CENTRAL COAST - 15 TO 31 DECEMBER 2020

15 December

Back home.

Some basic home cleaning and emptying the van.

16 December

Yard work was a month's worth of fallen sticks and leaves. It took me a few hours to get it looking reasonable.

17 December

A morning surf at Wamberal Beach. I was surfing terrible but the waves were okay. Haha!

Jacinta and I spent the mid morning setting up the Christmas tree and other decorations. Yo ho ho!

Kara returned early from Armidale as she had finished work quicker than expected.

18 December

An early surf at Wamberal Beach. The waves were small on a low tide. There were a few okay waves. The sunrise was very yellow and there was a mist over the ocean. Very pretty!

I caught up with Ken at the Haven for coffee.

We went for a second surf at Wamberal but the tide was a bit too high so only had a couple of waves.

Family dinner with the girls at Kincumber Hotel. Sort of an early Xmas get together before they both went on holidays.

20 December

Jacinta and I drove to Somersby Falls. The water was flowing and it was very pretty. It was also very slippery. 

21 December

A fun surf at Wamberal. The waves were much better and consistent today. Smiley face time!

22 December

A mid morning surf at Pelican Beach with ken. The waves were excellent - hard lefts with size and a killer shore dump ending. Big smiley face time.

23 December

A surf wandering with Ken ending in a crap surf at Birdie Beach

A hike on the Girrakool Loop with Jacinta in the late afternoon. So pretty in the land of cool waters.

24 December

A fun surf at Wamberal Beach and coffee with the boys later.

An afternoon sit at the Terrigal Haven with Jacinta. A nice way to end the day.

25 December

Xmas - a quiet one for us due to the girls away and covid restrictions. 

26 December

A morning kayak at Fagans Bay. There was a light rain at times and a contrasting of light and dark due to the clouds.

A hike from Putty Beach to Bullimah Beach with Jacinta. Along the rocks, over the sandstone cliffs and along the path to Bullimah Beach. 

27 December

A mid morning snorkel at Terrigal Haven – stingray and schools of small fish.

29 December

A kayak at Avoca Lagoon – light rain, quiet, birds, a bird's nest and eggs.

30 December

Rain - inside chores

A great dinner night with Bryson and Jeanette.

REFLECTIONS

This period of Summer has been wet with varying winds. It was hard planning activities but still, make the best of what you can.

FAGANS BAY KAYAK - MUNMORAH MTB - SHELLEY BEACH SURF - 12 APRIL 2018

11 april 2018

A kayak around Fagans Bay in Brisbane Water National Park.

I started at East Gosford and paddled towards and under restaurant, under a pier, under the supports of the old railway bridge and under the railway bridge.

From there, I was in Fagans Bay where I paddled the circumference of the bay passing the mangroves and paddling through mangroves.

There were a number of birds including the Royal Spoonbill.

The water was very glassy in most parts of the bay but when I disturbed the fish and stingrays the water churned up noticeably.

Afterwards, I had coffee at Tommy's at East Gosford.

Later in the afternoon, a swim at The Haven was nice despite the strong NE wind.

12 April 2018

Up to Munmorah SCA for a mountain bike ride.



I rode The Quarry tracks. It started off on a very steep and narrow track to the far base of the old quarry.

I rode out of the quarry and bush bashed over a bit of track blockage then rode a long downhill track till it ended near the thick vegetation of a creek. Of course, it was an uphill grind back.

The second track was a turn off at the end of the Quarry Trail. This was a new track for me. It was downhill, rough and fun. As with the first track it ended near a creek and it was a grind back to the top.

I decided on checking out Snapper Point  and was rewarded with great views north over Ghosties Beach, Flat Rock Point and Frazer Park.

On the way home, I stopped at Shelley Beach. I had a fun surf in strong offshore winds. There were some good waves but a bit of a lull at times.

FAGANS BAY KAYAK - 11 OCTOBER 2016

I started the day with a morning kayak at Fagans Bay in Brisbane Water.


The conditions were ideal earlier with a high tide, sunshine and a light wind.

It was a pretty paddle with a mangrove shoreline and fairly clear water.

There were heaps of birds - cormorants, ducks, pelicans, cockatoos, galahs, spoonbills, herons and ospreys.

The railway bridge was an interesting feature to paddle under and around. There is one bridge and the rusted pylons of an earlier bridge.

Strangely, I kept finding things in the water that were waterlogged and useless - a large drill and case, a lounge, a kayak, two eskies and a fishing kit. The drill and case, I took to shore and put in a bin.

The wind was fairly strong on the return leg with spray flicking occasionally in my face.

A great and pretty 4.5 km kayak with birds and bridges.

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - FAGANS BAY - KAYAK - 4 JANUARY 2015

I had a kayak with John at Fagans Bay at West Gosford.


It was a nice kayak - warm sunrise, clear water, different birds in flight or foraging for food (spoonbills, cormorants, ibises, egrets) swirling water, increasing tide movement, quiet, 'tank rocks', bridges (railway and old railway bridge remains) and fish breaching the water.

A good kayak with good company.

5.04 km

1: 58 hrs

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - FAGANS BAY - KAYAK - 17 february 2013

I paked at Gosford waterfront and paddled across to the railway bridge and under. From there, I followed the channels to the far end of Fagans Bay, went under a footbridge and followed the channel for a short distance before it ended.

The paddle was mainly in glassy conditions but on the return leg the wind was up once I passed under the railway bridge.

It was interesteing following the channels with fish jumping and scurying away from my approach. there were a number of birds but due to the shallowness of the water I couldn't get close enough for a good picture.

The bridges were cool to go under. Thee were three on this paddle.

I must remember to check the go pro for fogging!

distance  6.6 km
av speed 6.6 km/hr
time        1h 32mins

CENTRAL COAST - Fagans Bay - kayak - 22 October 2009

There is easy entry into water and plenty of parking at Adcock Park, West Gosford.

Starting off in Narara Creek, I paddled into the bay and the incoming tide slowly pushed me towards the west end of the bay. There were plenty of bird life and jumping fish.

The paddle back east was easy despite the incoming tide. Mangroves line the shore throughout the bay.

The centre of the bay has mangrove islands. i skirted the edge of these islands towards and along the railway lines. There were interesting views from under the train bridge of Brisbane Waters and the old railway bridge piers.

I returned west along the mangrove fringe to Narara Creek.

Highlights: bird life, jumping fish, railway bridge, drifting with the tide.

Time: 2 1/2 hours