AUSTRALIA - POINT PLOMER AND LAKE CATHIE - MTB, SURF, KAYAK, HIKE - 12 TO 14 APRIL 2015

Point Plomer - 12 April 2015

The drive up was about 5 hours with a short stop for breakfast and petrol.

On arrival at Crescent Head I was greeted by masses of cars and about 200 plus surfers in the water. I looked for a while. Some waves were okay.

I drove down the back roads of Crescent. The prospects weren't looking good - small surf, mono sand banks but the  water was clean and sparkling.

I booked into Point Plomer $20 per night with cold showers. I had a small but fun surf at Point Plomer with heaps of grommets.

Later, I had a bike ride around the headland, which was short but gave a good view of the two beaches between Plomer and Queens Head. Continuing on the ride, I cycled to the car park at Queens Head and climbed the hill. It was a great view along the coastline both north and south.

distance - 5.52 km

elevation range - 21 m

A swim on the beach at Plomer then another bike ride along Plomer Beach towards the cliffs in the north. It was a good ride  but a bit hard on the way back with the wind against me.

distance - 7.06 km

Dinner and sleep!.

Point Plomer - 13 april 2015

Up at sunrise with a walk to the top of the headland at Plomer..

I drove down the road and had a small but fun surf mid way on plomer beach. I met a guy from Belligen Tyon. We had a good time sharing a right hand bank between the two of us.

I drove to Big Hill and discovered that the waterway was private and access was prohited. I checked out two possible cycle hike tracks but they were overgrown.

Back at Big Hill I did the hike around Big Hill. . Good views at the end and heaps of mosquitoes in the rainforesty type area.

distance - 0.77 km

elevation range - 48 m

The wind had increased so hopefiully there will be a swell increase :)

Point Plomer and Lake Cathie - 14 April 2015

Last day :)

The swell had increased and there were good waves on the point at Plomer and no one out. I paddled out and had about three waves. Soon there was about 40 out. Waves were good but there were too many people in the way.

I checked the other back beaches after breakfast. The tide was getting too low for the beaches to handle the swell so I headed down the coast to Lake Cathie.

I had a kayak in the lake starting near the coastal bridge and paddling around the sandbanks to the entrance bridge to Lake Cathie. The tide was too low and the water was gushing out of the narrow waterway under the bridge over barnacled rocks.  I portaged the kayak over the road and into the lake. It was a nice paddle with pristine vegetation and a number of birds and very shallow water.

distance - 3.89 km

Time for the drive back home.

CENTRAL COAST KAYAK - AVOCA LAGOON - 11 april 2015

This kayak is up with some of the best I've done'.

I have kayaked Avoca Lagoon many times but this morning it was vibrant.

 

The sun was rising and it's rays played harmoniously with the vegetation and water.

The reflections were inspiring and tranquil.

 

The birds were abundant and varied. My favourites being the eagle being chased off by a group of smaller birds and the swamp hen jumping across the branches of an overhanging tree.

The bats were visible being silhouetted by the sun's back drop.

The water level was high and it was heaps of fun paddling around usually landlocked trees. The reeds and grasses formed a soft barrier to paddle through.

 

Such a good kayak.

distance - 1.95km

CENTRAL COAST MTB - BWNP - QUARRY AND TOMMOS - 9 APRIL 2015

A fun ride at Brisbane Water National Park.

I cycled around the quarry for a while. It was heaps of fun exploring possible tracks or fun things to ride over or down.

I then cycled along Tommos Loop and along Woy Woy Road back to the start.

distance - 9.25 km
elevation range - 72 metres
max speed - 49.9 km/h

CENTRAL COAST EASTER - EGG TIME - 5 APRIL 2015

Easter Sunday is upon us.

We prepared a big breakfast and set up a small display of the Easter eggs.

 

Some of us will take awhile to eat their egg and other will be finished by lunch.

CENTRAL COAST BIRDS - SULFHUR CRESTED COCKATOO - 4 APRIL 2015

The Sulphur Crested Cockatoo is a common bird.

We don't get them often on our deck so this is a rare visit.

They are pretty birds.

 

BUT

 

The species has become a pest around urban areas, where it uses its powerful bill to destroy timber decking and panelling on houses.

I'll be watching!!!!! :)

CENTRAL COAST WINDSURF - CANTON BEACH - 4 april 2015

The rain poured all night.

I checked the wind on sea breeze. It was strong from the south east.

Off to Canton beach for a windsurf.

I only had a single run as the wind was swinging more to the east and there were a lot of holes in the wind. The wind holes are caused by the wind flowing over the land and lowering back to water height at various distances from the shoreline.

The result was a ballistic blow then dead stop. Still, I had fun!

Mark was there so we had a bit of a run together

distance - 6.74km
max speed - 36.9 km/h

CENTRAL COAST MTB - KINCUMBA MOUNTAIN - 2 APRIL 2015

The surf was smaller this morning with a high tide so off for a bike ride.

I was just going to do a short run but ended up extending my ride.

The first trail was wet with puddles of water. It was challenging to miss the water yet keep up speed.

I cycled over to the northern side of the reserve and followed a steep trail down hill. It was fun with a lot of loose rock. I took a narrow turn off but only followed a short distance as I wasn't sure where it lead and the track was very muddy and loose.

 

It was a steep ride/walk back up the hill.

distance - approx. 8 km
elevation range - 145 metres

CENTRAL COAST MTB - BOUDDI - OLD QUARRY, 3RD POINT, 81 AND 78 TRAILS - 30 march 2015

A cloudy morning and it looked like it could rain.

I parked at the end of Grahame Drive at another entrance to Bouddi National Park. I started along the Old Quarry Trail. It was very steep with heaps of large road humps to prevent erosion. Towards the top, the trail was covered with bark chips. It wasn't exactly a fun start but it would make a good end.

I rode through semi tropical vegetation until the trail joined with the coastal track. This track and the following tracks were sandy. In some spots the sand was deep making cycling a little harder.

I turned left and rode a short distance to Third Point Trail. This trail was long with sandy patches with a background of low height scrub vegetation. It was a fun ride down that ended in a grassy patch and a very narrow trail to the cliff edge. I enjoyed myself playing along the cliff. There were great views down the coast towards Sydney.

Backtracking to the coastal walk, I turned right and peddled till I reached the 81 Trail. This also was reasonable steep with sandy spots. It ended with views north towards Copacabana.

Backtracking again, I came to the next turn of 78 trail. This was the shortest trail with a fun steep bumpy ride to a grassy patch which lead to a very narrow trail through the thick vegetation. The view here was the best, I thought, overlooking Little Beach and views north to Copacabana.

 

I returned to the car via the coastal and old quarry trail. Going down the old quarry trail was heaps of fun.

distance - 7.23 km
elevation range 70 m

CENTRAL COAST KAYAK/FISH - NORTH ENTRANCE - 28 march 2015

Checked the surf but no go. It looked nice on the water of North Entrance at Tuggerah Lake so I went for a kayak/fish.

 

I paddled a short distance and threw out the line and slowly drifted back to the start.

Near the reeds, my attention was drawn to a moving stick which turned out to be the barb of a large stingray.

It was nice watching the birds and the landscape. The sun was rising so the view changed with the merging sunlight.

A few boats slowly motored past causing small waves. The ripples on the water were pretty and at one point a family of ducks were bobbing up and down as the ripples oscillated across the channel.

 



 

Oh, I caught a smallish fish and threw it back.

CENTRAL COAST BIRDS - RUMBALARA OUTTING - 26 MARCH 2015

 

A day outing for the birds at Rumbara Reserve. 

 

A natural bush setting. Back to basics for the birds.

 

The weather was fine the birds were enjoying themselves - playing in the leaves, in small trees.



 

 

 

They had visitors. An inquisitive bush turkey who had his eye on Ava. She was yellow and he wasn't sure what it was. Ava ignored him.

Ahh, the bush turkey attacked and took a nip (a friendly nip but a monster of a beak to a lorikeet). Ava wasn't impressed. Photo of the attack above.

Miss Xena was posing and felt safe. Ah, the strange birds cannot see my camouflage in the green leaves.

 

LEAVE MY BIRDS ALONE!

 Ava back to eating.

 

Friendly kookaburras. Watching! Observing! Waiting! Swoop! And Master Archiebald got pecked and a small cut from a kookaburra.

 



Master Archiebald squawked and whined but was soon back to playing.

A fun day but stressful for Miss (bird protector) Kara.

CENTRAL COAST MTB - PEARL BEACH TO ETTALONG BEACH - 25 march 2015

I started off at Pearl Beach. It's such a pretty beach with calm water and a rock pool.

I cycled along the road running parallel with the beach then joined onto a track that followed the base of Mount Ettalong. It was a narrow track that clawed, at times, to the cliff  and the drop to the rocks/beach below. It was worn away in parts which made it difficult to traverse. There were great views down the coast and north towards Box Head. At Umina Point there was a small wave breaking.

The end of the path slowly ascended to Mount Ettalong Road. I followed the road a short distance and turned into Berrima Crescent. From here, I followed a sandy track to Umina Beach.

I rode/played around the southern corner of the beach and watched the sunrise.

The tide was low and the sand was compacted enough to ride on. It was great fun riding along the beach, skirting the edge of the waves, passing people and playing with different camera shots.

At the end of the beach, I crossed over a number of small rock groins and onto Ettalong Beach. Once again the sand was firm enough to ride on.

At the end of the Ettalong Beach was a public wharf. I rode around on the wharf, then followed the bike path back towards Umina Beach.

 

I rode some more on the beach, then turned back onto the foreshore at the Umina Surf Club. Just down from the club was a skate and bike riding park. I had a fun time in both. The skate park was a bit unnerving so there's a challenge to return.

I rode back along the beach and then around the cliff base to Pearl Beach. At Pearl beach, I took a small track that lead to the wetland area. It was very pretty and teeming with birds.

 

I loaded my gear in the van and ordered a coffee at the nearby café and sat on the beach to relax and enjoy the warmth of the sun.

 

distance - 13.82 km

elevation range - 41 m