August 2013

Another fine day in Nambucca - 14 to 24 degrees and sunny.

It was a bit cloudy when we woke this morning and we had about 10 spots of rain on the roof of the van while we were still in bed. However the cloud soon blew away and we ended up with another nice day, although it was a little breezy, 15 knots gusting to 30 knots.

After lunch we went for a drive to Taylors Arm for a drink at the Pub With No Beer. The history of The Pub With No Beer dates back to 1943, when farmer Dan Sheahan went to the Day Dawn Hotel in Ingham, north Queensland, only to find American soldiers had drunk the pub dry of beer. With a glass of wine in hand instead, he penned the song A Pub Without Beer. Country singer Gordon Parsons adapted the song to A Pub With No Beer, basing it on his own local at Taylors Arm, then called the Cosmopolitan Hotel. When his friend Slim Dusty recorded the song in 1957, it became an Australian chart-topper.

We sat outside in the beer garden amongst the Bird of Paradise flowers and enjoyed a couple of drinks in the sun.

View of the countryside from Taylors Arm Road

The Pub With No Beer

Bird of Paradise flower

Di enjoying a drink at the Pub With No Beer

Cosmopolitan Hotel - better known as the Pub With No Beer

Rude Boy Pilsoner just in case Kevin O'Lemon drops in

Honey Eater on a Bird of Paradise flower

Another beautiful day in Nambucca Heads with a temperature range of 14 to 23 degrees.

Nothing planned today other than to drive into town for some papers and some bread rolls for lunch. We were sitting in the sun enjoying our lunch when Barry and Trish next door to us asked if we would mind looking after their dog while they went for a game of golf. Di said yes please - so we spent a few hours looking after Ellie, a miniature Schnauzer. I think that Di has given up on a Jack Russell and switched her allegiance to Schnauzers. During the afternoon we took Ellie for a walk around the caravan park.

Di with Ellie the Schnauzer

Can I come in please?

Another lovely day in Nambucca Heads with a temperature range of 12 to 23 degrees.

Today we decided to drive the 50 kms to Coffs Harbour to see if we could find a pre poll voting station so we could put Kevin O'Lemon out of his misery - we were successful and were able to cast our vote. We also called into Watsons Caravans for some more Biomagic, before parking in the centre of town for a wander around the shops. Di found some shorts and David found some new casual shoes. David went to Dick Smith for a high speed SD card for his camera , but would you believe that they did not even know that SD cards have different read/write speeds.

We eventually found a camera store that was able to supply a Sandisk 16 GB card with a write speed of 60 MB/sec, and a read speed of 80 MB/sec. Probably the fastest that David had seen - but at $80 each, thank you for coming. A high speed card is essential for a 16 megapixel camera capable of taking 6 frames per second. If a whale is jumping out of the water then you need to be able to hold the shutter down.

As it was nearly lunch time we decided to find the local Surf Club, which was located at Park Beach - we both had a calamari salad. After lunch we drove down to the wharf area for a wander around the yacht club marina and the fishing fleet wharf. In the town centre we had noticed an Offshore super-boat on display, and down at the marina we saw another example of these racing boats. The Offshore Super-boat Challenge is on in Coffs Harbour this weekend.

Dodge Ram entry in the Offshore Super-boat Challenge

View from the Coffs Harbour Surf Club

Coffs Harbour fishing fleet

Another entry in the Offshore Super-boat Challenge

Coffs Harbour Yacht Club Marina

A yacht coming into the Coffs Harbour marina

A school snorkling class in the bay

Another beautiful sunny day - 13 to 23 degrees.

After breakfast we sat in the sun reading the papers, there was hardly a breath of wind and the lagoon was like a sheet of glass.

George - serene on top, padding like mad beneath

A Heron looking for fish

After lunch we walked out to the end of the V-Wall to check on the whales. There was plenty of activity today and I managed a few good photos with the 300 mm telephoto lens. I think that mine are better than yours - Frosty.

A whale of Nambucca Heads

A second whale

Another whale

After watching the whales for a while we wandered over the hill to Shelley Beach. Shelley Beach is a beautiful spot and we walked to the end of the beach to see how far it was, and then walked back over the hill and along the V-Wall to the Tavern, where it was time for a cool refresher.

Di on the steps to the beach

Shelley Beach

Nambucca Head from Shelley Beach

A cormorant drying its wings

Di walking on Shelley Beach

Dare I say it - another beautiful sunny day at Nambucca Heads with a temperature range of 12 to 23 degrees.

Another quiet day enjoying the peace and quiet in the caravan park. After lunch we decided to go to the Lookouts on the hill behind the caravan park to see the sights. After taking a few photos we headed for Woollies for a bit of grocery shopping, before returning to the park to sit in the sun again. Some-one has got to do it!

Looking south from the Rotary Lookout

Looking out to sea from the Rotary Lookout

View across the caravan park lagoon to the Nambucca River

Nambucca Head from the Captain Cook Lookout

Shelley Beach form the Captain Cook Lookout