A FUN MORNING - 22 JANUARY 2020

Awake well before dawn.

Today was the day to try different activities to see how the wrist fares.

I checked the surf at North Avoca Beach. It was smallish and erratic so I passed on that one.

Back in the van and a short drive to Avoca Lagoon for a kayak.

The water level had risen a few centimeters after the big rainfalls a few days ago. The lagoon looked a little healthier. The paddle started in glassy water with a light swirling mist over the water. Very pretty.

A number of birds were foraging along the shoreline and they didn’t seem perturbed by my presence.

I paddled up the north channel and then back and around the island. The morning sun shimmered as it reflected off the water.

Back home and Jacinta was awake. We decided to head to Umina Beach for a walk, cycle or surf.

The waves were rolling small on a high peaking tide. I decided on a surf and Jacinta had a walk along the promenade.

I was nervous about the wrist verses surf. I strapped the wrist well and eventually stood up on six waves. It didn’t hurt my wrist getting to my feet but it was a bit awkward and slow. It was heaps of fun and I felt more confident to surf more.

Out of the surf and I decided on a short bike ride. No problem. I even rode of the gutter a few times and it all felt good. MTB is back on the agenda as well.

After all this, Jacinta and I had coffee at the café at Ettalong.

Feeling good :)

THE WRIST - MORE INJURIES - 20 JANUARY 2020

In December I was still recovering from the rib injury when hit by my surfboard in Sumba, Indonesia.

There was about two weeks when it all felt good and i was back in the waves.

Just before Xmas I had a windsurf. It was a great day. Perfect wind. Unfortunately, I fell on my wrist and sprained my wrist!

It is now towards the end of January. The wrist is getting better but I'm still limited in activities I can do mainly because the wrist can't bear my body weight so any falls might be painful or cause the injury to start again.

Ah well, them's the breaks.

I'm back to kayaking and the next steps are cycling/mtb, surfing and windsurfing.

Strangely enough, I have been able to swim and snorkel. I guess there is no weight bearing.

I've been thinking about FB, you tube and blogs so I might do some changes in my approach towards them. see what eventuates.

A kayak at Brisbane Water yesterday along an unnamed waterway through the mangroves. It was fun exploring with some encounters with birds.

COOKS RIVER CYCLE - 'BRIDGES' - 16 DECEMBER 2019

Down to Sydney today for a short while. I was taking my daughter to a medical appointment. While she was there I had a cycle along Cooks River.

It was a fun cycle with heaps of bridges to cross, a very narrow path under a bridge and some short tracks through the bush. There were a few diversions along the way.

AVOCA LAGOON & TERRIGAL HAVEN - 'KAYAK, WALK, SNORKEL' - 14 DECEMBER 2019

The morning air was a lot clearer and cleaner this morning.

I checked the surf at North Avoca Beach but it was small and powerless.

Next stop as Avoca Lagoon for a kayak.



The water level was very low but still okay for a kayak. It was very limiting to where one could paddle as it was either very shallow water or no water.

The morning light looked pretty as it contrasted with sky, sun and vegetation.

The birds were out and about - pelicans, ducks, darters, cormorants, cockatoos, egrets, ibises and others. Some were in flight or roosting on a tree looking for their next meal or resting.

I met up with Jacinta at Terrigal Haven where we had coffee on the beach.

After that, I had a short walk and Jacinta a longer walk as I wanted to do a snorkel.



The water was clear to the edge of the rocks and a bit limited around the rocks and rockpool area.

It was a good snorkel with big fish, stingrays, tiny colourful fish and colourful rocks and seaweed.

BOUDDI NP HAVEN - 'CAPPACINNOS AND MOUNTAIN BIKE' - 12 DECEMBER 2019

The surf was small lumpy and powerless this morning.

Jacinta and I had a walk times two around the Haven. After that, we sat on the beach rock wall and drank cappuccinos. The Haven was somewhat protected from the wind so a snorkel later when the tide was lower looked possible.

I decided on a mountain bike ride. I drove to Brisbane Water NP at Warrah Trig Road but the park was closed due to high fire danger.

I drove to Bouddi NP at Maitland Bay and the park was open. I had a fun ride on the Turkey, SW Ridge and Strom and Ferny tracks. These tracks all link together and complete a loop ride. I did a diversion along the track off the NW Ridge track for a short distance. That track was rough and dry.

BOUDDI NP MTB - 'STROM LOOKOUT TRACKS' - 11 DECEMBER 2019

The surf at North Avoca Beach was from the south but was very lumpy and formless due to the secondary swell from the north. I drove to Shelly Beach but it was more or less the same.

Next stop was Bouddi NP at Wards Hill carpark. The national park was open so I mountain biked along the tracks to Strom lookout. The tracks were fun being a little rougher in parts than my rides there earlier in the year. I followed a track that leads to a high and sheer light waterfall. The drop is so vertical that it is very dizzying to look over the edge.  The track continued through the bushland till it reached the edge of a private property.

A fun ride with a few near spill type situations.

SYDNEY - 'tHE ROUNDS AND THE REUNION' - 7 DECEMBER 2019

We drove to Sydney today.

Our first stop was to visit as to visit Jacinta’s brother but he was fast asleep and would be for ages.

Next stop which really didn’t happen was to visit my sister. We arranged to meet at Circular Quay but her phone as switched off so we couldn’t meet up.

Next stop was Clovelly Beach, where I had a snorkel. The visibility wasn’t great at first but got better once in the deeper water. I saw a number of stingrays and large fish.

We dropped around to see a couple of friends, who we were going to see later at the Market Street Reunion. It was nice to had a one on one time with them before the party.

The main reason we drove to Sydney was for the Market Street Reunion. A lot of people stayed continuously over the years in the same flat. We were there at various times over nearly a decade. Jacinta was one of the first people to stay there and I was one of the last. Anyway, we use this as our bonding excuse to have a get together every year. It is always good fun and this year was no exception.

SHELLY BEACH AND WAMBERAL LAGOON - 'SUNRISE HAZE, YELLOW TAILED COCKATOOS AND DOLPHINS + KAYAK - 6 DECEMBER 2019

I checked the surf at Shelly Beach but it was a bit ordinary but a pod of dolphins frolicked near a couple of surfers in the water. Also,  there were glossy black yellow tailed cockatoos roosting in the carpark trees as I was just about to leave. To nice sights to start the day.

I drove for a kayak on Wamberal Lagoon.

It started so well. There were ducks, pelicans and cormorants right where I was launching. The ducks put on a brilliant flight show and the cormorant dived repeated for fish.

The kayak was enjoyable – cruising past the shore line of reeds, trees and flowers. The wind was light so the water was reasonable smooth. At the far end of the lagoon, towards Forresters Beach, I paddled up the creek until I was blocked by a fallen tree. It was very quiet on the creek as it was surrounded by dense vegetation which blocked the wind.

My first long kayak and the ribs had no pain but my muscles were a bit sore haha!

CENTRAL COAST - 'SMOKE HAZE, KOOKABURRA NEST AND BEACHES' - 29 NOVEMBER TO 5 DECEMBER 2019

29 November

Checked surf at North Avoca and ran into Haggy and Jeckle. We drove around and surfed at the bend on Terrigal Beach. The waves were short and dumpy. I had a couple of relatively okay waves.

1 December

A MTB at Bouddi NP on Turkey NW Ridge and Strom tracks. It was a good ride. My legs were not as burning on the steep climbs. Generally, I rode though a few sections more confidently.

After the ride, I drove to the Newtown reunion at Avoca Beach. It as so good catching up with Ray, Carlos, George, Jim and Chris. A pleasant chat and laugh.

2 December

A tree in the backyard has a termite nest about 15 metres from the ground. To kookaburras had pecked away a nest in the nest and laid an egg. This happened awhile ago and since then the kookaburras had been taking turns guarding the nest and feeding the chick. Well, today, the baby's head emerged from the nest checking out the world.

Later, it was outside the nest on the branch of a tree. 

3 December 

I checked the surf at Shelley Beach. It looked and was so awesome. I had such a good time on fast right handers.

4 December

I did a coast run in the morning to check out the beaches running north. Good banks on most beaches.

I had a no so good surf at North Avoca. The wind changed onshore.


5 December

The smoke haze was very thick today and some of the fires were only 30 km away. I checked the surf but the swell had increased and the beaches weren't handling it on the lower tide.

I stayed home and did a lot of jobs around the house.