CENTRAL COAST - 1 TO 7 JANUARY 2023

 

1 JANUARY

The start of a new year ... so much to see ... so much to do :)

An early morning mountain bike ride at Kincumba Mountain. It was eerily quiet and not a soul about.

After the ride, I had an ocean swim at Terrigal Haven. More humans here but still very quiet.

It was such a hot day. I had a second ocean swim in the afternoon to cool down.

2 JANUARY

A hike with Jacinta to Strom lookout at Bouddi National Park. We followed the tracks which was heaps better than the trail.

An ocean swim at Terrigal Haven. So many sights along the way – catfish, a large grouper and a manta ray. :)

4 JANUARY

A mountain bike at Rocky Point. The track has become a bit more challenging with higher drop offs and exposed tree roots.

After the ride, I had an ocean swim the Haven.

5 JANUARY

A windsurf at Canton Beach. The wind was howling and to start there was no one out on the water. I put up my smallest sail - 4.2metres - and the action was no stop for two hours. My gybing was very rusty but towards the end of the session it seemed better.

6 JANUARY

We had a trip to Sydney to see Jacinta's brother, Mark, who is in age care. Good to see the young fella.

7 JANUARY

A windsurf at Canton beach. The wind wasn't as strong as two days ago, so I used my 6.3  metre sail. I had a lot of problems with it last year but finally, I got it working well. It still needs a few more adjustments. A fun session. Bill, Paul, Graham and lance were also there. :)

CENTRAL COAST - 10 TO 15 DECEMBER 2022

 

10 DECEMBER

A bike/hike to Woy Woy Waterfall Pool in Brisbane Water National Park.

I started at the carpark at the beginning of the Tunnel Trail. I followed this trail by bike and turned left at the intersection with the Mullet Creek Trail. It was downhill till the trail ended. A fun ride with some steep sections.

I chained my bike to a tree and followed a short track to the creek that led to the waterfall. It was very pretty here with the water shallowly cascading over the sandstone base of the creek. It was a hot day so the lizards were out sunning themselves.

It was a short distance down the creek to the waterfall which was a vertical drop of about 15 metres into a man-made pool. A track leads along the escarpment of the waterfall and eventually, leads a very steep rock scramble to the base of the escarpment. It continues on until it reaches the waterfall.

The waterfall was very pretty with the falls lightly spraying the surface of the pool. It is swimmable!  

Later, we drove to Sydney for a reunion dinner. It was a good night catching up with old friends, eating delicious food and downing a few beers and wines.

11 DECEMBER

We stayed overnight in Sydney and joined Mick and Deb for breakfast.

Back home, I had an ocean swim at Terrigal Haven to clear the cobwebs of the previous evenings indulgence.

13 DECEMBER

A hike with Angus to Box Head in Bouddi National Park. Angus’s car was 4wd so we drove to the carpark at the top of Tallows Beach.

The hike starts as a trail but soon turns into a track. The track was easy over rocks, tree roots and dirt. The trees had grown low and wide. This time of year, the trees shred their bark making the trucks and branches very colourful. There was a number of viewpoints along the way with amazing coastal views up and down the coast.

In the afternoon, we had a visit from my nephew Robert. It was so good to see him as covid restrictions and busy lives meant we hadn’t seen him for three years.

14 DECEMBER

An early snorkel at Terrigal Haven. It was a bit dull due to poor visibility. BUT suddenly, a massive sting ray appeared ghost-like just under me. It was a little too close for my comfort with the sting ray’s stinger swaying casually behind it. 😊

15 DECEMBER

I have been thinking of a kayak/hike journey to Scion Kop in Woy Woy Bay. Today was the day.

I parked at Goora Lane in Woy Woy Bay, launched the kayak and paddled for the far end of Woy Woy Bay. I landed the kayak three times, but I couldn’t find the track that was indicated on some maps. I persevered and paddled up the creek in search of the elusive path. The paddled was so good up this pristine creek but alas the creek came to an end and no track was to be found.

I’ll try another time when the tide is higher so I can get further up the creek.

CENTRAL COAST - 30 JANUARY TO 4 FEBRUARY 2021

 30 January

A light rain. I had ordered a new SUP paddle online and it was time to try it out.  I took the SUP out at Terrigal Lagoon. I paddled up to the golf course end and circled the small island. I returned with a detour under the bridge at Willoughby Road. At the end of the ride my legs were a bit numb. Next time, a bit of stretching before finishing. The new paddle was heaps better than the old one.

31 January

A morning surf at Wamberal Beach. I paddled out with Steve. The surf was okay, the waves a little infrequent and there was a strong wind. I was lucky and had about four good waves and a number of okay waves.

The wind increased through the morning. Time for a windsurf. The wind was a strong southerly. I started with the 5m sail but switched to the 6.3 m sail as the wind decreased. The new sail was a pick tricky to rig and I had to make a number of adjustments in the water. It was nice to catch up with windsurfing friends – Lisa, Lance, Craig, Peter, Michael. Need a better mast for the sail.

2 February

A trip to Sydney this morning with Kara.

First stop was to drop off Kara’s baby dusky lori at the pet cargo at Sydney domestic airport. She had a buyer for the bird from Cairns in North Queensland.

We had some time to kill so we drove over to La Perouse, had breakfast at The Boathouse and wandered around the shoreline of Bare Island.

Next stop was WSS boards at Manly as I needed some windsurfing items. I brought some downhaul rope, a new mast for the new sail and a new harness. I also had the universal joint replaced on my mast base. Keen to try out the new harness and the new mast in the new sail.

3 February

A morning surf check but there wasn’t much quality.

Back at home, we were visited by a pair of rainbow lorikeets roosting on the deck chair waiting for breakfast.

Too much excitement, so we took off for a hike at Girrakool. The recent rain gave the bush a fresh look. We walked the loop in an anticlockwise direction for a change. The first waterfall was flowing with a reasonable amount of water. It looked very pretty and we spent a bit of time there enjoying the falls.

There were a lot of flowers in bloom as well.

4 February

A morning surf check at North Avoca Beach and Wamberal Beach but once again not much quality.

We spent the day pottering around the house getting lots of small jobs finished or sort of finished.

Later, I had a swim at Terrigal Haven. The water was nice but the visibility under the water was very poor.

THE OCTOBER FILES - 7 TO 31 OCTOBER 2020

 7 OCTOBER 2020

I visited my sister and had a hearing test in Sydney. My hearing aides are working the very well now.

8 OCTOBER 2020

A kayak at Avoca Lagoon. There were heaps of birds, the water was very high and I was paddling over what is normally dry land.

9 OCTOBER 2020.

A surf at Wamberal Beach. The tide was low with okay rights.

Today's jobs - picked up my mountain bike as it was under repair, got guitar strings and pegs from Macron music and checked out the cameras at the Camera House.

A surf at Wamberal. The tide was mid with fun rights then up to the lefts but it was a bit crowded there.

Today's task was buying clothes at Kathmandu as it was the last day for discounts.

10 OCTOBER 2020

A mountain bike ride at Kincumba Mountain.

OMG! A dick on my penis. It was very sore and I felt sick for the next two days.

13 OCTOBER 2020

A surf at Wamby. Fun. There were four guys out in a friendly atmosphere. Rights.

An afternoon mountain bike ride at Kincumba Mountain.

14 OCTOBER 2020

A mountain bike ride at Bouddi National Park on the loop track. Parts of track were eroded a bit deep.

Later, Jacinta and I had a Haven walk, coffee and sit in the sun.

15 October 2020

A surf at Wamby on fun rights with about 8 others out. A shifting peak but some good waves.

We had high tea at Crown Plaza. It was tasty and a nice family get together in elegance.

16 OCTOBER 2020

A windsurf at Canton Beach. A very short time as one of my harness lines snapped on second run. It took a while to get back to shore.

After the disastrous windsurf, I had a surf at Wamby on way back home. I was small with little power. After two waves, I got out.

Today's task - renewed my NSW National Park pass.

18 OCTOBER 2020

A surf at Wamby just north of the ruins. It was breaking close to shore and it was good. There was a large crowd further up the beach but I the break all to myself. The high tide swallowed the wave after 45 minutes. I walloped my knee on my board on the last wave. Ouch!

Later, I visit John VE, who was recovering from another accident. He is very accident proned.

19 OCTOBER 2020

Knee a bit sore.

A short walk around the Haven. We saw Michael and Michelle. They told us about their covid story of a cruise ship in Europe that turned into nightmare.

20 OCTOBER 2020

A surf at Wamby. I only caught a few rights before the incoming tide swallowed the waves up.

21 OCTOBER 2020

A kayak at Avoca Lagoon. There was heaps of water. I paddled under trees, through reeds and had a number of close bird encounters.

22 OCTOBER 2020

A kayak at Terrigal lagoon. I paddled up the golf course end.

Later, a coffee and walk around rocks at the haven with Jacinta.

Later still, A surf at Wamby. There was no one out. I managed a few waves before they were swallowed by the incoming tide.

In the evening, we had dinner with Jacinta’s ex workfriends.

23 OCTOBER 2020

We drove to Sydney, to see Jacinta's brother in Hornsby hospital

27 OCTOBER 2020

A windsurf at Canton Beach. More disaster - mast base popped out, changed sails, sail got a big hole in it, patched it and back out. Still, it was a fun wind.

30 OCTOBER 2020

Brisbane Water NP – Bulls Hill for mountain bike ride. There were fresh, clear views, puddles of water and lots of loose rocks It was a  fun ride with some steep, fast and rough sections.