Paddle's Up!

Despite the fact that I have lived in this part of the world for 11 years, I still don't know a paddle board from a surf board. I took this photo thinking "Wow - not much in the way of surf today. What's he doing??". Aaaanyway... this is a paddle board - it's bulkier than a surf board and has a non-slippy surface that you can kneel on while paddling around with a paddle.

You're gonna need a bigger rod...

After a major rebuild, Shorncliffe Pier re-opened to the public at Easter. It stretches 350 metres into Bramble Bay and, according to Brisbane City Council website, has

• four fish cleaning stations
• four water fountains
• 20 light poles
• seven bins
• six safety ladders
• four benches
• fourteen seats
• two picnic tables
• a flag pole for yacht races.
• a concrete and steel substructure
• timber joists, decking, handrails and rotunda
• a larger rotunda
• a larger hammerhead at the end
• a lower platform at the end of the pier.

I'm not so keen on the idea of a large hammerhead at the end. I hope it's friendly.

Brighton Rock

Looking out into Moreton Bay this morning from Decker Park in Brighton. That's Woody Point just sticking out there in the top right. Not too shabby!

Morning Shadows

Being from a part of the world where you learn to make the most of every drop of warm weather, I still find it a bit unnatural and wasteful to join in with the widespread glee that summer is over for another year. Having said that, autumn is a beautiful part of the year to be in Brisbane. The humidity lifts, the clouds disappear and we get glorious sunshine during the day with cool enough nights to (almost) pull a cover over you.

Today's picture was taken yesterday morning on my way to work at about 7.45. The Mount Coot-tha lookout was mobbed with cyclists who had finished their morning climb and were looking at a downhill stretch all the way home.

Rise and Shine

Some serenity for your weekend.

Picture this: You are the only one around. The sun is rising over the horizon and there is a mist above the breakers. The shadows are still long and you can feel a warm breeze over your skin. The only sound is the crash and fizz of ocean as it meets beach... and the wind in your ears. You stretch up high on tiptoes with your fingers reaching for the sky and your bare toes scrunching into the wet sand ...and take you take a deep, cleansing breath.

What a way to start the day.

Sunrise Beach a bit after sunrise

We won a competition for a weekend up at Sunrise Beach on the Sunshine Coast which is about a 90 minute drive from where we live in Brisbane if you take the scenic route and stop for ice cream. The beach is long with tumbling surf and fine golden sand... great for walking or saluting the sun first thing.

Rise and Shine Skywatch

This was taken by my colleague Adrian on his phone while at work early one morning last week.
It's from the top of Mount Coot-tha looking north-east-ish towards the glinting ocean and Moreton Island beyond.

Does having a heavenly scene like this to look at make up for having to be in work at that un-godly hour? It's a close one.

Part of Skywatch Friday.

Showing Dad what she saw in the rockpool

 

...It was some soft coral that looked like it was breathing!

Shelly Beach, Caloundra

Taking a break from the kayak, Bribie Island.

Hanging Out At Redcliffe

Summertime Blues

December the 1st marked the first day of Summer here in Brisbane. It hasn't stopped raining since then and today is no exception. So this one, taken back in May, is for those Brisbane residents who may have forgotten what a blue sky looks like. And for my family back in London who are probably a bit more cheesed off with their weather right now than I am with mine.

Caloundra, Sunshine Coast

Canteen Blues

The view from the Channel Ten canteen at the top of Mount Coot-tha looking east and slightly north towards the Port of Brisbane, Moreton Bay and the faint blue haze of Moreton Island on the left.

Bribie Island Pacific Stripes

The northern-most point of  Moreton Bay, between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, lies Bribie Island. It's a sand island about 34kms long. People live on the southern part but up in the north,  and a large section of it is national park. The beaches on the ocean side are gorgeous with fine, white sand and largely empty.

The guide I was with told me that the sand comes from the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, a thousand kilometres south. The mountains erode and make their way into the water systems eventually getting washed out to sea. The eroded material gets rolled around and ground into sand in the ocean and travels up the pacific, depositing on the coast as it goes. By the time it gets up here, it has been ground up so much that the sand is very fine - almost like flour.

Sandgate Pace

As the harsh mid-day sun subsides, kids zoom home on their bikes from school, people walk their dogs on the beach... and way out to sea (sorry - really must get a big lens), kite-surfers flit from wave to wave. It's all....very.....relaaaaxed....

Shorncliffe Pier Skywatch

Shorncliffe pier was built in 1872 and is reminiscent of many piers in England from the same era. This area was once a seaside town but as Brisbane's footprint continues to expand it has become an outer suburb. You can tell as you walk around that the people in charge have tried to retain the character of the place with all sorts of historical buildings and street furniture - like these great Victorian-looking lamp posts.
That's the southern tip of Moreton Island in the distance - one of the worst-affected areas of the horrific oil-tanker disaster in March. Thankfully after months of hard work and millions of dollars, the mess has been cleaned up.

Fish and Chips at Sandgate

Sandgate is in the far north of Brisbane and takes about half an hour on the train. As it is still part of the bay, there's not much in the way of sandy beaches (by the Australia's standards) but the sea front is a great place for walks or exploring rock pools... or scoffing down fish and chips which is exactly what I did. Very nice, it was... even if I did ignore the Londoner in me who was screaming for malt vinegar and some mushy peas. Lemon? I ask you.