CENTRAL COAST - canton beach - windsurf - 26 december 2012

The wind was a southerly. A little up and down. heaps of fun. No movies or photos but used GPS to record information. I used Mark's sail for the first session and my smaller sail for the second. The GPS only recorded for the second session.

distance     - 17.76 km
time           - 1 hr 
av speed    - 19.4 km/h
max speed - 42.5 km/h

CENTRAL COAST - Popran NP - MTB - 21 december 2012

A cloudy day.

 

Parked along Ironbark Creek Road just after the pipeline trail. Cycled to picnic area. Through the gates.

I followed the service road through Donovan Forest - a quiet and serene place - to trail 248. This section was very narrow with vegetation at head height in places. It finished at a series of tessellating sandstone platforms, which were nice to walk around.

The return down the trail was better as it was downhill.

Then followed the Hominy Creek trail to Emerald Pool. This track was very rutted in sections. Emerald Pool was good but too emerald. I had a swim and found large huntsmen spiders living under the pool rock ledge.

The return journey to the car park was very steep uphill most of the way with some downhill.

In the last section before the carpark, I came across an echna, which quickly took a defensive position under a bush.

9.86 km
140m elevation difference
1.15 hrs
average speed 8.5km/h
max speed 31.8 km/h

CENTRAL COAST - canton beach - windsurf - peter - 11 december 2012

A strong southerly wind at Canton Beach. A little up and down. Lance had his camera and took a few videos of me. Fun day!

INDONESIA - Lombok - Kuta - 2008

Where to stay

Novotel Lombok 600 000r

tastura boutique resort – deluxe air con 175 000

655540

matahari hotel -

kuta indah – standard air con 250 000/125 000

Surfers Inn – standard air con 250 000/160 000

- with mini bar 225 000

What to do
Hire car

Surf

Novotel – right low to high

Tanjung a’an – beautiful beach

Selong blanak beach

Ekas – boat to inside (left and better right) and outside ekas ( mid tide) – breaks in front of resort – southern reefs- cape ringgal

Gurupuk – (2 lefts and 2 rights)

Air guling – left (mid to high) and right (low to mid)

Mawun left/right

Mawi left/right mid to high – sea urchins

Belongas right/left - sharks



May to October se winds

November to april sw winds

boat to surf 40 000

surf boat per day 200 000

kimen surf – ½ day gerupuk – 260 000

½ day mawi/air guling – 320 000


Transport


Novotel - Senggigi to kuta Lombok

85 000 – free to airport.

kimen surf transport

kuta to:

mataram 220 000

sengiggi 250 000

INDONESIA - Lombok - Sengiggi - 2008

accommodation

Batu bolong – sunset house homestay – batu bolong cottages ac 300 000

Mangsit beach – windy cottages – bulan baru hotel ac 250 000


activities

batu bolong, temple on point sunset

snorkeling north best

Perama tours

day trip along north coast

sekotong – boats to gili gede and gili nanggu,

mangsit beach

surfing – left mid to high – right – unknown spot north


Transport

Gili trawangan to senggigi

450 000 speed boat

CENTRAL COAST - Canton Beach - windsurf - 5 december 2012

Fun windsurf at Canton Beach. Mark and Lance were there. South west wind was up and down. Great when it was up!

I put the link below for the video has it wouldn't save as an embed.

CENTRAL COAST - monday street - windsurf - 8 december 2012

Windsurf off Monday Street on Tuggerah Lake with Mark. Wind was strong and kept getting stronger. Couple of big spills at the end, which didn't record.

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Warrah Trig Loop - MTB - 7 november 2012

On this ride, I tried to attack and relax more as advised. It certainly made the ride easier and fun. Got up some hills I couldn't do the other day.

10.53 km
53 minutes
av speed 12.4 km/h
max speed 44.3 km/h
elevation difference 88m

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal Beach - surf - 5 december 2012

Surf at Wamberal. Clean and fun waves with only a few surfers out. Took some shots after surf.

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Warrah Trig - MTB - 4 december 2012

I drove over near Patonga for the Warrah Trig loop.

The weather was sunny and hot. I had bought new bike shorts and was keen to try them out. They definitely make the ride a lot more comfortable.

I parked at the parking area near Warrah Trig.

I cycled down the dirt road and onto Patonga drive. It was a fast ride downhill to the dirt service road turnoff for Pearl Beach. I followed it until Warrah Trig then doubled back to take the steep service road back to the van.

I notice a number of blocked service roads going down the road which after looking at them on goggle earth look like they would be fun to do!

4.82 km
24 minutes
av speed 13.3 km/h
max speed 29.2 km/h
elevation gain 98m

CENTRAL COAST - Ourimbah State Forest - MTB - 29 november 2012

The day was starting cloudy but predicted to be hot hot hot!

 

I drove to Ourimbah State Forest to try at the runs there.
On arrival there was no one there but a short time later a car pulled up. I was lad of that as after checking the map, I had no idea where the trails started.

The two guys had been here a few times and said I could follow them as the trails/tracks were only partially signposted. My lucky day!

The guys knew the way and gave me warning at the top of each rise what to expect in the next section.

The tracks lead in a variety of directions winding pass trees, etc. There was uphill, flats and downhill.

Some parts were divided into a and b tracks. The a track being the steeper. There were a lot of drop offs, holes, mud puddles, ruts, etc which made it all fun and exciting.

I had a great time and finished with perspiration running into my eyes, drenched shirt and shorts and a few scratches. The best ride I’ve had yet!

Unfortunately, I didn’t turn the gps on all the way so a big part of the map is missing.

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - van danis and sani depot trail - MTB - 21 november 2012

Off for a mountain ride at BrisbaneWaters National Park.

I parked at the start of Van Danis Trail.

I rode along the Van Danis trail then turned off into the Sani Depot Trail. I followed Patonga Drive back to the start of the Van Danis Trail then refollowed it and turned off in the direction of Patonga. Where the trail met the Patonga Drive, I followed it back to the start.

Near the beginning, there was a turn off track that lead to a large sandstone rock platform with some great views to the west.

.It was a good ride with some steep runs and a lot of bumps.

distance            5.82 km
time                  33 minutes
av speed           13.3 km/h
max speed        29.2 km/h
elevation gain   98m

AUSTRALIA - Werakata NP - Mungo Brush, - 15 november 2012

I left Mungo Brush and a small group of dingoes and headed to Werakata National Park

Werakata National Park

I parked at Astills Picnic Area. The weather had turned hot and humid. I cycled along Astills Trail then joined onto Deadmans Loop.  Astills trail was a service road and pretty boring. Deadmans varied in road/trail conditions making it a more interesting ride. Unfortunately, then was a few illegal dumpings spoiling the overall appearance of the area and the signposting was very poor (or maybe it had been vandalised).

Distance               8.11km

Time                      0:4

Av speed             10.6kph

Elevation gain    52m

Great trip but now back home!

AUSTRALIA - Booti Booti NP, Forster, Mungo Brush - 14 november 2012

The surf was small. Boomerang had a bit of a wave in the south but they were very few and very far between.

Cape Hawk

I drove to Cape Hawk lookout. It was a short but steep walk in the light morning drizzle to the top of the hill.  The dampness made the walk a smellfest. Nice! At the top there was a steel view tower with excellent 360 degree views.

Distance               .49km

Time                      0:21

Elevation gain    66m

Forster/Tuncurry

The surf at One Mile Beach was clean though barely breaking especially with the high tide.

Foster beach was even smaller. I had a swim in the rock pool.

I drove to the Tuncurry Breakwater and walked along it part of the way. I had given up on a surf but North Wall was breaking so I hurried back to change and in I went. It was ½ to 1m reasonable rights in clean conditions. Heaps of fun!

After lunch, I drove to One Mile Beach. The surf had become wind blown. While there, I  went on the short John Ward Rainforest Boardwalk.

Wootton

I read a bit on the Wootton Historic Railway walk and was looking forward to a different cycle. After turning off the main road, I drove along a reasonable dirt road for 2km but the next 2km was on a deeply pot holed, rutted, mud pooled road. It took far ages to drive the 2km. The track started at a picnic area that was very run down. Signs pointed into a forested area for the walk/cycle. I walked part of the way but found the track heavily littered with leaves and once I the forest it was extremely difficult to ascertain which way to go. I decided to do another day.

Mungo Brush

I stopped at Bulahdelah for supplies then drove to Mungo Brush camping area.  I met a nice couple from Barcelona and Milan, who were returning home the day after tomorrow. I also met a nice elderly couple who were prawning that evening. They had some great stories to tell.

AUSTRALIA - Treachery, Wallingat NP, Booti Booti NP - 13 november 2012

Treachery

The surf was very small and no shape. Onward!

Wallingat National Park

I stopped at Sugar Creek Picnic area for the start of a walk and cycle.

Hotel Creek Loop

The cycle went along the hotel trail then followed Thomas road and back to the picnic area.  The hotel trail was a challenge with thick leaf litter, branches and low trees. I had to keep a careful watch on this section and it oozed snake territory (didn’t see any). The next part was along dirt logging roads with some big pot holes. I forgot to turn on the GPS until the logging road.

Distance               6.24 km

Coachman Track

After a break, I walked the coachman track. The signs were a bit poor and the track which meandered through the trees was difficult to follow due to leaf litter. I went part of the way and returned.

Distance               .13km

Time                      0:10

Whoota Whoota Lookout

Next, I drove to Whoota Whoota Lookout. The road was steep and heavily rutted in sections. A hard drive. The view was great though a little hazy over the hinterland and the coast to the north and the south.

Wallingat River

Continuing, I drove to the Wallingat River camp area. After lunch, I had a great kayak upriver along the Wallingat River. The end section broke into sections. I followed both. The water was very clear in these end sections. I was able to see the rocks, underwater logs and fish. On finishing as I was drifting near the joining of the two tributaries, I was treated to an aerial display by two eagles.

Distance               3.97km

Time                      1:10

Av speed             3.4kph

Back at the campsite, while having lunch I was further entertained by a lace monitor. It climbed around and then rested metres away from me. I was going to stay the night but the weather report predicted rain in the morning and the road was bad enough dry.

Booti Booti National Park

Off to the Ruins camping area in Booti Booti National Park. I checked Boomerang along the way but it was very windblown. The surf at Booti Booti was also windblown.

Met some teachers/helpers from a Steiner school group. Nice dedicated people!

Camp: $10

AUSTRALIA - Red Ochre, Hawks Nest, Myall Lakes NP, Treachery - 12 november 2012

A promising day with reasonable waves at Wamberal beach.

The video above is of the 4 day trip

Red Ochre Beach

I drove to Red Ochre Beach. The surf was bit messy. Onward!

Hawks Nest

The waters between Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest looked very serene.  I drove on to Bennett Beach which was very messy due to howling north east wind.

Hole in the Wall

Hole in the Wall wasn’t looking too bad but the tide was too high for waves to be breaking. I decided to come back later. I came back later but the wind had increased and the place was a mess.

Mungo Brush

I went on a bike ride along rainforest and tamboi trails. The rainforest ride was up and down with tree roots and low branches. I went over hard on one occasion. I returned via the road and then followed the tomboy trail. This was flatter with some fun bumps on the cabbage palm lined trail. It ended at tamboi fishing village

 

Distance               8.61 km

Time                      0:50

Av speed             11.2 kph

Elevation gain    10 m

 

After lunch, I crossed in the car ferry at Bombah Point and drove on to Treachery.

Treachery

The surf was bigger but the inside wave was just dumping and the outside wave was a short right going left… not very inspiring!

I cycled out to the headland. The track was narrow and thick with vegetation in sections. The view from the headland was excellent.

Distance               3.17km

Time                      0:34

Av speed             5.45kph

Met two guys who knew Ross and Tony in Tathra. Small world!

I walked along the sand dunes and beach at sunset.  A good way to end the day!

Camping: $14pp

 

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water - Kincumber Broadwater - kayak - 11 november 2012

I launched from Sorrento road in Empire Bay to kayak around Kincumber Broadwater.

The tide was with me so it was an easy paddle along Cockle Channel towards the entrance of the Broadwater. There was an interesting small mangrove island which divides the channel into two. The water was shallow along the island shores making for clear viewing of the underwater world.

The entrance to the Broadwater was relatively narrow with a number of boats, houses and places to launch. I veered to the eastern side where there was a variety of birdlife. I just drifted with the current and enjoyed the show.

Further along, I came across to small tributaries and one larger one. I paddled up all three. The smallest was shallow and difficult to paddle due to the mangroves. I tended to pull myself through rather than paddled.

The second one passed a mobile home area.

The third was wider and much longer. I passed houses, industrial areas, jetties in the wider section. The narrower section passed between mangroves with closely encroaching urbanisation. Still, there were lots of ducks and lizards and unfortunately dumped rubbish. It is amazing how plants and animals survive under these conditions. Despite the rubbish it was still pretty.

On the journey back, I stopped at a small island in the Broadwater and rested and watched the world go by.

It was a good kayak with pretty scenery and birdlife.

 

Distance               9.12 km

Time                      2 hours 51 minutes

Av speed             4.4 km/h

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Tommos Loop - MTB - 4 november 2012

A mountain bike this morning at tommos loop in brisbane waters national park.

The weather was good and there were a few nice views over the hills and bush. the track surface at times was over sandstone.

distance 6.71 km

time : 35 minutes

av speed 12 km/h

max speed 42.8 km/h

elevation gain 99m

It was a great fun ride!

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - Cockle Bay - kayak - 31 october 2012

I launched at the boat ramp at serento close empire bay.

It was a nice glassy paddle along the channel with the tide helping me. There were a number of small islands at the end of the channel. These islands and their foreshores were teeming with birdlife. I followed the bay around to the right to the entrance of cockle bay.

The channel was narrow and fun to paddle due to the volume of water moving in to fill the bay. The bay is quite scenic with eagles, ibis, etc. At one stage, I notice a strange movement in the water that turned out to be a large turtle. Further along, I pulled in for a rest and sunk into the mud up to my knees. An experience that I'm glad stopped at the knees.

Leaving the bay. I paddled over to some oyster leases. Seagulls had made them their nesting sites and they weren't happy as I neared them.

The paddle back was a little hard with the tide now working against me.

A nice paddle with heaps of birds and a turtle!

distance 3.54km
time 2 hours
av speed 2km/hr

CENTRAL COAST - Bouddi NP - Stroms, NW ridge and Turkey Trail - MTB - october 2012

I bought a Garmin GPS for the bike and was keen to try it out.

I drove to Maitland Bay Information Centre and rode along  Stroms Track, then along the road to the beginning of the North West Ridge Trail and then back along the ridge trail and turned off onto the Turkey Trail.

It was a good ride through dry bush scenery.  The lookout from the ridge was blocked by trees but it was still nice towering above the local bush. I didn't video the turkey trail section as I didn't press the start button hard enough. Bit of a shame as this was actually, the best part. It had some very narrow and dip sections!

The garmin was fun to use and here are the stats:

Stroms Track - 2.17 km in 12 m 26s
NW ridge trail - .85 km in 5m
turket trail and NW ridge trail - 1.77 km in 12m 21s

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Rocky Ponds - MTB - 27 october 2012

Up early and I popped the bike into the van and drove to brisbane waters national park.

A sunny, cool morning. Basically, I followed the service roads to Rocky Ponds. There were a few steep sections with some good downhill runs in both directions. In some parts, I walked... it seemed easier.

The ponds looked geat with the sounds of birds and water babbling over the rocks. I wandered a round and climbed down a few rocks and waded along one of the ponds. Very pretty!

On the way back, I got my first flat tyre. Luckily, I had a spare tube and after about 20 minutes I managed to get the tyre on and pumped and away I went.

Great ride and an excellent way to start the day.

CENTRAL COAST - dharug national park - october 2012

I spent a night at Dharug National Park and had a long walk and a cycle.

I arrived at Mills Creek Camping area, which was a short turn off the Wisemans Ferry Road. No one there! So I drove a little further to the picnic area and the start of the grass tree circuit and the 11km walking track.

The walk took about 4 hours with 5 rest spots. There was a lot of up the hill and down the hill walking. Some parts were steep and some were also slippery due to leaf litter. The rocks (sandstone) had some amazing shapes and in one section large rocks had fallen forming a walk through cave. At the bottom of most of the gullies were waterholes that weren't suitable for swimming but they looked pretty. The higher parts of the walk had very, very dry vegetation and the gullies and lower slopes were lush (in comparsion). The views at the top were limited being obscured by vegetation. Parts of the track were quite overgrown and in two sections the track became hard to follow. On one occasion, I lost the track. The highlight was the lace monitor that was sunning itself on the track. Very nice but it took ages before I could persuade it to move on so I could pass (there was nowhere to go around it safely). It was a great but tiring walk!



I stayed at Mills Creek camping area that night. No one else was there. All I could hear were the sounds of the bush. The camp area was flat and spacious with toilets, BBQ, bins, info signs, fireplaces and wood. My company was a brush turkey that stayed near me all afternoon and was there to greet me (bludge) in the morning.



I drove to the start of Devines Hill just pass the ferry to Wisemans Ferry. This was to be a mountain bike ride. The hill was very steep but I managed to cycle all the way to the top (well almost). There were a lot of info signs along the way regarding the building of the road. Very interesting. It certainly was an amazing feat of construction and human endurance. At the top of the hill, the road veered to the right and became more rough. After 1/2 kilometre, I reached Finchs Line which was a rough road that followed the ridge line then dropped very steeply in a zigzag fashion down to Wisemans Ferry Road. The last part was not for bike riding but in sections it wasn't too bad. Along the way, there were views of the Hawkesbury River. At one point, there was a series of large sandstone rock platforms with an unobstructed awesome view of the river and valley below. At another point, there was a view looking north over the thick bushed inland valley. It was a great bike ride though very hard and fast in sections!



It was a great two days at Dharug National Park! I 'll be back in the future to do the Dubbo Gully for a cycle.

CENTRAL COAST - Kincumber Mountain - MTB - 20 october 2012

I had an early morning cycle on Kincumber Mountain. It was on easy tracks with nice views.

 

 



CENTRAL COAST - Waterfall Bay - kayak - 18 october 2012

I launched opposite Waterfall Bay at the public wharf. The weather was cloudy and there was some drizzle on the drive but none at the venue.



The paddle was pleasant over still glassy water and there were a number of small beaches on the way to the falls. I stopped at one for a rest and walk around.

At the falls, I tucked the canoe between the water and a rock overhang. The banks of the falls were steep and a bit too high to lift the kayak on to drier grounds. Anyway, it worked.

I walked around the falls which aren't really falls but rather a casade of water. Most of the water flowed under rocks. Still, it was a pretty scene and it was fun climbing over the large rocks.

Back at the kayak, I continued to another small beach, which despite the no camping signs was used for camping. It was a shame that whoever stayed last left a lot of broken bottles around the abandoned campfire.

The return leg was a bit more difficult paddling into an increased wind and wave chop.

A great 2 hour kayak with pretty stopovers.

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal Lagoon - kayak - 16 october 2012

A hot day with flat surf. I passed Wamby lagoon and it looked inviting for a kayak.

I launched and paddled slowly around the lagoon. It was very hot so I tried to keep in the shade as much as possible.

I disturbed two eagles as i paddled around one of the bends of the lagoon. They were such a majestic sight as they powerfully flapped away to a quieter area.

I wanted to try out the kayak in case of a fall. I sank the kayak and it still remained afloat but getting the water out was a problem. Eventually, it was best to empty the water as much as possible then go to shore to drain the remaining water.

The second test was getting back in the kayak from deep water. That was no problem by staddling the bak and hauling myself along to the seat. If the kayak was filled or half filled with water it would be very difficult to paddle the kayak onwards.

Fun day!

CENTRAL COAST - Munmorah SCA - 13 to 14 october 2012

We just purchased a new Hiace campervan and were keen to take it on a test run.



Munmorah SCA is located at the northern end of the Central Coast in NSW, Australia.

We arrived at Frazer Park and went for a walk along the beach and the rocks to the south. There was a bit of an ocean swell running so there were some large waves that caused large sprays of water into the air. The rock platforms were mainly conglomerate which lead to some interesting rock formations with the help of wave action and salt corrosion. Bongon lagoon is next to the southern carpark. It is small but looks like it would be interesting to kayak along.

Our next stop was the palm circuit walk. This walk was short but lead through rainforest and drier vegetation on the steeper section of the walk. At the top of the track, there was a track leading onwards to Snapper Point Road. The track leading down the hill runs beside a small creek that would be more scenic after rain.

We drove to Freemans Camping Area and set up for the night. We extended the awning, made the bed and dinner. We had a lot of gear from tent camping and used what was needed in the campervan.

It rained during the night but we were dry and warm. It did get cold during the later hours of the night so warmer sleep gear would be needed for the next trip.

In the morning, we had breakfast, packed and drove to Snapper Point. At Snapper Pt, we walked around the cliff top looking at the fishermen below. We were lucky as a pod of dolphins cruised past while we were there. There was a large cave at the base of the northern side of the point where the waves crash up and surge into. We then followed a short  track to Bongon Beach. The flannel flowers amongst other flowers were in full bloom.

We drove a short distance up the road to the carpark at the start of the Moonee Beach walk. Jacinta remained behind for this one. The trail lead downhill to Moonee Beach and beyond. (It would be a good bike ride down and challenging on return). I walked along Moonee Beach towards the south coming to flat island which I climbed and walked along. Nice view from this point. I returned and walked through the sand dunes to Ghosties Beach and Timber Beach. The coastal cliffs here were very high and looked very unstable. On the return walk, I ventured through the dunes close to the cliffs and had a nice view from the highest dune above Moonie Beach. I continued backtracking returning to the van. The return walk from the track at Moonie Beach to the carpark took 25 minutes.

We drove to Frazer park for lunch and a rest. After that, we returned home.

Munmorah SCA is a great place to stay and visit - beaches, cliffs, pockets of rainforest, islands and walking/bike tracks. The campervan worked well. It was so much easier to set up and pack up than camping. It was especially easier once home. Camping use to take a good half day but the van took 20 minutes. Now to plan for the next trip!

CENTRAL COAST - Popran Creek - kayak - 2 october 2012

I've wanted to do this kayak for awhile but had trouble finding a closer launch spot. I drove along Wiseman's Ferry Road and came to spot on the road opposite the entrance to Popran Creek. A small path lead through the mangroves to the edge of the Mangrove River. I have driven pass this spot before but hadn't noticed the path.

It was a bit narrow so it it was a little difficult carrying the kayak and the final section was very slippery. I launched and paddled across Mangrove Creek to the entrance of Popran Creek.

Nearly, straight away I was greeted by a large eagle in the trees. Nice sight!

I paddled as far as I could along Popran Creek until I reached a series of fallen trees blocking the creek. The banks on either side were either too steep to get up and pass or too overgrown.

Along the way, I diverted off the the creek three times to followed smaller feeder creeks. One creek was very straight and lined with very tall grasses. Part of the way along there was a small bridge. I landed here and was very surprised to find that there was a raised walking platform through the rushes.

The other two smaller creeks lead through the mangroves and were narrow with low tree branches making it a fun and adventurous detour.

Popran Creek itself was very pretty and there were three/two bridges to pass under. One was very very low and I just managed to get under it. It was worse coming back as the tide was higher.

It was a great kayak and as a change I had the tides right and the high tide helped me up the creek and the low down the creek.

Back to the car  and the adventure had only just begun. My car had a flat battery as I had left my lights on. No worries, ring the NRMA. Worry, as there was no mobile phone reception. There were a few houses opposite but no one was home. I walked 4 kilometres to Spencer and got a lift off a very nice couple on the last one kilometre. They were going to do a few things and would pick me up on the way back. At Spencer, there was no mobile reception. No worries, I'll use the public phone. No change. No worries, I'll get change at the grocery shop. The grocery shop was closed. Luckily, a lady pulled in to go to the shop and had some change. I rang, got assistance and the couple came back to drive me back to the car. An hour later, the battery was charged and I was off.



A long day, a good kayak and despite the car problem, I met some very nice people!

CENTRAL COAST - Cockrone Lagoon - kayak - 28 september 2012

Off for another kayak. This time Cockrone Lagoon at Copacabana.

I hadn't done this kayak for awhile but was surprised at how much I didn't remember!

I launched on the southern side at a small park. there were heaps of ducks there and for awhile I was waylaid watching them. there was one very attractive female duck that attracted the advances of over a dozen male ducks. Funny, I thought most birds bred with only one partner. Maybe ducks are different. I'll need to find a duck expert for the answer.

Eventually, I launched and slowly paddled my way around the lagoon. There were a number of experiences along the way.



There as a small feeder creek with properties on one side of its bank. It was nice the way the land owners had kept the scene natural.

Near the same area, I came across a number of birds. The most impressive birds were the swans and their hatchlings paddling along in single formation. the chicks were white in stark contrast to the black feathered parents. A little later, I also came across a nest with three eggs.

The biggest creek was fun to paddle along. It had two bridge, one which was quite low. the base of the bridges were covered in webs and spiders. It creek also had a number of log and branch obstacles.

A great kayak with birds, bridges and eggs!

CENTRAL COAST - Avoca Lagoon - 26 september 2012

It was a bit cloudy this morning with a freshening wind. I decided on a kayak at Avoca Lagoon.

I parked and launched from the scout hall.

Usually, I paddle along to the sounds of nature but for a change I put the ipod on and paddle to a vaiety of beats. There was a bit of background traffic noise so the music was a good idea.

There were a lot of birds and they weren't too impressed with my appearance around a bend of reeds or clump of trees. I did get to see a lot of them taking off and in flight. Nice!

I paddled down the feeder creek at the western end which was narrow and fun, passing under a bridge.

The wind was a lot stronger on the return paddle.



All in all a pretty morning and peaceful way to start the day.

CENTRAL COAST - Terrigal Haven - HIKE - 23 september 2012

Another beautiful sunny morning. I was up early and felt like a short walk around the rocks at Terrigal Haven.



The morning was warm and the tide was very low. I quite enjoyed the walk as I was walking where normally it was covered by water. It was a bit slippery in sections.

The low tide formed a number of rock pools that were very pretty and clear. This was highlighted by in the early morning sunshine.

The sun was doing it's job across the ocean's surface forming playful, flickering sunlight reflections. In addition, the swell caused an undulating movement at times this to morning glory show.

I watched a group of mask and goggled cladded swimmers jump off the rocks at the base of the skillion and swim around to the haven. It looked like a lot of fun! Must try it when the water warms up in summer.

A great quiet walk!

CENTRAL COAST - Terrigal Lagoon - kayak - 21 September 2012

I've had a virus for awhile and this has been the first morning where I've woken and felt relatively normal.

The thought of a short kayak on such a beautiful morning was very appealing.



I launched at the bridge and paddled up to the west end of the lagoon. They was a large white wading bird that seemed to semi-pose for the camera. That kept me amused for a time as they don't usually let you get that close.

 

The west end has two feeder creeks. The one to the north was short but the one to the south was more adventurous. It branched off a number of times but was blocked by deliberately cut tree branches. I was amazed that someone had gone to so much trouble to block access. Anyway, I removed the blockages and came across a sunken car and a homemade wooden kayak. How the car/boat (not sure) got to that position is beyond me unless it was dropped there by helicopter.

It was a fun kayak and a nice way to start the day.

INDONESIA - LOMBOK 2012

I had three and a half weeks in Indonesia. I booked the flights and one night in Legian, Bali. Apart from this, I wasn't certain as to where I would go in Indonesia.

The surf reports showed Ekas, Lombok to be the most consistently offshore windwise with a reasonable sized swell. I arrived in Bali, walked over to the domestic airport and purchased a flight to Lombok for the following morning. I stayed at Heaven on the Planet Resort and wandered between that and Ocean Heaven Resort. They are owned by the same person.

Besides the surf, I met lots of nice fellow travellers from various parts of the world.



The local people are very nice and helpful. I was there at the end of Ramadan and so met lots of locals at the beach. Everyone was in a great mood!



The next day, i was in Lombok and by mid morning I was out surfing.



this second surf video is of additional footage I neglected to upload previously. It was on my last day in Lombok. a good sized swell had hit. great waves all day.



The waves just kept coming for the next three weeks with off shore winds.






The area is very quiet and isolated. I hired a motorbike to get around to the various surf breaks and countryside. It was lots of fun riding on the dirt roads/tracks/dry river beds along the coast of south east Lombok. There were a few villages dotted around the area.



I visited Ekas village and walked along the pretty white sanded beach and pier. A pretty place.



A few of us went on a day trip to Tetebatu. We walked to the waterfall, had a freezing swim in the waterfall pool and walked the jungle track back to the car. At the end of the walk, we stopped for coconuts



I also did a bit of snorkelling between surfs. There was coral and some fish.



One of the attractions in the area is monkeys. Around the resort, on the beach and on the roads/tracks.



After Lombok, I flew back to Bali for a few days and stayed at Balian. The surf there was okay.




Though I didn't write much, the trip was excellent and I am now waiting patiently for return trip to Indonesia.

CENTRAL COAST - Triangle Island, Mangrove Creek - kayak - 3 august 2012

I drove to Spencer, which is a small town on the Wisemans Ferry Road for a kayak. The weather was overcast.

I launched from the boat ramp which is across the road from the genereal store. Triangle Island is opposite the boat ramp.

Triangle Island (Hawkesbury River): A small mangrove covered island, triangular in shape hence its name, on Mangrove Creek, a tributary of the Hawkesbury River. The island is located off Hibbs Point and Wendoree Park, land which once belonged to First Fleeter Peter Hibbs.

I paddled along the west shore for awhile and admired the birds sunning on the poles of the netted pool. From this point, I crossed to the island and followed its triangular shape back to where I started.

At one point, I tried to paddle through the mangroves of the island. it was very thick and dense so I didn't get very far.



This was only a short kayak as I wasn't feeling well due to an up and down virus.

Back to the shore, a feed from the general store and a sit on the sunny wharf for the end of a short but fun kayak.

CENTRAL COAST - Terrigal Haven - surf - 1/2 august 2012

The weather was wild on the 1 August with a howling wind and big seas. I took videos from the lookout on Havenview Street. Very cold! Guys were getting some nice waves but most were having a lot of trouble trying to get onto the wave.

The next day, was smaller and less windy. This time, I took videos from the beach at Terrigal and on the rocks at Terrigal Haven. The tide was low and a few guys came to grief on the rocks.

CENTRAL COAST - Dharug NP - Old North Road - MTB/HIKE - 29 july 2012

Dave and I drove out to old north road.

We cycled along the road and it stated off as sand and pools of water. At one stage, we reached an old convict bridge.

Later, the road became very rocky in parts and very difficult to cycle over.

Eventually, we reached a fork in the road that became more of a tract. We followed the right track for awhile then doubled back and followed the left track. The left track became to bushy for the bikes so we walked a distance to get views over mangrove dam.

Cycling back, my chain extenion broke and I had a 4 km walk back to the car.

All in all, it was a fun and challenging ride!

CENTRAL COAST - Strickland State Forest - Bellbird Track - HIKE - 20 july 2012

We set off on a walk along the Bellbird Track in Strickland State Forest.



From the car park, we walked a short distance to cross Stoney Creek. A pretty creek.

We continued along the track. This section was very interesting with a variety of labelled trees, birds and creek crossings over fallen logs and bridges. It was a narrow track.

The track detoured over the hills and through a number of other small creeks.

Great walk in the shade with solitude and lots to see.

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Box Head - MTB/HIKE - 19 july 2012

I had an old friend visiting for a few days so off we went for a cycle and walk at Box Head.

We tried driving along the dirt road but it was driving on mogals. In fear of another bog video, we returned to the beginning of the road, unloaded the bikes and peddled.

There were a few nice views along the way over Tallow Beach.



We wiggled around the gate and cycled as far as we could along the Box Head track. Then we chained the bikes and walked.

It was an interesting walk with a variety of flowers and gnarled trees. The walk surfaced was over sandstone and sand. Every so often, there was a view over the ocean coastline or towards Umina.

Eventually, the track came to an end at the tip of the cliff at Box Head. Great views over Pittwater and Broken Bay.

A little after this, I put my daypack down to have a rest but the pack was undone. Out fell my helmet and jumper and over the cliff edge they rolled. They lodged themselves about a third of the way down the cliff. Gone but not forgotten.

We returned the same way.

CENTRAL COAST - Ironbark Creek - kayak - 17 july 2012

Sunny morning. Off for a kayak!

I loaded up the car and drove to Mangrove Creek.

The creek was shrouded with a light mist over its surface. It was very pretty but it was also very cold. I quickly unloaded and launched the kayak. I paddled quickly to warm up. Alas, it was to remain cold until the sun tipped over the hills.

Ironbark Creek was narrow and meandered under a bridge and through some farming areas. Not long after the bridge I was stopped by a log across the water. Couldn't go  through, over, under or around it so the only direction was the return.



highlights

Under the bridge it was very still and the concrete bearers of the bridge were reflected in the water so that it looked like the base of the creek was concreted.

Mist shrouded water.

Nice kayak!

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Bulgandry Engravings - HIKE - 10 july 2012

The day wasn't looking the best but it looked like rain would strike in the afternoon.

J and I went for a walk to the rock art at Bulgandry.

There were some wild flowers blooming.

The art is surrounded by a elevated walkway. A number of signposts show where the rock art is located. Some of the depictions are difficult to see. Still, it is amazing to think that 200 odd years ago the local inhabitants were where we were standing - talking and carving the images on the rocks.

They wont last forever!

CENTRAL COAST - Wyrrabalong NP - Crackneck to Cromarty Hill - HIKE - 8 july 2012

Beautiful day! A warm sunny winter's day.

J and I went for a walk from Crackneck Lookout to Cromarty Hill return. The wild flowers were just starting to appear and the coastal views were so clear.

Hot chips at the end.

CENTRAL COAST - Terrigal En Plein Air Painting - 2 june 2012

My friend Paul Haggith asked me to video the Terrigal In Plein Air on Sunday at the 5 Lands Walk.

Terrigal in plein air

What happens is that the artists (20) choose a place to base themselves and a scene/s to paint as their style and interest agrees. They spend half the time painting and the other half answering questions from the general public.

I must have done a reasonable job last year as Paul asked me again. I happily agreed as last year was my first attempt at this type of production and there were a few things I wanted to improve upon. I lost a lot of voices due to camera movement and the strong wind during the interview scenes. This year I lost some voices due to wind gusts.

I wandered from the lagoon at Terrigal and along the beach front and over and around the skillion.

The artists had picked some nice locations and it was a real pleasure watching them work and talking with them. The styles were all different. Some chose not to do the sea and some painted with straight edges. Very exciting!

I only missed one artist… sorry Geoff Neil.

At the end of the day, we all met at the Lord Ashley Bar for the presentation of the artists’ award for the best painting of the day. Kasey Sealy was the winner!

A fun, great day!

Andy collis


Chris vanderwyk


David baker


Eddie botha


Graeme balchin


Greg jarmaine


Greg somers


Janet cobb


Kasey sealy


Kyra Henley


Margaret fortey


Patrick carrol


Paul Haggith


Peter lankas


Russell Austin


Simon sawell


Steven fisher


Wendy bills


Yianni johns


Artist choice award presentation

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal Beach - Sunrise - 28 February 2012

checking out the surf and watched the sunrise at wamberal beach.

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - Caroline Bay - kayak - 19 june 2012

I'd planned this kayak ages ago but thought that it didn't seem very exciting. Well, I was wrong on that one!

I launched from the boat ramp just down from the punt bridge where there is limited parking.

Glassy! Quiet! And under the punt bridge and into the open waters of Caroline Bay. I followed the shoreline on the west side skirting in, around and through the mangroves.

At the eastern end of the bay, there were a stack of birds - pelicans, black swans, commorants - wading along in an area protected from the wind.

Paddling further along, I came to a small creek and followed it for ages. At times, the creek was very narrowed and  semi-blocked by vegetation but it just kept going on. Eventually, I reached  three large drains that went under a road. It was a real buzz to paddle the kayak through the narrow drains - just fitted. The creek came to an end shortly after the drains.

On the way back the wind had increased and the water acros the bay was a little choppy.

Under the punt bridge and protected from the wind were quite a few birds - ibises and a  pelican -foraging and preening near the shore.



Just about finished when a sea eagle swoops down and circles the area. Cool way to end!

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Koolewong Trig - MTB - 14 june 2012

Once again great cool and sunny weather.
I drove to unsign posted Bambara Road off Woy Woy Road. There is a cleared area to park.

I unloaded the gear and lifted the bike over the locked service road gate and downhill I went.

Most of the cycle was downhill which was food for thought on the journey back.

The first stop was at a cross road of a number of service tracks. There was a pretty rock area to sit and admire the bush and soak in the sun.

The next stop was cliffs above Koolewong. A very steep drop down and a great view of Brisbane Waters.

Continuing on, I peddled to a huge water tank and further on taking the right trail i came to an end with views over Woy Woy Inlet.

The journey back wasn't too bad. The bike handled the gradual ascent comfortably.

CENTRAL COAST - Canton Beach - windsurf - 7 june 2012

Woke up to a ballistic wind!

Loaded the car with sails, booms, masts and all the rest and drove to Canton Beach.

It was blowing hard on the gusts and very cold.

The next two hours were non stop runs and small jumps on the wave chops. Lots of fun!

CENTRAL COAST - Brisbane Water NP - Mount Wondabyne - HIKE/MTB - 9 june 2012

Another great day!

Loaded up the car with bike rack, bike, etc, etc and off the Brisbane Waters National Park for cycle and walk to Mount Wondabyne.

The new bike flew along and peddled fairly easily up the steep trail sections. After a while and some muddy sections, reached the walking track for the mountain. I chained the bike to a tree and off I went.

The track was easy with a small section of rock climbing before reaching the summit which followed a fairly level track until reaching the trig marker.

The view was 180 degrees of the central coast wilderness and the pockets of human habitation towards the east. I sat in the sun on top of the central coast world for 1/2 soaking in the solitude and the views. Excellent!



The trip back was quick, as it was mainly downhill.

A great walk with excellent views!