Finally in March the weekends were bright, sunny and nearly 30 degrees Celsius! We took advantage of these last few weekends of summer and did some fun, cheap outdoor activities that can be easily done in Sydney.
Snorkel Mask and Flippers
Dave's Anniversary Present to Me
Dave bought me a snorkeling set as one of my anniversary gifts because he wanted to relive all the fun we had scuba diving but with less gear and at a cheaper price point. We were meant to use them in Jervis Bay, but it started raining. We waited for an ideal Saturday when it was hot and the water wasn't choppy. The first weekend in March was perfect!
Snorkeling at Gordon's Bay
We met up with our friend Justin, who lives in Coogee Beach, only a 30 minute bus ride from Sydney CBD. For us, it was only a 15-20 minute scooter drive. He had been snorkeling before, so we enlisted him to take us to Gordon's Bay - a popular spot for diving lessons and snorkelers. It was only a 10 minute walk along the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk.
He lent me his girlfriend's booties (an excellent investment if you want to avoid flipper rubbing and want to walk along rocks). I hadn't been in Australian waters since our trip to Port Douglas in April 2012 and before that was scuba diving lessons in June 2011. The water was frigid in both occasions, so I was timid to jump into Gordon's Bay. It was surprisingly cool, but not cold. We snorkeled around the bay for an hour until our fingers were pruney and couldn't stand the cooling water.
We saw many sting ray, zebra striped fish, a school of squid and a grouper the size of my leg calf! The water so so clear just like scuba diving experience I had in the Great Barrier Reef. But this time, we didn't need to get on a plane or pay $300 each for a chartered trip.
Seeing all the fish made us hungry for fish, so that night we ate at A Fish Called Wanda, a restaurant where you pick the fish and they cook it they way you like it. It was a great way to end our snorkel adventure only half an hour from our apartment in Elizabeth Bay. I got quite brown and Dave got quite burned, so if you do go snorkeling on a hot day, make sure you apply lots of sunscreen!
Paddle Boarders Are Out in Full Force!
Rose Bay
My friends had been telling me about it and how easy it was. I had tried surfing and kayaking. This combined the two and was not too difficult.
We scooted to Rose Bay, only 10 minutes down New South Head Road from Elizabeth Bay. Rose Bay is a lovely wealthy community in the Eastern Suburbs. It is also known for its calm waters, which is perfect for stand up paddle boarding. At Rose Bay Beach is a company that rents out the boards and kayaks. When we arrived at 1:30 pm, the beach was full of friends and families picnicking. The water was full of paddle boarders!
We brought a picnic of pasta salad, salt and vinegar chips, crackers and capsicum and feta dip. We knew we weren't paying for lessons ($25 or $20 just for board rental), so we watched others as they tried to balance closer to the shore.
After the picnic and a 30 minute nap, it was 3:30 pm and we knew if we waited any longer, the tide would get rougher and the winds would pick up. So we rented two boards and set out. Although we didn't pay for the 'instruction' fee of $5, we were told where to place our feet, to slightly bend our knees and keep our backs straight while paddling three times on each side.
At first paddling and balancing wasn't too difficult. But then we found ourselves drifting North edging the moored boats. I often had to take my paddle and push off from the boats. I also collided into another boarded making her fall off! Karma bit me back when Dave collided with me making me fall into the water. At first I wasn't happy because I didn't want to get my hair wet because we were going to dinner in Bondi afterwards. But I decided that was a dumb idea considering we were doing a water sport. I practiced rowing standing, sitting and even on my knees. Once I found calmer waters, I laid on my belly just floating in the water. Rose Bay is quite shallow, so while I was floating I could actually see the ocean floor, only a few feet down.
We rode the tide back in to the rental area and felt a real high from a great ride - like we were surfers. Afterwards, we rode to Watson's Bay, the next Bay over and took a stroll to dry up and enjoy the sunset. We only spent about $10 on our picnic and $20 each learning a new outdoor activity only minutes away from where we live!
Cruising in After a Great Ride
Living in Sydney for nearly three years now, I am guilty of forgetting about all the great outdoor activities there is to do. Now that summer is officially over (28 February was the last day), take advantage of the few warm weekends we have left and get out for some fun in the sun!
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