A Quiet Morning at Tacking Point Lighthouse

I set my alarm well before first light on what would be my final morning in Port Macquarie. The drive up to Tacking Point was quiet and dark. I had been to this lighthouse many times during my stay and yet arriving in the cold pre-dawn still felt like something sacred. The light inside the building glowed through its narrow window and cast a soft warmth across the wet ground. I stood there in the stillness and just breathed it all in.

As the sky began to shift from deep purple into gold I felt something I can only describe as a peaceful moment. Standing at the edge of the headland with the ocean stretching out in every direction I felt small but not alone. The clouds caught the first rays and turned shades of orange and pink that no edit could ever fully replicate. It was one of those mornings that reminds you why you pick up a camera in the first place.

Saying goodbye to Port Macquarie was not easy. This town has a way of getting under your skin. The lighthouse stood proud behind me as I walked back to the Navara and I turned around one last time to take it all in. Bittersweet is the only word for it. But at the same time I could feel the pull of home and the thought of my fur baby waiting for me made the drive ahead feel worth every kilometre.

If you ever find yourself on the mid north coast of New South Wales make sure Tacking Point is on your list. Go before sunrise. Sit on one of those benches and watch the sky do its thing. You might just find the same peace I did out there on that headland above the sea. Here are some shots to remember the morning by.