Iced wine, summer and Happy New Year

Last night we had dinner down at the beach.

It had been a hot and sunny day, and finally looked like it might be a good night for a swim and a  picnic.

Made a thai beef salad and took a bottle of Bandol rose that M wanted to try.

Along with this wine gadget - a frozen icicle to drop into the bottle to keep your wine chilled. 

 It is such an obvious and good idea. 

Who thinks of these things?

It worked - we sat and enjoyed our chilled wine and salad until dusk.

Happy New Year! I hope 2013 is good to you, your family and friends.

We have a special dinner for two planned at home - but I  don't think we will even make it to midnight this year.  

We will be sharing a bottle of champagne though. 

Enjoy your celebrations wherever you are.  Would love to hear what you got up to.

School of the ocean

I have always loved the water and the beach.   

Mum used to say she could never take her eyes off me when we were on holidays at South West Rocks, I would always be crawling towards the water.

If you grow up in Sydney, especially if you live close to the coast, it's a given that you will learn to swim.

I didn't really learn to swim properly until I was about 9 or 10 - which was quite old.  It was seriously embarrassing to stand in the waders' pool with floaties on and surrounded by 4 year olds so I soon got myself out of there.

Once I learnt though, I never looked back.

 I went to life saving classes, swam in pool races on the weekends and occasionally went to the beach.

I was a pretty good swimmer - not necessarily fast - but could swim a long distance quite happily.

One day, when I was about 15 or 16 my friends left our beloved Cronulla beach and ventured further north to Manly.

That day I was trying to catch a wave alone, way out past the crowd (this was before the movie Jaws) and suddenly had a sensation of being pulled across by a rip towards this outcrop of rocks on the south east end of the beach before the open ocean.

The more I tried to swim against the rip, I realised I was going nowhere except further out to sea. 

 As they still are today, our local surf beaches were patrolled by life savers, distinctive in their red and yellow, the blast of their whistles and sometimes megaphones to make sure we swam between the flags.

I could see them on the shore.

I put my hand up to wave as we had been taught, but had a sinking feeling when I saw they weren't looking in my direction.  Trying not to panic, I yelled out for help and waved some more.

Luckily a surf board rider heard me and dragged me into shore. I threw myself on the sand shaking with relief.  My friends surrounded me - surprisingly, at first,  they thought I had done it on purpose to attract the attention of the cute guy.  Seeing how shaken I was they made me go back into the water immediately - so I wouldn't be afraid to in the future. Tough love!

This all flashed back the other day when I saw this group of kids having a swimming lesson at Manly beach.

These nippers will be used to waves and swimming in different conditions - not just the confines of a swimming pool.

They will learn how to handle a rip, without panicking. 

They will swim between the flags.

And they'll know not to swim alone.

I learnt my lesson.

Safe swimmimg!

My puberty blues

I grew up in Sydney's south, a short train ride to Cronulla Beach and the scene of 

my own Puberty Blues.

The only blues this morning were the sky and the water as I took a walk along the headland with my nephews N and L.

South Cronulla beach,  with  North Cronulla,  Elouera and Wanda in the distance

As they whipped along on their skateboards, I was able to take in the view and remember with mixed emotions the days I spent there in my teens, with the ocean a constant backdrop to my happiness and my agnst.

 Elouera Beach and the Wanda sand dunes, the surf, my first bikini, chocolate paddlepops, laughing with my girlfriends,  the Wall, the smell of coconut oil and coppertone, the slow trawl through the boutiques in the main street on our way home.

Just near here was where I had my first (and only) puff of a cigarette and a sip of beer and where my friends and I hung out - waiting to meet some of those surfer boys as they came off the beach.  The smell of marijuana in the air mixed with the salt of the surf.  California jeans, pale blue sloppy joes and hightop sneakers. That's what us girls wore.... no bare midriffs in the 70's!

This morning those  memories all came crashing back, as if it was yesterday not 4 decades ago.

My nephew asked me if I had ever done anything wrong when I was growing up.  

I said, "not really".

Up early

Woke at 4am for some reason -  read  in bed for a while (luxury) and after a cup of coffee and a bit of toast with honey to get me going I headed out for my morning walk. 

This intense grey, almost indigo, sunrise lit the sky and shimmered across the bay

From the top of the ridge.

A short walk down the hill and the beach was mine

The black bay of harbour water wasn't tempting me this morning - 

although the temperature was measured at 20C/70F.

Won't be long before I'm swimming in the mornings.

By the time I got home the sky was blue - it looks like being a beautiful day.

Bondi to Bronte

One of the most beautiful and famous walks in Sydney is the Bondi to Bronte coastwalk

From whichever end you start you walk along a path close to the edge of the ocean cliffs and with a panoramic view the length of the walk.

JR and I started this morning at Bondi and we agreed that we must have a swim next time at Bondi Icebergs. It got its name from the dedicated  people who swim year round , right through the winter months.

Doesn't this look tempting today?

We came across this surprising vision

Yes, we do have kangaroos in Sydney

and realised that Sculpture by the Sea was due to open tomorrow

Some of the installations that we saw 

A bamboo windfarm complete with wind sound effect

Mosaic pillars under ledges

Red hot chilli - on the rocks

Tidal foam created from plastic knives and forks- amazing

Fishing rods bent by their catch

We luckily got a head start and beat the crowds to see the sculptures, but this walk is a must do in Sydney at any time.

First swim

It's a holiday weekend in New South Wales.

 Labour Day, commemorating the eight-hour working day for Australians. 

It also recognises workers' contributions to the local economy.
It's an annual public holiday and its date varies across our states and territories.

I celebrated my contribution to the economy this week by having an early swim yesterday afternoon.

By this I mean my first dip for the summer season in the harbour at Balmoral.

The Rotunda at Balmoral, a favourite landmark

I can't recall getting into the water in Sydney in September -  ever!  

I usually swim through to April- so I am optimistic for a long swimming season this year.

Outside temperature was unseasonably warm and humid - 31C or 92F.

I wasn't the only one

It was bracing and refreshing at 18.1C or 67 F when I dived in and it really cleared the end of work week cobwebs away.

The extra warmth in the air as I walked back to my towel quickly took the chill away.

I believe there are two types of swimmers - those that swim when the temperature of the water equals or is greater than the temperature of the air.

Or people like me - who swim to cool off!

If it's your turn - dive in and have a great long weekend.

A little ray of sunshine.

Monday morning, on my way the office, after a wet and grey weekend.

Seen out of the corner of my eye

Not just any vending machine 

Havaianas

Bringing back thoughts of the beach, sunshine, salt and summer.

Don't worry if you don't know your size!

My beach

Sunday afternoon. 3pm. 

Sun's out, a slight chill in the air, a gentle breeze- its autumn in Sydney.  

Needed some fresh air so headed down the hill to our local harbour beach, Balmoral.

Can you believe it is just  a 20 minute drive from Sydney city?

Just me and the seagulls.

Maybe this is why?

Unfortunately, it's always a steep walk home!