A further two hundred kilometres of walking along 'The Tops to Myalls Heritage Trail', a journey from the sand to snowgums, takes approximately eleven days from here. The blue water off Port Stephens is part of the Pacific Ocean. Just offshore a current of water moves south at a few kilometres an hour. This southerly current brings warmer water from the tropical north. Twice a day, on the flood tide, some of this warm water is drawn into the port.
High tide is a wonderful, renewing event.
Clear, clean, salty water moves over the sand banks. Oyster racks are submerged. Shallow rocky creeks fill with water and become navigable. The aerial roots of mangroves disappear under the unstoppable force. Predatory fish invade the sun-warmed land.