SURFS, OCEAN KAYAK, BIKES, HIKES - 24 TO 30 APRIL 2020

24 APRIL 2020

A morning hike at Kincumba Mountain with Jacinta.

We followed the Kanning Track plus the old track that runs over the sandstone rocks above it.

It was quiet with plenty of bird calls and the concessional sighting of some of them. The track was thick with ferns. A pleasant walk.


25 APRIL 2020

An ocean kayak from Patonga Beach to Pearl Beach.

First off, this was a lot further than I thought but it was worth it.

My ocean sit-on kayak was a  lot more complicated to set up before launch - foot petal adjustment, attaching the seat and lining up the steering fin so that it was centred. This kayak was also very heavy (30 plus kg) and the handles are in an awkward balancing position so getting it in and out of the van and carrying it was difficult. Anyway, I lived.

The water was smooth and glassy at the start and once around the first point and wind though gentle made the water a little bumpy. The small swell made it possible for me to paddle close to the rocky shoreline all the way.

The shoreline was mainly rock which had tumbled down from the high cliffs that were only ten metres from the water's edge. There were three small beach areas to land  along the way.

It was an exciting paddle knowing that there was a possibility of tipping.

At one point, two seals were frolicking in water a short distance from me. They were undulating in and out of the water, waving their tails and fins slowly above the water and shaking off water from the upper parts of their bodies like a dog.

The paddle was a 10 km return journey. It took just short of three hours with two beach rests and a swim at Pearl Beach.

27 APRIL 2020

Light rain today.

An afternoon walk around the Haven with Jacinta.

28 APRIL 2020

An early mountain bike ride at Brisbane Water National Park.

A ride along the Bulls Hill trail and tracks. A couple of short steep sections with loose rocks. Great views across the waterways. A couple of rock scrambles to see what was on top of the large boulders.

A short but fun ride.

29 APRIL 2020

A surf check with a wander around Magenta Beach.

Parked the van, walked along the sandy track and I was on Magenta Beach.

Pretty blue skies, sun shining, birds tweeting, waves a rolling and all to myself. :)

A mid afternoon surf at North Avoca Beach with Ken.

It was small and mushy. It was nice to get wet.

30 APRIL 2020

 An early afternoon surf at Terrigal Beach in front of the surf club with Ken.

There was the odd one or two okay wave. The surf started off with a bit of size and bumpy and finished small and smooth.

THE KANNING HIKE - 8 JUNE 2019

A hike on the Kanning Track at Kincumba Mountain Regional Reserve.

The weather has been unsettled the past two days but even though there as thick cloud cover , it didn't look like it would rain.

Jacinta and I followed the easy track. There were a number of small white flowers in bloom and a few other species that were starting to bloom.

The rock formations were pretty. Some were moss covered and others were spilt by tree root action.

There was a small cave on this hike that would provide shelter from rain for quite a number of people.

A pretty walk through a natural landscape.

KINCUMBA MOUNTAIN - KANNING TRACK - HIKE - 17 FEBRUARY 2016

A cloudy morning with a peep of sunrise.



I ride around Kincumba Mountain a lot but when I originally started visiting the area I was mainly hiking. I'm not quite ready for a bike ride yet but I was very keen for a bush hike.

I chose the Kanning Track as it easy and has a lot to offer in a short hike.

Firstly, it was nice to meander along a track with natural bushland all around me. secondly, my walking speed was a bit slow and careful so I spent a lot of time looking at the smaller things - the texture of a tree's bark, the fronds of the ferns and rock shapes.

A few features of the walk was a large fallen tree at the beginning of the track. The root system of the base of the tree lined the edge of the path in a vertical direction.  Another large fallen tree on a sandstone rock platform looked like the base was sliced smoothly off the rock. Further along the track was a cave. Not very deep but deep enough to give easy protection from the elements.

A great hike.

CENTRAL COAST - Kincumba Mountain - Kanning Track - 10 September 2009

Getting there

Drive by car to Kincumber Mountain reserve. Turn right just before the shopping centre at Kincumber at . Next, turn right at the first roundabout at Kincumber Street. Follow this street until the end. It joins onto a road leading up to the picnic area at Kincumber Mountain.

The picnic area has a mud house and toilets, parking and a ranger station at the northern end. The area is wide and there are tables and benches available. It is a nice place to rest or have a bit of fun while overlooking the view of Brisbane Water.

Kanning Track

The entry to this track is a short distance along the road north of the ridge trail.

After a very short distance, the track turns 90 degrees right and passes between two large fallen trees. The roots of the trees face into the path forming a bush turnstile. The shape of the root system is very interesting and gaps in the roots make for a window view of the surrounding bush. The ground of the track is soggy in parts but walkways prevent walks damaging the soil. The left edge of the track borders very large slabs of sandstone. Crevasses between the boulders are thick with plants humus. Water trickles and drips over the boulders creating an environment for ferns, mosses and lichens. A small cave can be found half way along the track. A short while after the cave the track begins to ascend and the flora changes to a drier variety. Eventually, the track joins up to the Yanina trail and it is only a short distance to the car park.

time: 1/2 hour

difficulty: easy