NORAH HEAD HIKE - 30 MAY 2017

28 may

A great sunrise through a thin, wispy cloud bank at Terrigal Beach.

29 May

A flat ocean on this morning but sunny with a light but cool wind.

Today's adventure ... Norah Head.

I parked near the lighthouse and wandered down the path to the lighthouse.

The lighthouse is very imposing and pretty. I wandered around the base and periodically looked back upon it as I walked. The beacon was rotating and sparkling as it reflected the morning sunlight.

At the end of the path, I descended the stairs to the beach and rocky shore platform.



There were a number of people fishing in such a pretty setting. I wandered around the rocks enjoying the brisk breeze and exploring the small rocky crevasses. The water in the crevasses looked nice, especially, with small waves running along them in the narrow space.

On the far promontory, I watched the waves push in over the rocks filling in the hollow then drawing back making a wild cascade of seawater. Not a good place for a swim though.

I continued walking along the rocks and beaches. There were one or two birds foraging and the sunlight was twinkling across the ocean surface.

Near the rockpool, I spoke with a group of landcare people who were removing bitou bush from the cliff edge. They cut the bush near the base then coat the stem in round-up ( a nonresidue poison) to kill it permanently. the bitou dominates the landscape where it becomes established killing native plant species.

At the top of the cliff, I followed the Norah Head Nature trail back to the carpark.

The trail was well looked after and there were a number of plant species along the route. Small signposts indicated what some species were and their human and animal usage. Very interesting.

I drove to Soldier's Beach for a coffee and to watch some very small waves breaking and a few guys surfing. I met a guy Grant who had a very unusual canoe made of light timber and fiberglass.