, under strict instructions not to set one foot off the path. No vehicles allowed. And because they can't take a crane on the island they plan to build the new antennas, then once they're up they'll dismantle the old antennas by reaching across from new ones. Sounds crazy and dangerous, I know. The crew are actually quite noticeably odd.

Earlier this summer a botanist went over to dig up all the endangered plants that were growing in the vicinity of the towers and brought them back to town for safe storage until the nutters have finished rebuilding. Then he's going to take them back.

You need a permit to go on the island.

Anything you'd like to add, pensioner?