A very short hike at Rumbalara on the Ironbark track.
The track was very dry and on the northern and western sides the ground vegetation was nearly non existent. The views were great due the lack of vegetation over Gosford and Brisbane Water.
Generally, it was all very quiet until we were nearly finished. We spotted a large goanna in the undergrowth and then a short time later a wild and very loud screeching began. We bush bashed down the steep hill to the source of the noise. It was a Sulfur Crested Cockatoo trying to chase off the goanna which was homing in on the nest. The cockatoo was successful. It even landed on the rock just above the goanna and spread its wings wide and fully puffed out. It looked and sounded very intimidating. The goanna departed with a snarl and focus its attention on us. Obviously, the day was not its day.
Afterwards, we drove to Terrigal Haven for coffee and an ocean swim for myself.
The last two weeks have been full on - cold and wet weather, a lot of sick people. Well, today the sun shone and a couple of Panadols later and I was ready for a kayak.
I launched at Avoca lagoon just a tad before sunrise. It was cold and the water level was very high in the lagoon... nearly to the carpark!
It was a good paddle over areas that were usually dry land. I didn't wander too far as the wind was stronger on the exposed parts of the lagoon.
I did notice a couple of differences today:
a few fully grown casuarina
trees had collapsed into the water.
large parts of the reeds had died off, turning the water sludgy with dead vegetation
the bats weren't there in their roosting area
there weren't a lot of birds on the lagoon itself. some species were there high in the canopy.
It was nice to get out and paddle around... 2.52 km.
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