We have been driving, riding bikes and surfing/swimming. Slow, lazy and very enjoyable days. Once Colin has finished working we head off, sometimes on our own and somtimes with our neighbours. Yesterday we drove to Urunga, rode our bikes around a bit (Johanna took a corner too fast, raced up the kirb but managed to stay upright, though she did buckle the wheel of her bike), tried a couple of salads at the Boardwalk Cafe for lunch, and walked along a very long boardwalk to a very ordinary beach. Colin had a surf at Coffs on the way home to make up for the disappointment.
Today we headed to Sandy Beach with one of our neighbour couples. What a jewel of a beach - hidden away and not well known. The surf was about right for Colin and once again he found it easier to surf on a borrowed mal - looking more likely that he will acquire one! And I had a play with the whizz bang camera - still hopeful that I mught acquire one!
Johanna had a ripper of a day. Our kindly neighbour (who just happens to have coached olympic swimmers and once was third in a junior National Iron Man Comp) gave Johanna a surfing lesson. On only her second time on a surfboard he took her way, way out the back, where she couldn't touch the bottom, the waves crashing....(I just reminded myself of all his qualifications and experience!! Actually I had complete faith in him) He showed her how to go over waves and stay on the board, gave her tips on how to better surf on the board, how to read the waves, chose the perfect waves for her and gave her a gentle push to get her started - she actually surfed green waves, had a beautiful left hand ride for the longest anyone in our family has ever stayed upright. She's hooked. She fairly danced out of the water. The only problem was the baggy bather bottoms, a trip to Best and Less on the way home has solved that particular problem. We bought a size too small - they should stay up no matter what the conditions.
We shall be sad to say goodbye to our friends this evening. We all leave tomorrow - they return to Queensland and we pick up Rachel and her friend Jess from the Coffs Airport and head further South to Forster. Another week and another part of the adventure unfolds......