Cape Banks (digital photos at this stage)

As I finished work at 6am and had to start again at 1400, I did not have time to go home. SO I went to a favorite haunt, Cape Banks.

CApe Banks for people who do not know sydney, it in the south east, not far from La Perouse loop and it forms the entrance to Botany Bay.

I took my analogue bag and Lots of film. Cape Banks is the resting place of the SS Minmi, shipwrecked 8 May 1937. I do love shooting this wreck, but today, the tide came in too quickly for me to get to the wreck so I climbed the hill above it and shot her from above. Sunrise was disappointing this morning, almost colourless. :-( Always the way you have the cameras out and the sun wont play. :-(
For the record I had my Canon 7D for HDR, Cmena 8M (Redbird film)and Cmena 8 (B&W) film, Spinner (Lomo film) Sprocket (Unknown film) Tim135 (Happy film) and Lubitel 166B (which had to begin with Lomo ISO400 film.).


Some fishermen had climbed up the cliff behind me and so I watched them for a while, shooting the waves crashing against our position. I used up the Lubital roll (Lomo ISO 400)and then a second one (Lomo Chrome 200), changing as quickly as I could in the sea spray. I missed a frame on one roll and the next roll had frame 6 exposed as the back fell open. I was glad for the tape in my bag and I repaired the camera and soldiered on.

The spinner used a roll, and as I had not written down what film was in it, I was surprised that it had an ISO 800 in it. DAMN my photos will be overexposed. I keep better notes now....Spinner re-loaded with Fujicolor Superia ISO 100, and so I will have to use the rest of the roll in bright sun. Hmm WIll need to remember to keep the camera on cloud setting.

I headed back towards the car, then as a spur of the moment thing headed up to the old cemetery. Called the Coast Cemetery or Prince Henry Hospital Cemetery it was used from 1881 for the small pox outbreak. The infectious decease hospital being located here at Little Bay as it was far enough away from the city to quarantine the sick and dying. Eventually this little hospital house Typhoid, Bubonic plague and leprosy victims. Anyone dying of one of these diseases was interred here no matter where they died. Its a shame that most headstone have not survived, being close to the coast and also as it is so isolated, it gets vandalized. :-( Poeple here may not have even had a headstone. The stones are scattered and there is no order here. No neat rows. I wonder if these people still have any family still living. There was a grave of a 5 year old child. :-(
I didn't dwell here, I need to return on a less sticky day.

Onwards to the cliffs again. Here at Little Bay, I took out the Sprocket Rocket. I dunno what film is in this camera, but I am determinded to get at least one usable photo out of this camera. TIM135 came out to play as well but after doing a lot of shooting, I realized that I had left him on cloudy, so another over exposed roll. I have not used a whole roll from this camera yet. These 36 exposures seem to just keep going and going. It was here that I sat to update my film notes. I ventured further north towards the golf course but the heat and hunger were gnawing at me.. so I gave up and headed home.



I never did find the access to the gun shelter above me at the Westpac Chopper hanger. Something else to do next time.
Finding my car where I left it.. (WIN!) I got to the entrance to the Golf course, when a sign with a castle distracted me.. I turned left instead of right... and ended up at the La Perouse loop. The most southern point for the Sydney Trams, this was a balloon loop that was always busy. Now just tourists and not many. The castle was the Barracks tower sitting in the centre of the modern day loop.
Took a few shots, Saw the Alexander Spirit in port at Kurnell, but she was too far away for my film friends (Not having the Canon 10QS with me) SO I only took Digital.

Finally I was driven to the airport's fast food outlet, where I got supplies and headed to the lookout near the Tower. Here I shot with film and analogue, and then tried to assist a guy move his ford, which he had managed to stick on a hill in the sand. It was stuck and even with 4 adults, we could not shift her. No one had a strap, so he was stuck and had to wait for the NRMA. By this time, fatigue had caught up and I headed for work.


Showered and dressed, I slept for 2 hours before starting my shift. I felt much better for the shower I can tell you. My nose is red, my arms mildly burnt but I shot a bit of film and feel good about the trip. NO matter how many times I go to Cape Banks I always discover new things to shoot and explore.