Walking Quiet Ways

Walking Quiet Ways No 1 Central Coast by Colleen Keating

colleen General, The time of Self-Isolation , , , , ,

First Tentative Steps out of Lockdown 

  1.   Crackneck Headland to Shelly Beach

Monday 1st June  was the first day it was legal to drive and stay away from your place of shelter.

As soon as we could, after that we tentatively set out. I say tentatively as we had not been out much at all and we had to watch the traffic and the increased  movement about. We also didn’t feel easy about buying takeaway food even coffee. I must say I have envied the young ones sitting on blankets in the sun enjoying boxes of crispy salty sea food and others sitting up to served food in the alfresco places I pass.

On our way to our beach retreat we stopped at the Crackneck Headland to do our first whale watching  and as I faced the sea it just took my breath away. It was a gorgeous day admittedly and many people sitting watching . There was a hush  all around.

 

The sea was vast. Vaster then I ever remembered it . . . spread out in its immensity with a sheer silken surface .  It was alive as its moved and wrinkled as if someone, maybe the goddess of the sea was moving under its cover . . .the horizon dividing the sea and sky like a fine line separating the two shades of blue.  As I looked out, the sea claimed even more, its aliveness as the waves  caterpillar across the ocean, pursuing each other, perpetually.  That sense of feel-good ran right through my body  like electricity. I guess it is the feel-good hormone running sparking my blood.   I felt alive invigorated.  The ocean renews me. 

Someone said whales were there but far out and I know Michael  and I can’t see that now but what joy to know the whales were there . It added to the sense of  amazement of this ocean like a goddess in all its presence  and not changed in our months of lock down and my absence.

Yes it makes me feel small, insignificant but as I become smaller my awe becomes greater.  It gives me all the meaning I need in life to see this . . well it is the meaning in a way.  and that makes me feel grand with meaning. 

From this came the idea i have the ocean in my heart  and so I had to write  a poem about it .

We decided I would walk from the Lookout to  meet Michael at Shelley Beach. The walk was about an hour  and goes through  Wyrrabalong National Park which it is more a coastal corridor  with some wonderful glimpses of the sea and some good stands of Banksia and Red  Gums and Palms. I have written it up before, but this time I felt it has been neglected and people have walked heavily thru it  and it is damaged. No rubbish but there its not the graceful respect we need in our precious forests.

Walking Quiet Ways No 2 Central Coast by Colleen Keating

colleen General, The time of Self-Isolation , , , , , ,

 

Early tentative steps after Lockdown 

 

Dolphin Court  to Toowoon Bay along the foreshore,
past the Ocean Baths which is still in lockdown
around the headland
along the rock shelf observing the rambling shells

to the Grey Heron home


where excitingly I found 4 new young Herons
feeding amongst the low tidal pools on the rock shelf
in the distance,
to Blue Bay along the sand to the bend
and around to Toowoon Bay


where a last walk along the beach and I met Michael with morning tea of fruit.  It was again the birds that dominated.


Well the Haven of Herons could be a future poem.

 

Walking Quiet Ways No. 3 Central Coast by Colleen Keating

colleen General, The time of Self-Isolation , , , , , , , ,

Early Tentative Steps out of Lockdown

Dolphin House to Long Jetty 

Set out before lunch to walk to Long Jetty and meet Michael  for a picnic lunch.

The day was a stunning blue winters day with some gorgeous fluffy happy clouds bouncing around and giving wonderful ware reflections  as you will see in some of the photos. . I walked along the beach till it became the lake, under the bridge, past the old boat shed, along the path of huge Norfolf pines where the cormorants nest,  along past The Lake House around the bend to the south side of Tuggerah Lake. I met a couple looking very concerned taking photos of fishing lines and tackle caught up in the pines. I firstly smiled thinking of the frustration of your line getting caught like when a kite gets caught  and then herd the story of how ignorant  The Pelicans were standing there confused as picnickers were taking their place everywhere .

Only a few days back the birds had the place to themselves.

I walked along the edge of the lake enjoying the  glass waters reflection of the fluffy clouds  and as usual i enjoyed the birds   the pelicans , ibis, two gorgeous black swans

a wonderful reflection of a large white egret feeding amonst the reeds, a couple of masked lapwings or plovers as we call them

 

I kept walking past the jetty as it was a bit busy and not enough room for social distancing and found a perfect spot a little further on. Michael and I met with the app ‘ Find a friend ‘ very modern of us haha . He pulled up where i had found a view and a table and was writing and he arrived with thermos for tea and coffee and a picnic lunch.

We actually drove on after that to look at heaters and a back up charger. We bought unsuccessfully as the heater doesn’t blow out air and the charger doesn’t fit,  so Monday a return day. and we might do the same walk and picnic lunch .

Just want to add some photos that I took on our return a few hours later. Here the sunsetting over the lake  is breathtaking.