Weekend at the Beach

This past weekend I went with my frisbee team to Phillip Island for a training weekend.  There are 18 of us—10 guys and 8 girls I think—that make up MUtation, Melbourne University’s Ultimate team.  We’re training for Uni Games, which is coming up in under two weeks.  It's like the Olympics of Australian University sport.  But back to the weekend.

I went down early on Friday with a couple of my teammates.  On the way we picked up and dropped off a few chairs for an uncle who had recently moved.  He gave us a tour of his compound, which he had purchased a few months ago from a manic depressive potter who apparently had to sell after 35 years of residence because she ran out of money after repeatedly ordering custom furniture then getting it redone when she wasn’t satisfied.  I think he said she redid the kitchen five times.  Regardless, the property was gorgeous; it was situated on a hill surrounded by scrub pines and the four structures were all made of a mud/stucco material.  I wish I had taken photos but I had left my camera in the van.  The uncle also said he had got it cheap because last year the forest fires passed within five minutes of the property and buyers were scared.

Also during the hour and a half drive to the island we stopped at the Wildlife Wonderland, but after we found out the Giant Gippsland Earthworm exhibit was no longer running we elected not to enter the park.

I hate to be the grammar police, but...

That evening we checked out the sea lion sanctuary on the island.  There were no sea lions to be found, but there were plenty of sea gulls.  Multiplying as we watched.  The visit was worth it though, because we arrived right as the golden hour started.  The ribbon light was pretty perfect.  Photos after the jump...

There were a lot...

...and more were on the way.

Oh, the ribbon light.

The actual training weekend was fun.  On Saturday we had double sessions at a field a short car drive from the house we rented.  Afterwards we went to the beach and jumped in the frigid water, fresh from Antarctica.  I don’t think it was the coldest water I’ve swum in, but pretty close.  Also decent waves for body surfing.  Could only stay in for a couple minutes.  On Sunday morning we went back to the beach for layout practice on the sand.

Stole this from a facebook photo album. (Thanks KK)

In the afternoon we drove back to the city for a scrimmage against Monash, who will be a competitor at Uni Games.  It was an intense game and when we called it a day I think we were up by one point.  A successful end to a great weekend.