Mars Bluff Arch

Mars Bluff Arch is a large natural arch of dark, angular rock, sitting on the sand where the cliffs of Mars Bluff run down to the beach on North Bruny Island. The hike in is part of the adventure but your photographs will quickly show it was worth all the effort to get here! It sits along the Cape Queen Elizabeth Track, which starts from a small car park on the main island road. The first stretch of the hike is flat, past two lagoons, before the track opens onto the coast. Tide decides your day here. At low tide you walk the shoreline under the bluff straight to the arch, which is the easier and more direct route. At high tide the water closes it and you climb over the bluff instead, then drop through the dunes onto Miles Beach from the far side. Checking the tide tables before you drive down will give you a shorter walk and much longer shooting window to experiment with capturing the arch. Once you're there, get low on wet sand and shoot through the opening. The rock reads almost black against pale sand, so the arch comes out graphic and rugged against its smooth surroundings. You can experiment with reflections by setting up near the waterline and patiently waiting for just the right wave to roll in. Morning light suits this whole area with the coast facing east and the sun coming up over the water. Caves and a narrow slot in the cliff sit just around the corner and are worth exploring if you have the extra time before the tide comes back in and makes your hike out longer. Make sure to keep an eye on the water level, its easy to get penned in by the returning tide if you are not careful. (North Bruny, Tasmania, Australia)