CENTRAL COAST - 'BIRDS OF AVOCA LAGOON' - KAYAK - 9 JANUARY 2015

The surf was messy but the wind nil and the sun was shining, so off for a kayak.

I paddled around Avoca lagoon. I paddled casually and enjoyed the shades of morning light, the reflections on the water and the numerous birds.


A pied cormorant put on a great show. I was so close and the sun was shining through the wings. The bird seemed to strike a number of poses for the camera.

A great kayak.



BIRD INFO







The Purple Swamphen has a resplendent purple-blue neck, breast and belly, and a gaudy, oversized bill and frontal shield, both of which are bright red, as are its beady eyes.

The Black-winged Stilt is a large black and white wader with long orange-red legs and a straight black bill. It has black on the back of the neck, a white collar and a red iris.

CENTRAL COAST - KINCUMBA MTN - MTB - 6 JANUARY 2015

I went for an afternoon ride at Kincumba Mountain Reserve.

I had just got my bike back from a service and I was keen to try the harder run. The ride was good but the rear brakes need more adjusting so I didn't tackle the harder run.

distance 5.09 km
time 26:43 mins
av speed 11.4 km/h
max speed 24.8 km/h
elevation range 44m

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 - WOY WOY TO WATERFALL BAY - KAYAK - 3 JANUARY 2015

I parked at Woy Woy and launched from a small beach opposite Pelican Island.

I got a surprise with a group of ducks crossing the road in single file - as they do. The last duck was reluctant to cross but was looking quite anxious so I stopped and waited for it to make its move to go.

I paddled along the channel towards thee wharves, then around to the bridges.

After the bridges, there were a number of houses in a small bay with wharves. On one of the wharves there was a group of  'Sooty Oystercatchers' which were parading up and down it.

Soon the landscape changed to bare sandstone and eucalyptus trees.

Waterfall Bay has a cascade rather than a waterfall but today it was a mere trickle.

I paddled in and around the mangroves near the falls.

The paddle back was great in sunshine.

At the end of the ride, there was a lady and her dog running in terror as I landed. A swamp of bees was responsible for this reaction.

8.08 km
2:16 hrs

CENTRAL COAST - KINCUMBA MTN - MTB - 31 DECEMBER 2014

I tried a track at Kincumba mountain the other day that I had never noticed before. It started off great with a few challenges but still fun.

So I decided today to continue following the track. Well, I was doing alright until I reached the section of the track I hadn't ridden before. There were drop offs and steep sections with heaps of random rocks. A lot harder than I thought it would be and it was also raining. I came off a number of times with one over the handle bars and a roll along the dirt. All good!

I will try again but not in the rain.

3.63 km
elevation range 21 m
av speed 13 km/h
max speed 25.2 km/h

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - PELICAN ISLAND - KAYAK - 21 DECEMBER 2014

A brilliant morning! The sun was shining and not much wind.




I launched off a small sandy beach along Brick Wharf Road at Woy Woy. My objective was to paddle around Pelican Island.

Along the shore and in and under the casuarina trees were a flock of 'Little Corellas'. These birds are unusual in the bird world as they like to play.

I paddled across to Pelican Island and followed the mangrove shoreline turning into the Woy Woy channel. The waters became shallower and the fish jumped or darted away when startled by the kayak.

Two 'Australian Pied Oystercatcher' birds were foraging in the mangroves. It was enjoyable watching them cautiously feeding. These birds a have a bright orange bill and striking black and white feathers.

Next, was an 'Whimbrel', which is from the curlew family. It was also foraging in the mangroves.

A 'Little Egret' was in the mangroves. This bird had two ribbons hanging from the head which apparently appear during the breeding season.

A sea eagle was perched high above watching and waiting.

An enjoyable part of this kayak was paddling under branches and through the mangroves. The perfect reflections give it such an ancient worldly look. Where's the giant crocs!

On the eastern side of the island were rows of oyster farms. I paddled between the rows feeling like I was on a race track.

Towards the end of the paddle, there was a small beach with a number of birds. The beach was wide and long enough to make it a pleasant sit plus the water was swimmable.

A pretty 4.2 km kayak with heaps of bird close ups.
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CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - ST HUBERTS ISLANDS - KAYAK - 16 december 2014

Well, firstly, I thought that St Huberts Island was the one island covered in houses. BUT the two smaller islands next to it were marked down as St Huberts Island so there must be a few of them.



I parked at Park Road, Woy Woy. The shore was lined with a sandstone retaining wall. At Park Road, there was a break in the wall with a few steps down to the water.

I launched into the bright morning sunrise and paddled across to the first island.

The island was lined with mangroves and a few breaks with small white and beaches. It is shallow near the shore and clusters of oyster periodically scrapped along the hull of the kayak. Luckily, the kayak was made of plastic! It was very quiet. The water carried  a few voices of boaties so that they seemed very close.

After circumnavigating half the island, I paddled over to the second island. This island was totally covered with mangroves and there wasn't really any dry land. I was able to partially paddle under a few trees but it would be better with a high tide as it was too shallow.

I paddled back over to the first island where there was a small wharf attached to an oyster farmer shed. A little further on, there were some oystercatcher birds on a small, white, sand beach. I watched them for awhile then landed the kayak a little further around on another small beach. From here, I explored the island but the dry land was very small.

I landed at another beach on the island then headed back to the start.

There were a lot of birds, mainly in flight, but they were too fast for me today to photograph.

A nice paddle of 2.08 km with a beautiful sunrise and relaxing, calming water.

CENTRAL COAST - BOUDDI NP - MTB - 14 december 2014 - 'TRACKS'

An eventful bike ride at Bouddi National Park.



It started out well and I was feeling good. I was approaching the turkey trail from the better side. The tracks were heaps of fun and I was feeling confident.

The first fall was when I stopped to check the steepest of the drop. I just started to slide and fell into the tree.

The second fall was abrupt when going over some tree roots. I just came to  dead stop.

The crash was hard. I thought I was lucky I didn't hurt myself, then luckier still that I didn't damage the bike. I thought I was okay but the bike hit soft sand and wham I hit the rock.

The next event, was the flat tyre. That's two in the last two rides.

The next hit was towards the end. I thought I was fine on the concrete path when my right foot and pedal hit one of the concrete uprights. It hurt a bit but I was happy there was no damage to me or the bike.

Conclusion, I'm trying hard and pushing it or I'm getting sloppier. hmmm! food for thought.

distance - 5.61 km
average speed - 9 km/h
elevation range - 40 metres

CENTRAL COAST - WAMBERAL LAGOON - KAYAK - 10 DECEMBER 2014

An early morning kayak on Wamberal Lagoon.



This morning I was joined by my friend, John.

The conditions were glassy and the sky cloudy.

The water was high so we were able to paddle across a few usually dry places.

There were  number of birds including cormorants and black swans.

The small tributary at the west end of the lagoon was a great paddle. It was still, dark and narrow. We were able to paddle through the reeds and between the trees.

It was a fun and pleasant paddle.

distance  - 4.54 km

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER - RILEYS ISLAND - KAYAK/HIKE - 7 DECEMBER 2014

I parked at the pubic wharf at Davistown. It is a pretty area with Rileys Island opposite and sandy beaches on either side of the wharf at low tide.



The paddle was enjoyable and I was able to keep close to the island as the tide become fuller. The island shore was mainly mangroves and surrounded at parts by oyster leases.

There was a lot of activity in the area - fishing boats and other kayakers. Some of the fishing boats caused a wake that oscillated in the still morning.

The birds were abundant - ibis, cormorants, lapwing, oystercatcher, silver gull, egret and I think a whimbrel. They were roosting on signs and trees or foraging in the mangroves, shallows or deeper water.

I landed on the island in two places but there were no real paths to follow. At one point, where there were a lot of grasses where spiders had made webs that were sheet like between the blades.

A pleasant kayak with mirrorr reflections, birds and an island.

3.60 km