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.

HIKING, BIKING, SWIMMING AND SURFING - 17 TO 23 APRIL 2020

17 APRIL 2020

A surf check at Shelley Beach but not so good.

A mountain bike ride at Kincumba Mountain.

I pedaled along a number of tracks. I followed one track on the northern side that went downhill for ages. It was eroded, rough and heaps of fun. It was a long way back to the top! :)

At the beginning of the ride, I met two girls who asked for advice on where to ride. Late, I ran into them again and they followed me along a few of the shorter tracks on the northern summit.

Overall, a good ride.

Later, Jacinta had a walk around Terrigal Haven while I had a swim out to the swimming buoy and back.

18 APRIL 2020

HBD to me.

A surf check ... a pretty sunrise  .... waves? well ... what's next?

A bike/hike at Brisbane Water National Park to Mount Wondabyne.

A ride along the tunnel track towards Rocky Ponds and over two gates then turn right and up. A bit of a slow grind to the end of the trail then a short track to the walking track to the top of Mount Wondabyne.

I hid the bike in the bush then rock scrambled to the top and walked along the summit ridge to the trig marker.

The view was panoramic and all to myself. I sat there for about 1/2 hour soaking in the quietness and solitude.

I noticed a painted rock and on the climb down I spied more of them. A good idea, I thought.

Back to the bike and an awesome downhill run back to the quarry. After a short play, it was back to the van and home.

19 APRIL 2020

An easy day, doing things around the house and relaxing.

An afternoon walk around Terrigal Haven with Jacinta. Warm weather and blue skies.

20 APRIL 2020

Surf safari this morning.

Checked out heaps of breaks north of North Avoca Beach.

Ended up at Pelican Beach. Some very good lefts and good rights. A bit of a hard paddle when caught in the sets. The waves were about 1 to 1.5 m.


21 APRIL 2020

Early morning surf at Pelican Beach.

Nice rights, just me and a pod of dolphins.

The waves were heaps of fun. Had heaps of waves, as well, as I was the only one out on the bank.

A pod of dolphins swam right pass me - whacking the water with their tails, breaching the water and diving back down, catching waves. It was so good. Only 3 metres away!

22 APRIL 2020

An early surf at Pelican Beach.

Ken and I drove to Pelican Beach. The waves were smaller without much power but some were reasonable. We had a fun time chatting and catching the odd wave.

23 APRIL 2020

An early walk around the rocks at Terrigal Haven.

The tide was high but there was little ocean swell so it was a safe walk. I took my time admiring the small swell crashing onto the rocks, the rising of the sun and the clearness of the rockpools.

A great morning start.

Down to Sydney, after that, as Kara had a medical appointment there.

Late afternoon hike with Jacinta at Rumbalara Reserve.

Just a short walk along some tracks enjoying the rocks, trees and blue sky

HIKE, BIKE AND SURF - 10 TO 16 APRIL 2020

10 APRIL 2020

A lazy day with a mid afternoon surf at The Ruins, Terrigal Beach. The waves were smallish and not the best shape but I was lucky and managed about half dozen relatively good but short waves and another half dozen okay waves.


11 APRIL 2020

 A mountain bike ride to Mullet Creek in Brisbane Water NP.

There were quite a few cars parked at the start of the ride but I only saw a few hikers along the tracks at the beginning.

The track was very steep and heavily eroded in sections. I managed most but two parts became slippery on a clay base.

I took a few side tracks. One lead to a view towards Mullet Creek, another had a view over the railway tracks and the final one a close up view of the railway tracks and tunnel. A train passed through while I was there.

I finished with a ride around the quarry.


12 APRIL 2020

A late morning mountain bike ride at Kincumba Mountain.

A real fun ride. I followed heaps of tracks and felt smooth and in control.

No sore legs today. :)


13 APRIL 2020

A hike at Brisbane Water NP.

The car park at Girrakool was closed but the park was open. I parked at the entrance gate and started my hike on the Piles Creek Loop.

The hike took about 2 hours. I followed the loop in a anti clockwise direction.

The beginning was up and down, passing next to high cliffs. The ground was very soggy in parts with water dripping continuous from the cliff faces. The vegetation was very green and shaded beneath a canopy of thick trees.

I had a short rest at the suspension bridge.

The return leg was up, up and up. Upon reaching the top, eventually, the track was relatively flat on dry sand and more open vegetation.

Normally, I see few people on my hikes but today I passed over 70 people coming from the opposite direction.

It's good to see more people getting fit despite the current corona situation.

I did notice many people had no water with them. In general, it's a steep hike so not having water is not a good bush walking strategy.

15 APRIL 2020

A mountain bike ride on the PMG track at Brisbane Water NP.

I parked at the beginning of Warrah Trig Road. It was such a pretty and clear morning. My first play area was the tessellated sandstone platform. There was an excellent view across the hinterland towards Box Head of low bushes and grass trees.

I followed a short track then cross the main road and onto to tracks on the western side of it.

The tracks were mainly service roads. each road seemed to have a different base of either, sand, dirt, stone or gravel.

The best track was the PMG track which lead downwards for ages. The track was rutted and wet in sections, lined with thick vegetation or near-groomed pathway. It was such a fun ride. I had to concentrate all the way with drop offs, loose rocks and deep ruts. It finally ended in a grove of thick trees at the top of a ridge with Patonga Creek meandering below.

16 APRIL 2020

A surf at Shelley Beach.

There was a nice right wave bank which was crowded but just south of it was another bank. No one was on it so I paddled out and had a heap of okay waves on my own. Lucky morning! :)