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

MOUNT WONDABYNE - HIKE, MTB, RAIN - 17 OCTOBER 2018

The looked like it would hold back for awhile and it seemed dry enough for a mountain bike ride.

I parked off Woy Woy Road downhill from Staples Lookout. I choose here as the tracks/service roads tend to dry out more due to the sandstone and being at the top of the plateau.

I cycled along the service road to the base of Mount Wondabyne. I passed the quarry but it looked too wet.

At the base, I parked my bike in the bush and climbed to the top of the mount. The view was great over Brisbane Water National Park and beyond.

I sat down at the marker at the top of the mountain to soak in the view and felt a few drops of rain. Within minutes it changed to a torrential downpour. I bee lined for a large rock overhang about half way down the mountain. I sat under the overhang for about 1/2 hour enjoying the vie and the fall of the rain.

I continued back to the bike and rode back to the van.

MOUNT WONDABYNE LOOP MTB - 6 NOVEMBER 2017

Rain yesterday.

Rain early this morning. The rest of the morning was cloudy and windy but rainless.

The surf was messy so I decided on a mountain bike ride at Brisbane Water National Park.



I parked along Woy Woy Road and off I wen. I wasn't quite sure where I was exactly going to as the wetness of the tracks would decide for me.

I ended up riding to Mount Wondabyne, which is the highest point on the Central Coast. I had impressed myself by making it up all the steep sections except for the last 20 metres before the start of the track to Mount Wondabyne. Love the new bike. :)

I rode along the final track, dumped my bike in the bushes and climbed to the top of the mountain. It was such a fun hike - rock scrambling, a flat section and a nice view. The climb continue like this two more times and then I was at the summit. I love this view. Looking out towards the east was the green of the bush, the blue of Brisbane Water and pockets of  human settlement. Looking towards the west was endless green on an undulating landscape and distant clouds. Well, the clouds didn't look too distant and they looked a little dark.

Back down the mountain and I was reunited with my bike then I heard distant thunder. I continued along the track following the base of the mountain. The track was very rugged and quite eroded. I spend half the time portering and the other half riding. The air was feeling moister and the thunder was getting closer.

I eventually, reached the intersection of the Mullet Creek Trail. I followed it back towards the van. The sky was getting darker, the thunder closer and louder and there were the odd flashes of lightning.

I rode back as fast as I could. There were a few droplets of rain to urge me on and more thunder and lightning. My legs were aching and I was drenched in sweat but I got back to the car, loaded the bike and gear in and then lightning cracked close above me with nearly an instantaneous clap of deafening thunder. I got into the van and it started to bucket down with rain. I just made it.

I drove home in near monsoonal rains with thunder clapping and lightning flashing.

I got back home, the rain stopped and the sun even made a brief appearance. What a morning. :)

BUT there's more. I went down to the Haven late in the afternoon when I brushed my leg and felt a stabbing pain. It was a huge and monstrous tick embedded in my leg. Ticks are not friendly little insects as they can cause massive health problems. We drove to the chemist and bought wart freeze. The idea was that it killed the tick instantly so that they couldn't regurgitate their toxic substances into you. It seemed to work. :)

MOUNT WONDABYNE MTB - 11 JUNE 2017

 11 June

A wander around the beaches, coffee with Jacinta at the Haven and a mountain bike ride at Brisbane Water National Park.

The tracks and trails were a bit wet from the recent heavy rains and there was a mist in the valley depressions.

Not long after starting  I met a lady, Tracy, who was hiking. We stopped and chatted and she had some amazing stories of long hikes in Spain and France.

I rode as far as the base of Mount Wondabyne then hid the bike in the bush.

I rock scrambled along the steep rocky track to the summit of the mount. It was a fun hike as i tried to do it as fast as I could. Along the way I met three guys hiking to the summit for lunch.

At the top, I explored the top and settled on a nice outcrop of rock with a great view over the Gosford area.

Back down the mount and on the bike and along a highly eroded and rough track to join on to the Mullet Creek trail. It was a hard ride and there were a number of spots where i had to porter the bike down. great bush scenery along the way.

I then followed the Mullet Creek trail and the Tunnel trail back to the car.

A fun and enjoyable ride.

12 June

Finally, better weather with offshore wind and a fun surf at Wamberal Beach.

Tomorrow, we are off to Indonesia for two months. - surfing, hiking, exploring, meeting people, pretty scenery.

MOUNT WONDABYNE MTB/HIKE AND TERRIGAL HAVEN SNORKEL - 4 NOVEMBER 2016

A beautiful sunny morning with fog over the mountains.

I drove to Brisbane Water National Park for a bike and hike to Mount Wondabyne.

The mist was lifting but still giving a magical aurora to the setting - putting a light haze over the distant part of the track, intertwining and weaving between the trees and bushes filtering the light from the sun.

I stopped a few times to look at the wildflowers by the side of the track and listen to the birds.

Eventually, I reached the turn off track for Mount Wondabyne. I hid my bike in the vegetation and started the climb to the top. It was such a fun rock scramble. I climb up the rocks and then followed a relatively level but meandering track and then repeated this process a few times. On each level the view over the hinterland increased showing more and more untouched greenery.

I reached the top, which is the highest point on the Central Coast and enjoyed sweeping views across the ranges and back towards the coast and the pockets of urban areas of the Gosford area.

There was also a lizard lazing in the sun just below the rock of the summit. I watched it for awhile. At first, it was apprehensive of me but after a time, it ignored me and basked in the warm of the sun.

It was a great 8km hike and bike.

Later, I went for a snorkel at Terrigal Haven. The visibility wasn't the best but at the end in the shallower water, I came upon a large stingray very up close and personal. Amazing graceful creatures.

Another great day.