MYALL LAKES NATIONAL PARK - HIKE, KAYAK, SURF, MTB, BIRTHDAY - 13 TO 18 APRIL 2019

13 APRIL

We are off in the van for a few days to Myall Lakes National Park.

We packed and readied the van and had problems with the new bike racks so we had to use the old ones again. No worries!

Our first stop was Myall River Camp where we laid claim to a site.

Next, was Bennetts Beach where we had a swim and a sit in the warm sunshine. Beautiful day.

Over to Tea Gardens for food and alcohol supplies. Definitely cheaper to get the latter at home.

Back at the camp, we organised the van then sat on the river beach drinking wine and watching the sun set over the hinterland.

14 APRIL

A beautiful morning. I had a kayak on the Myall River - reflective water, tiny waves from the wakes of the occasional boat and birds foraging in the mangroves.

Later, the rain came and went a number of times as the day progressed.

In the afternoon, we managed a bike ride from the camp to the ocean beach. There were heaps of tracks going in all sorts of directions. The closer to the beach we got the sandier the tracks became. At the beach it was very pretty.

Dinner with a campfire. The latter was amazing as the wood was very wet due to the rain but somehow we managed to get a small inferno going.

15 APRIL

A beautiful morning with no wind. The river was like a sheet of glass and the sun was shining. About an hour later it was raining!

We drove to Tea Gardens for coffee and donuts and sat by the waterfront.

Back at camp and the rain had stopped. We loaded the bikes on the van and drove to Boomeri Campsite in Myall Lakes NP. This was the start of the ride to Johnsons Beach and Johnsons Hill. A great ride along an easy trail with some steeper parts in the last section towards the beach. The beach was a campground mainly used by boating campers. Today it was empty. Johnsons Hill was steep and so much of a challenge and fun ride.

We checked Hole in the Wall on the way back.



Back at the camp and after lunch, I had a kayak in still to windy conditions. I used the wind and tide to have an easy return journey.

Another campfire night and drinks. Nice!

16 APRIL

There was rain at first light but it soon eased off. I had a bike ride along the tracks to the beach. Fun!

The rain settled in again but when it eased we drove to Bennetts Beach for a pleasant sit in the sun - clear light blue water!

Back at camp for an easy afternoon of reading, dinner and campfire.

17 APRIL

It rained again at first light but soon cleared. The tide was high and so I was able to paddle along the long channel leading off the Myall River for a pretty kayak. At low tide a sand bank blocks the entrance to the channel.

After breakfast, we had a hike to Dark Corner in Myall Lakes NP. It is a great hike over sand dunes and turfs of vegetation leading to a small headland with pretty beaches on either side of it. We had a sit, wander and swim. Dark clouds appeared on the horizon so it was time to go. We just got into the van when the rain came.

We drove to Tea Gardens for coffee at the waterfront.

On the way back to camp, we stopped to fill the van with firewood.

18 APRIL

My birthday today! 63!

I started the day with a mountain bike ride to the beach. The beach looked so pretty in the dawn light and the swell had increased.

Jacinta prepared a nice breakfast for me and presents of some muscle shirts that I loved!

Time to pack and leave for home. Along the way, we stopped at Catherine Hill Bay. Jacinta had a bake on the beach and I had a so-so surf. Not the best waves but it was still fun.

Back home and we quickly unpacked, rested and then it was a Mexican Restaurant for dinner with my family. Later, we had a baklava birthday cake. The girls gave me a long sleeved hood rash shirt. Just what I needed.

A great day

CENTRAL COAST - HIKES, SNORKELS, MTB AND SURF - 1 TO 12 APRIL 2019

4 APRIL

A mountain bike ride at Bouddi National Park on the Turkey NW Ridge and Strom tracks. It was heaps of fun, especially, as it was the longest ride that I'd had for awhile.



5 APRIL

Off and on heavy rain during the day but it cleared somewhat in the afternoon.

Jacinta and I had a hike at Rumbalara Reserve on the Iron Bark and Flannel Flower tracks. Great tracks with views over Brisbane Water. There were a lot of white bumpy looking mushrooms in bloom.



6 APRIL

A coffee and morning walk around  Haven with Jacinta. The waves slowly undulating on a smooth ocean looked great.

Later, I drove over to Warrah Trig Road near Patonga for a mountain bike ride in Brisbane Water National Park. I had a fun time. It started with riding over the tessellated sandstone and admiring the views over the hinterland and the ocean. Then it was a series of short windy tracks with lots of spider webs (orb weavers and golden orb weavers) blocking the path to the over side of the gully. Back on the main tracks and I turned down the PMG track. This was very rough and steep with heaps of loose stones with lots of deep ruts caused by water erosion and of course lots of spider webs. It was hard looking ahead as well as above. I ran into a lot of webs and had to stop to remove the webs and occasionally a spider from my head. Back up the track and then a series of wider tracks back to the car.

After the ride, I had a swim and rest at Pearl Beach. It was nice in the water then sitting on the beach admiring the views.


8 APRIL

A snorkel at Toowoon Bay. There were a lot of fish but visibility was poor in general due to wave movement. Still, it was a warm day and it was nice sitting on the beach in the sun.



10 APRIL

I finally had a decent night sleep. The new medication I took for the parasitic worms seemed to killing them. I woke feeling th most pumped for the last two months.

A mountain bike ride at Kincumba Mountain along a number of tracks. It felt great and smooth.

Kara and I had coffee at The Reef Cafe and enjoyed the morning view over the ocean.

11 APRIL

A surf check but not good on the low tide. Coffee and short hike at Terrigal Beach.

House chores …

12 APRIL

An early snorkel at Terrigal Haven. It was low tide and clear water once past the beach being closer to the rocks. there were heaps of small and large fish and a number of stingrays. The water was cool and the wind was light but cool. I lost a lot of body heat and it took awhile to warm up.

Later, a surf at North Avoca Beach. There was a nice off and on wave where the rip was flowing out strongly. A number of okay waves but soon the tide was too full for the wave height. Nice to be surfing again and the old merit surfboard went well.

CENTRAL COAST - MARCH 2019 - SNORKEL, HIKE, MTB, KAYAK

9 March to 31 March 2019

On my return from Indonesia, I had a number of health problems which limited the things I could do during March.

I picked up hookworm, probably somewhere in Morotai. I had it treated in Bali but it wasn't completely successful and so it came back.

In Australia, I was diagnosed with am allergic reaction and so the treatment didn't fix it and it got steadily worse.

A new doctor diagnosed it as hookworm and so I started a different treatment. The treatment was nearly successful but the larva had laid eggs so it came back and so I had treatment again. At the end of March the situation had not resolved itself but it seemed that it was getting better.

The month started with an average surf at North Avoca. That was my one and only surf for March.

I had a number of good snorkels at Terrigal Haven. Heaps of fish, stingrays and swirling seaweed in clear water.

 

A number of hikes were had at Girrakool and Crackneck Point. The Girrakool hike was pretty with an abundance of water, dragon lizards and birds. The waterfalls were flowing fully and steadily.

The hike at Crackneck to Forresters was along the cliffs of the coastline. There were great views over the ocean and across to Wamberal Lagoon.

Kayaking was the easiest activity for me to do so I had a number of kayaks at Avoca Lagoon. The lagoon was full to the brim with water so I was able to paddle bash over sections that were usually dry land.The water was reflective of the sky and thick vegetative shoreline. The birds were in abundance foraging in the underground or roosting on overhanging branches. All quite pretty!



Kincumba Mountain was good for mountain bike rides. I kept the rides short and cycled at an easy pace.

During the month, we celebrated Jacinta's birthday with dinner at Terrigal and cake later.

Of course, coffee stops were profuse as this was the easiest thing for me to do.

So what were the problems with the hookworm - tiredness, extreme itchiness, lack of sleep, worry about a prolonged problem, wrong treatment and right treatment.

Let's see how April pans out.