Aquaholics Surfing Blog

Bundeena Walkabout

Posted on 03/18/2009 at 01:21 am by Nanci Boutet Viewed 3,262 times | 7 comments

Well, it’s Wednesday, March 18 here, and this morning I went on the ferry to see Corynne Bean’s mum. Some of you know Corynne from Playa Grande in Costa Rica. She and her husband also came to the shop when we were in the old location to do surf lessons. They now own Frijoles Locos Surf Shop and Spa in Playa Grande.

Cheryl (Corynne’s mum) lives in Bundeena, a short ferry ride from Cronulla. It’s a beautiful small town, with none of the hustle and bustle of Cronulla. Cronulla is a bit like a cross between Kennebunk and Virginia Beach. Nice funky shopping areas and high rise hotels.

While waiting for the ferry to disembark, I looked down to see a large crab doing the sidestroke; ON THE SURFACE! Never saw such a thing. See it on Youtube, under Aquaholics Surf Shop videos or…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_zVCTSa_TI

This crab was in about 8 feet of water, just swimming along the surface in a circle. Hysterical. The Aussies on the ferry hadn’t ever seen anything like it either.

I crossed over to Bundeena, a national park region.

The ferry from Cronulla

The Harbor

Leaving Cronulla Harbor

Bundeena

Cheryl met me at the ferry. We went for tea at her lovely house.  She has a B&B called Bundeena Break. After tea on her patio, we hopped in her car to drive to a trail for our walkabout.

There's Cheryl, just ahead on the "trail".

Well, almost a trail. We pulled off the road, on the shoulder, got out and wandered down a narrow dirt road. Well, almost a dirt road. We were walking and talking about snakes and spiders. She likes snakes, thinks they’re lovely. NOT ME! My friend Whare (who we’re meeting in New Zealand next weekend) told me something about Australia. If it moves, it can kill you. Nice! …So Cheryl and I are walking and talking. The trail narrows, she keeps walking. The “trail” disappears, she keeps walking. I would NOT consider this a trail by any stretch. But she keeps walking. Hmmm, snakes and spiders. I’m trying to look down to avoid stepping on anything deadly, and trying to look up so nothing deadly will fall on me, and she keeps walking. She’s telling what kind of snakes are around, but it’s unlikely we’ll see any (I hope) and what kind are bad. I ask her what the big holes are in the ground are, she thinks they’re spider holes. Um, big spiders? Not likely. We eventually come out at a beautiful little pool of crystal clear water flowing from a stream. We’re standing in a cave like overhang. She tells me how she’d love to come camp out here. Okay. Big spider holes in the ground of the cave.

The lovely crystal clear pool.

Cheryl near the cave overhang, where Mr. Eel lives. Those are not reflections, the water is that clear.

So pretty and clean.

She’s telling me about the lovely eel that lives in this pond, he’s so friendly. When you dangle your toes, he comes up under them and tickles them. Tickle? I would jump out of my skin! Then we walk over to the other side of the stream. I ask if there are any fish in the pool, she’s telling me not that she’s ever seen. The eel probably eats the little crawfish and crustaceans that live under the edge. Oh they’re lovely too, they come out and exfoliate your feet. Exfoliate? Like eat? She is a true nature lover. Like Steve what’s his name (Crocodile Hunter), only a little less extreme.

We walk back (through the bushes) to the car. We then drive to Garie Beach.

 

Garie Beach

Gorgeous. The swell was coming in a lot bigger there. Nice gentle offshore head high waves. While we walked along, the wind switched, but the surf looked fun. We walked along for a little way toward the Royal National Park. There was a guy out fishing off the rocks. He had booties, a speedo, a shirt and a hat. Everyone wears speedos here, except the surfers.

Nice outfit.

Nice outfit, nice fish.

He caught a fish, so I went to document it. It was a “Bream” nice white meat, delicious eating he said. He was getting splashed big time. No worries, mate. At the head of the national park were houses that are temporarily owned. When the owners die, the National Park seizes the properties. They’re eliminating them. Garie was stunning. We walked back to the car. There is a hostel at Garie. If you want uncrowded surf and cheap digs, check the Royal National Park site.

Those are the Temporary Homes. There are trails around the coast through the yards.

 

The Hostel at Garie Beach, in the Royal National Park

 

A cockatoo, as common as bluejays.

We went for a smoothie and she took me for a short tour to time my arrival at the ferry. Bundeena is very quaint and has a nice feel to it. Highly recommended, especially if you have a car to get to Garie to surf!

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