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Boomerang Beach
Australia is home to endless beautiful sandy beaches, framed by dramatic bluffs of ancient rock. Here at Boomerang Beach on the Mid North Coast of NSW, the winter waters are pristine, and the views south are clear to the lighthouse on Sugarloaf Point.
There is something moody and dramatic about coastal beaches in wintertime that leads me to quiet introspection.
I’ve commented before (eg: Coastal Walks) on the rugged beauty of the east coast of Australia. I live within a ten minute walk of a beautiful beach and stunning headlands. I listen to the waves of the Pacific roll in – or roar in, depending on the ocean’s mood – every night before sleeping, and visit regularly on my morning walks.
But I guess I take it for granted! I almost never take my cameras with me, and seldom even take pictures with my phone.
When I am away from home, however, I treat my surroundings differently.
Some winters ago, I had the chance to stay on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales in the tiny resort community of Pacific Palms. It was the early days of Covid-19: there was still panic about the spread and no vaccine had yet been developed. Masks were mandatory and the few tourist accommodations open were operating under strict guidelines.
This normally bustling holiday destination was almost deserted: it was the middle of winter, and Sydney – some three-and-a-half hours south – was in another complete Covid-19 lockdown. In order to reach the Mid North Coast from my home on the Far South Coast, I had to skirt wide to avoid the Sydney embargo.
But, it was worth it!
Pacific Palms is partially surrounded by the beautiful Booti Booti National Park, which itself occupies a narrow peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and Wallis Lake. The quiet, almost deserted beaches that are at every turn in this area were a balm for the cabin-fever I had been experiencing. Most days, my phone (my old iPhone6) and I went for morning and evening walks to the nearby Elizabeth Bay; one day we drove the twenty minutes north to the coastal town of Forster for some restaurant meals and window shopping; and another day we spent the afternoon driving between points of interest in the Myall Lakes National Park, just twenty minutes south.
Join me for some quiet beach walks:
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Elizabeth Beach
Overcast skies and morning sea mists over Booti Hill make for a quiet morning on an empty beach.
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Ferns and Wet Ground
My accommodation in Pacific Palms was bounded by Booti Booti National Park. One morning I followed the bush track through to the beach. As beautiful as it was, it was was soggy underfoot: saturated from all the winter rains. My shoes ended up sodden and I didn’t walk that particular track again!
Waves in the Morning
Most days I ended up on the same stretch of beach twice; …
Waves at Sundown
… but even though the setting was the same, the waves and light were different.
Where the Forest Meets the Sea
The plants in the forest decompose very slowly, releasing tannins and lignins into the ground; the heavy winter rains run this mineral-rich yellowy- brown colour into the waters over the beach.
Almost Abstract : Patterns in the Sand
Afternoon over Boomerang Beach and Charlotte Head
Every few kilometres there is a new beach and another bluff.
Treasure Flowers – Gazania Rigens
I love the low-growing flowers that cling to the sandy soils near beaches.
Slow Down! Seal Rocks Ahead!
It was a short drive south to Myall Lakes National Park and the popular waters and beaches at Seal Rocks.
Rugged Coast through the Trees
The beaches and headlands stretch off to the north, undulating like a bowl of ripple chips.
Waves on Number One Beach
The waters rolling in from the Pacific here are beautiful, and every time I looked, they changed colour.
Beach Runner
Beach Chairs
With their Esky and their beach chairs friends enjoy front-row seats on the mighty Tasman Sea.
Young Couple
It might be the middle of winter, but the afternoon sun has just enough warmth for the young and brave to sport their swimming costumes.
Riding the Waves
The rocky break-water here makes this a safe area for beginning surfers.
Sliding Home
Down to the Beach
The afternoon light drops quickly; …
View North to Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse
… by the time we drive a short way south to Mungo Beach, the shadows on the landscape are long …
Afternoon Waves
… and the water is dark.
Sparkly Beach Morning
Back on Elizabeth Bay the next morning …
Almost Abstract : Sand Patterns
… I am again entranced by the patterns left in the sand by the retreating tide.
A Curve of Beach
Still Life Found : Flotsam and Foam
I love the art that nature makes!
Storm Clouds
My last morning at Elizabeth Beach was even wetter than many of the days before.
You take your chances with weather when you travel – and even more so in an east-coast Australian winter. There certainly was a lot of rain during my week on the Mid North Coast!
But, I had good books and my computer with me, and a warm, comfy room to snuggle into. I’m a walker, not a swimmer, so the inclement weather didn’t keep me indoors all day. Plus, rains wash the landscape, and can make beaches more interesting.
Still, the storm clouds on my final morning made me glad to point the car back home!
Happy Rambling!
Pictures: 26-31July2020
