When the rest of Melbourne stands still to watch horses suffer for gambling money, where do you go? As far away as possible I hope! My family and I took a trip down the Peninsula on Cup Day, for some quality bonding in the sun.
It has been years since I last visited Cape Schanck, I had forgotten how mesmerisingly beautiful the coast line is. A ten minute boardwalk from the carpark, you’ll find the very definition of resplendence. On a cloudless day like this, the sparkling blue of the water starts to appear as you crest the first hill, followed by the shape of the porous cliffs to your left. Each tiny wave in the distance, peaked in white, makes it’s mark on the landscape. A cave like an open mouth swallowed the water in breathtaking gulps.
Going down the stairs brought us out of the mainland’s shelter, so we zipped our jackets up against the wind and grinned stupidly with rose-tinted cheeks and noses. My mum excitedly tried to draw our attention to the cat shaped rock to the right of us, though it took a while to see it at the correct angle and nod our agreement.
The boardwalk snaked its way down the hill, around the curve of pebble beach where children played and kites were valiantly flown in the gusts. We got momentarily stuck behind some tourists that I thought were just being slow, until their pointing fingers told me there was more to see. A waddling echidna shoved his sturdy snout in and out of the ground a foot away, unconcerned by the gawking eyes following him. Such an example of serenity had to be appreciated.
We left the board walk behind us, climbing down towards the water’s edge across a rocky horizon. Every second step could accidentally land you in a pool of sea life. The water was so clear it might as well not have been there, until the breeze sent the surface into a silvery shimmer. The clarity of the water was evidence of an ever-changing tide, rising to cleanse the pools daily at least. With eyes forward we trekked past the hazardous holes everywhere to get closer to the ocean’s roar.
I breathed deeply through the nose to fully absorb the crisp, clean air. Honestly I had expected more of an as-salt to the senses, but the constant motion of the wind and water must prevent the stagnation of salty seaweed and sea creatures. My lungs have rarely felt cleaner.
There’s something very humbling about experiencing the power of the ocean. Back and forth the waves push and pull at the shore, simultaneously taking and restoring life on the edges of our home land. That sort of inevitability gives you the peace of mind to let go of minor problems, grudges, anxieties, creases in your forehead, and just appreciate how it feels to be a part of that circle of life. It sounds cliche, I know, but for good reason. Even though I was sorely hungover, I could hardly feel more purified.
But what better place to go with a hangover than the Peninsula Hot Springs. Lying back in the steaming mineral water, that ought to clear the toxins right out of anyone. The smiles of the staff on arrival were calming and pleasant, I felt relaxed from the first second we stepped through the doors.
We wanted to try every pool we could, of course, so we started up the left hand side on entrance, sliding into the pool with massage jets. It may have been a little ambitious for my aching head to get used to, being pounded in the back with half way scalding water, but I relaxed into it slowly. We followed that up with a reflexology walk, a path of stones designed to massage and stimulate the neurological reflex zones on the foot, promoting health and well being. They have various sections with different shapes, sizes and textures, a shallow stream of warm spring water running over the top of it. I always hated it as a kid, I found it uncomfortable and annoying, but now my understanding of the benefits outweighs that irritation. I definitely recommend walking slowly back and forth across it a few times to really milk its worth.
We passed by a few pools we deemed too busy and made our way up the hill past the adults only sign. Ah, it was good to get away from the squealing and splashing of the underage, though we noticed a few wee ones trying to get away with it before the staff politely asked them to return to the open age section. This left a wide opening in the ideal pool with the hill top view. I stopped in the middle and spun a slow circle to take in the 360 degree view of rolling hills, sunny skies and the freshest air imaginable.
The sun was a bit intense without any cover, so in the interest of not burning to a crisp, I took myself down to the cave pool for a shady nap. The children in this area were certainly not still or quiet, but I stuck myself way up the back and closed my eyes to try and dull the senses and relax. The cave muted the sounds from outside, stopped the cool breeze, shaded me from the sun, and altogether would have made for a perfect place for meditation had I been alone. Unfortunately my hungover head was still complaining about the noisy kids IN the cave, so I decided to abandon my mission and really fight the alcohol out of my system the good old fashioned way. I sat myself down in the hot, dry sauna to sweat it out as long as I could bear, and then threw myself into one of the cool plunges dotted around the park. That really cleared up my senses for a while!
We stopped for lunch at their modest cafe. Honestly I was amazed at the number of vegan options available, especially in such a tiny, high pressure venue. It certainly made my sisters and I quite happy! I recommend returning to your bag/locker for a jumper first though, because I certainly started to feel the chill on my goose bumping skin. But the cool wait was well worth the warm pizza in the end.
We napped for a while in a shady, shallow pool before curiosity got the better of us and we stalked down towards the “Coming Soon” section called Clay Ridge. They’re starting to open up sessions for body clay masking and bathing. We had missed today’s session, instead they were setting up for a private function in gorgeous steam tents. I started imagining how fun it would be to have a party here, especially with everyone chill as can be. They had to one-up my party idea of course. Not only can you relax in a pool, have a party in bubble tents, you can add live-entertainment too!
We stumbled upon the amphitheatre by accident, this space they use for things like yoga sessions, or “hot talks” from guest speakers. I would love to see it used for gigs of live music or native dance, or honestly absolutely any performance would be absolutely perfect with a glass of bubbles and a pool of mineral water to watch from.
Speaking of performances, my mum had to get to choir practice so it was finally time to be on our way. I’ve never had a better nap in the car in my life!
Love Gem xx
Hidden Gem 