Birds at dawn

Birds at dawn,
originally uploaded by Pip_Wilson.

Best viewed at the largest size, these birds were flying very fast and I couldn't identify them (looked to me like pigeons -- maybe topknot pigeons but I've never before seen that species fly over the ocean). They flew along at breakneck speed just offshore, then proceeded inland.

The wheel turns

The day is overcast and cool. A fairly typical and not terribly exciting Winter's day.

But we have had some wonderful warm days with scarcely a cloud in the sky, and temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius. And we are well past the Solstice soon it will be Spring, but as the days lengthen, of course, the cold strengthens, and the next month is Sandy Beach's coldest period. By the time late August and September come, we'll be back in our T-shirst, by day anyway. The wheel of the year turns so beautifully.

September will mark something else. I will be moving to Emerald Beach, two beaches south of Sandy. It's a beautiful place, but I won't be actually on the beach as I am here. It's a matter of economics, as so many things are. I will be taking a house rather than a cabin, as my 14-year-old son Remy is coming to live with me. A cabin on Sandy Beach is affordable. A house on any beach in NSW is not.

I'll miss Sandy, and Sandy Beach Almanac, but I'll have something much better in my life, namely my wonderful son, and a very nice domestic situation in and village in which to enjoy a new phase. There won't be an Emerald Beach Almanac in the foreseeable future. The wheel will have moved on.

Moonstruck

Moonstruck,
originally uploaded by Pip_Wilson.

Fly me to the Moon

Fly me to the Moon,
originally uploaded by Pip_Wilson.

I shot this from my front gate at sunset this evening.

Today's rainbow

Today's rainbow,
originally uploaded by Pip from Oz.

Today's been a rainbow day. The first one I saw was this one at 9:20 at the Raj Mahal on the Pacific Highway. Since then there have been plenty, like an unexpected appearance of a lot of old friends. Bravo Ma Nature! The one shown here capped off a good rainbow day.

No dolphins, just a cloud

Clouds yesterday,
originally uploaded by Pip Wilson from Australia.

I went to the beach just before lunch today and the first thing I noticed was a pod of dolphins swimming from the middle of the beach southward, just behind the line of breakers.

Near the back of the beach (I mean where the vegetation begins) I stood on a sandhill a bit more than a metre high, to get the best vantage point I could in this relatively flat environment.

Just then about eight dolphins surfed a wave. Behind them, the island on the horizon. Behind the island, a massive bank of thick, white, billowing cumulus clouds. The sun was over my left shoulder. All was perfect. I clicked, the camera worked and I was pretty excited.

Unfortunately, my camera (as much as I think it's briliant) on long distance shots takes a long time with the shutter, and is not great with zoom shots, so all I got was a nice scenic shot of the beach. :: sigh ::

Oh well, here's the cloud from last evening. Better than nothing I guess.

Help keep four-wheel drives off beaches

An email today from a reader. You, too, can take action to help keep cars off Sandy Beach.

Hi Mr Wilson

I just typed in sandy beach and got onto your web site. just wanted to let you know, I cant believe nothing has been done about vehicle access to the beach so I took your advice and emailed the following to your local newspapers, radio and council. hope it helps because we wish to move up to the area after christmas.
Cheers
G.

Whilst holidaying in coffs harbour we discovered sandy beach, The kids myself and my partner thought it was the best beach. however each day we visited 4wds would access the beach and drive along it. why? they clearly had no boat or boat trailer at tow. the sign clearly states no cars, my 7 yr old son soon grabbed his 3 yr old sister when a nissan navara went past. I was too slow to get a rego and the vehicle too fast. Then if i did have a rego what do i do, it would be my word against theirs. what can we do to stop this. Does council need to resort to bollards to cordon off the boat ramp area to stop nuisance 4wders? In this situation emergency vechicle access would be hindered because of nuisance 4wders.
yours sincerely
G. McC

Tucker time

Tucker time,
originally uploaded by Pip Wilson from Australia.

Today at the Chili Festival at Sawtell, about 40 minutes south of Sandy Beach. More Chili Fest pix here.

I'm a member of the Rainbow Region flickr group for North-eastern New South Wales.

Where is Moby Dick?

Whale watching at Sawtell today,
originally uploaded by Pip Wilson from Australia.

The whales were passing in their annual northward Winter migration, but a long way from shore. Today at Sawtell, NSW, Australia.

What I missed last week was a white humpback whale -- an albino like Moby Dick -- which was seen locally heading north. This week's copy of the local The Independent newspaper has a photo.