Participants: Victoria, Chee, Diana, Shayma, Dan, Bruce, Trang, Anne, Chris, Mollie and Cathy
On Sunday morning we all left the city on the L90 bus to Palm Beach. It was showering in Sydney, but a quick text to Bruce on the Central Coast confirmed reasonable weather and to continue with the walk. It turned out to be a beautiful warm day!
We caught the ferry across to Mackeral Beach. Here we spotted a black arrow etched into a rock which marked the starting point for the walk. We walked up to an Aboriginal overhang where there were a variety of ochre handprints. We were abit quick with the next decision to head up the hill, when in fact the trip notes if read in detail indicated to take a track which followed the water, however on the whole the signage for this walk was particularly poor. As a result we walked along a firetrail for some distance before arriving at Resolute Picnic Area, where most enjoyed an early lunch.
Bruce looked on a map in the picnic area and suggested that after we visited the Flint and Steel Beach, that we then return to Mackeral via the track which followed the coast, which had been the intial plan. We had to walk along West Head Road a short distance before heading down to the beaches. The track was fairly good until we reached the water and decided to find a track along to the second beach. The people ahead decided there would be too many snakes and spiders, so we backtracked a short way up the track before finding yet another less overgrown track through to Flint and Steel Beach.
We all loved Flint and Steel Beach!!!! Most went in for a swim as the water was so warm and there weren't many people at all in the area. A couple of others retired to the beach for a snooze under the trees while a goanna crawled up the tree beside them and kept them company.
We walked back to Resolute Picnic Area and checked out West Head Lookout. A gorgeous view! Then took the coastal track back to Mackeral. As with all good bushwalks we managed to lose two participants on the return journey. Trang and Mollie slipped behind and missed a turn off, heading for yet another beach. Thanks to mobile technology, Chee and I returned to collect them. This put us a little behind and meant a run for us at Mackeral Beach in order to catch the ferry. Bruce managed to get on, but the rest of the group missed it. We called a water taxi which turned out being slightly cheaper and much more exciting as it sped across the water (the highlight of many people's day). We actually arrived back at Palm Beach just behind the ferry.
We had planned to go for a drink in the city as all gourmet trips seem to involve, but unfortunately the bus took for ever as Military Road was a nightmare with motorists not realising that the Harbour Bridge had been reopened.
Anyway a fantastic day had by all!
Cathy