MUNMORAH SCA - BEACH, FISH, DOLPHINS, MTB - 23 OCTOBER 2018

The day was predicted to be sunny.



I checked the surf at North Avoca and Wamberal but it was pretty small on a high tide.

I drove up to Pelican Beach, which had a few random okay small waves but noone was out.

Next stop, Soldiers Beach. The surf was small with a random okay wave but there as quite a few sups and mals out. Most of the time they were sitting/standing. I got a cappuccino and headed further north.

I stopped at Red Ochre Beach at Munmorah State Conservation Area and wandered down to the beach. The sun was shining warmly and the beach was near deserted. I sat don near the water's edge and gazed around, took photos and read. Amazingly, a pod of dolphins undulated past at about 20 metres from shore. They were following massive schools of fish. The fish were closer to shore and I could see them clearly on the face of some small waves as the wave reached its peak before breaking.

As I was lying on the beach a chill came over me and a fog bank had moved across the beach. I couldn't see the south end of the beach or Bird Island.

I left the beach and drove to the trail head of the Snapper Point Trail. I set up the mountain bike and had a ride along the trail. The trail as relatively short but there was a fun side track that meandered downhill through the thick bush. I followed until just before reaching a dense steep overgrown gully.

A great morning with a short sort-of-swim, dolphins, schools of fish in the waves, a rolling fog bank and a mountain bike ride.

MUNMORAH MTB - SNAPPER FIRE TRAIL AND OFF QUARRY TRACK - 8 JANUARY 2017

The chance of a surf today looked slim. I checked Wamberal Beach and Red Ochre Beach but decided on a bike ride at Munmorah SCA.

There were two tracks, I wanted to follow.

The first was the Snapper Point Fire Trail. It was pretty straightforward with a good downhill run on the return leg of the ride.

The second was a track off the Quarry Trail. I had missed this one when I was here a few weeks ago. It started off with a number of branches across the track to block access. Once passed this section it was a great downhill ride that winded down the hill in broad sweeps through the scruffy vegetation. Parts of it were smooth and flowy and other parts were eroded with holes and small drop offs. Heaps of fun. :)

It ended in a pretty and quiet spot surrounded by ferns, dry forest trees with a backdrop of rainforest trees. The rainforest trees indicated where the creeks flowed.

Cover in sweat and pumped with adrenalin ,
I was eased back into a state of rumination,
Looking at the ferns and the motley coloured trees.
Feeling the pleasure of being alone with thee.

Later, I checked Caves Beach for waves but settled on a cappuccino... large :)