9. Ten Days Up Down and Around the Hawkesbury River

My Church on the cliff overlooking
the Hawkesbury River
Pete and I each had a commitment over the weekend of the 4th November. My 46th Mackellar Girls High School reunion in Manly (Sydney), a year late due to covid; and Pete's son James' 40th birthday in the Sunshine Coast. We would have parked our van at Narrabeen Caravan Park to be close to Manly and the airport but it was $171 per night! $1710 for ten days which is slightly above our budget. So I tried Patonga which is a place very dear to my heart -  just inside the mouth on the north side of the Hawkesbury River, opposite Palm Beach sort of. They were all booked up for our dates. Finally Umina was able to accommodate us. This meant that I could take the ferry to the Northern Beaches, and Pete could catch the train to the airport on the 4th.

No sooner had we set up camp (we are managing to get where we are going in the light most times now) than I chauffeured Pete around my beloved Patonga and Pearl Beach. He seemed to understand something more about me for having done that.  

Showing Pete around Patonga

Showing Pete around Patonga


Showing Pete around Patonga



Showing Pete around Patonga

Showing Pete around Patonga

Showing Pete around Patonga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Peita and Steve at Thai

We met up with my sister Peita and her partner Steve for a delicious Sit O'Clock Thai on our first night, then she backed up the next day to walk with me from Pearl Beach to Patonga - a walk I used to do daily when I was shy of forty and my kids and I lived at Patonga near Mum and Dad.That walk up the mountain and down the fire trail return was largely responsible for me feeling pretty fab and fit at the time. I have a special rock on the edge of the cliff where two trees make an arch and the Hawkesbury River below looks uninhabited - like it would have looked before the white man came. I call it my church. Once when I sat here meditating I had a sensation of becoming one with the land - an experience I treasure. I have such fond memories of all the many connections I have had with Patonga - I tried to buy there three times. As always I am looking at Real Estate where ever we go - including Patonga and Pearl Beach. Tell her she's dreaming! Peita and I had a great walk, picnic at my church and coffee and cake at Pearl Beach on our return. Filled up my well.

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga
with Peit


Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

 

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

Pearl Beach to Patonga with Peit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee &cake at Pearl Beach after 10K steps

Pete and I had a very special day at Patonga - a very windy day coming down the creek but each of us was able to find some where out of the wind - him to fish and me to paint. I painted by the creek - looking across to the water access only houses, pelicans keeping me company and a couple of the locals pulled up in their tinnies and had a yarn. It turned out the two houses in my painting were where each of them lived. My Dad Frank and Mum Jude used to live in Patonga, and Dad knew many of the locals from having a beer down the corner, peddling around on his pushbike, and plein air painting various locations including Patonga Creek around about where I was sitting. One of the locals knew my dad. That was really nice. The other local told us all of Local One's business! Lovely guy and lovely chat but glad he is not my neighbour! 

Painting Patonga Creek

Beautiful native
in the kids park

Baked Bean sandwiches with the ducks

I do love a Pelican


Be in my hoodie with all the green
Hawkesbury rocks

Patonga Creek in memory of Frank Byer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

That's Susie on the right of the pic
- both of us are very tall!
Time for Pete to head north and me to head south for three nights away. I took Pete to the 4.09am Woy Woy train bound for Sydney aiport - he was flying to Maroochydore at 7.30am... our alarm went off at 3am... My sister's fella Steve very kindly came from his boat to pick me and my luggage up at 10.30am to catch an 11am ferry from Ettalong to Palm Beach. I love this trip - this waterway and I go back a long way. My darling friend Susie picked me up from the ferry. We go back to when we were three years old and our parents played tennis together at Allambie Heights. We went to school together a bit here and there - but our families were friends and so we remain friends 61 years later!

Susie, me, Annie, Caroline

We visited our friend Caroline at Curly, then Susie and I went to stay in what used to be the Royal Far West Home - Drummond House - on the beach at South Steyne. (Very reasonable, and just what we needed - highly recommended although soon to close for renovations I believe). I needed a little doze before going out to the big reunion that eve. Then we hit the Steyne Hotel with about forty other Mackellar Old Girls - or Moggies as some call themselves. Lots of finger food and wine - and so much chatter. There is a core group of friends who are the reason we have managed to gather each five years for almost fifty years. As social media became more known over the years it has been easier to keep a thread going between our year group. 1971 - 1976. I love the reunions and wouldn't miss one for quids. The only one I missed was in 2001 when my kids, their Dad and I were going around Australia. It worked out really well that Pete and I could pass through Sydney at the right time. There were a further two functions - brunch Saturday morning and dinner Saturday for the stayers of which I of course was one. Annie Booth arrived for breakfast on Saturday to stay with me after Susie left that afternoon. Susie, Caroline, Annie and I walked around Manly most of Saturday. Very special. We, with Deb in Glenugie, are the Golden Girls - our friendships have sustained us for our whole lives and the importance of these old friendships can not be underestimated the older we get. That saying about being lucky if you can count your friends on one hand when you die always seemed a little light on to me - but now I am grateful that I do have those five no matter what. Our next school reunion will be our 50th in four years time to get back to the right year. I hope to be one of those who go. Somehow I don't think they'll ever become any more sedate...


 
Fairy Bower Pool
Fairy Bower Pool

Annie and me

The Moggies 1971-1976 - Steyne Hotel Manly

My weekend didn't end there... I caught a ferry to the Quay and caught up with my darling 2nd niece Hannah at the oldest Pub in Australia, the Fortune of War at the Rocks, for a quick lunch and beer. Then I trained towards Woy Woy - but decided to check in with another longtime friend Louise who lives in Asquith - she made herself available for an impromptu overnight and easy Japanese dinner - again so lovely to check in on these long term people. Shared history. Lots of stories to bring us up to date with the other. And again I was on the train to Woy Woy the next morning - whereby I caught a bus to Umina and lugged what were by now becoming the enemy, my bags, along to the caravan park. I was driving to Woy Woy to pick up Pete within the hour. We were both very happy to reconnect and catch our breaths and share the stories of the weekend. And fall into bed and sleep long...

 

Ferry from Manly to the Quay

The enemy

Hannie B and me at Fortune of
War at the Rocks

Louise and me

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pete had a lovely family time up north - he doesn't have many pics to show for it but there was lunch at Cotton Tree Boat House, a lost puppy who created some angst but was fortunately found, and a party back at the house in the evening. Pete camped in a high rise with his daughter Cherie and grandys. He also had a lovely visit on the third night with his old friend Kay - she is one of those friends Pete will have at the end of his time on the planet too.

Pete's Maroochydore view
 
 

 Kay and Pete
James' 40th

 

On our return to Umina (both of us pretty exhausted!) we had a day off before other friends Chris and Richard visited, plus Smilesy, Gailo, Ivor and Daisy. We saw the Blood Moon. I finally had a go on my stand up paddle board under the instruction of Rich. He says I did great for my first time. I fell in a lot! But did get to stand up all the way to the beach with the breeze behind me on one occasion. Pete was droning on the beach and thankfully missed my bum up ithe air every time I had to scramble back up onto the board, and get to my feet from my knees. His drone was having a moment and took off up the beach of its own accord. Thankfully it landed on the edge of the water and not in it, and a kind passer by brought it back. Such a lucky accidental landing. Anyway Pete was able to get me a couple of stills from the little bit he caught of me Falling off my Stand up board. 

New $20 ALDI sleeved cozzie
Stand up (next to) Paddle board

Falling off - having a turn of Richard's











Old and new friends at Umina

Blood Moon

Peit squeezing in a third visit :)







Smilesy, Richard and Pete

Gailo and me

I think that must be enough for this post - This brings me up to about the Thursday 10 Nov - the day before we headed to Church Point for two days then south to Green Patch Jervis Bay...

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