Easter at the Beach

Big Surf and Incredible Scenery

Looking South from Angourie, New South Wales, note the lack of development! NSW has been much more active in protecting natural areas than Queensland.

It's hard to believe that Easter has come and gone already. For all of you in the Northern Hemisphere, it's a time a blooming flowers, longer days, and gradually increasing temperatures, but for us it's just the opposite. However, in our case the "chill in the air" is a much appreciated change. I use quotations since the "chill" is a pleasant 70 degrees rather than the high 80's we've been experiencing in Brisbane until just recently. But there are other signs that summer has finally come to an end. Our plumaria is drooping and will soon lose it's leaves (one of the only trees that does so), the local pool has closed, we actually need a light blanket at night, and best of all we can go for bike rides, walks etc. in the middle of the day without frying our brains!

That said, we also got a dose of cooler temperatures when we headed south for Easter, which is four day holiday here, to meet our friends who are moving back to Sydney. In Australian style, rather than a stressful two or three day move, they decided to take a month long beach holiday as part of their transition. Angourie, the area where they were staying, was the perfect sleepy little village with two cafes, a tiny shop, and 50 or so holiday homes all with in 500 meters from the beach and walking tracks. In addition to this idyllic location, we were able to enjoy the company of our good friends, collaborate on dinners, and trade off on watching the kids both at home and in the surf.

Cooler days and Surfers in Wetsuits

Now if Angourie sounds a bit too isolated, I must confess that there is a larger town, Yamba, with supermarkets, a video store, numerous restaurants, and even a Target about 5 kilometers up the road. If you feel like a swim without the surf, there is a sea-filled pool in Yamba too, but we decided to pass as it was a bit cool that day, note the "jumpers" (jackets) on the boys. The next day was nice and sunny and the boys got in some boodie boarding and even Mark went in for a swim.

Another day we went for a hike over the headlands and into the Yuraygir National Park. The noisy boys (Erik and Mitchell) spent hours exploring the strange rock formations and tide pools, while Mark and Dan (Mitchell's older brother) built boats out of cuttlefish mantles and other beach flotsam.

It was sad to say goodbye, but hopefully we'll make it down to Sydney to see our friends again before we move back to Seattle and once we are back in the Northwest they plan to visit us since they have never ben to the U.S.