A Sunday Walk from Bondi to Clovelly
Look at how many people were on Bondi beach yesterday – it was like an army of ants, dotting the sand and floating in the waves. How many places in the world can say they have a swathe of gorgeous beaches located so near the city and that by the middle of Spring it’s hot enough to swim, wear T-shirts and enjoy the outdoors to the max. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and I was doing the scenic walk along the cliff tops for exercise and as a restorative (oops, seem to have relapsed into Jane Austen mode with that last one).
I finished my final assignment for the year yesterday, a week early…it was straightforward and quite enjoyable actually but it was a fantastic feeling to finish. Although it did feel kind of weird too – like, what am I going to do for the next few months? Then I remembered that I have plenty to keep me busy.
The walk was really refreshing, from Bondi, past Bronte beach and to Clovelly. I particularly like the bit winding through Waverley cemetery which is built on sloping ground on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea. It is an amazing place and in a strange way, sort of romantic. I would like to be buried there but I doubt there are any plots left – all the dates I saw were in the early 1900s, very English names of the deceased like George and Edith. It’s funny – gravestones give no real expression of who a person was - they’re all the same, concrete, marble or some other neutral-coloured stone saying something like ‘Edith McMahon, died 73 years of age, 1909, beloved wife of George’. It’s pretty generic and anonymous really - that’s mortality I guess.
That’s enough about gravestones for now. I then carried on to Clovelly beach and caught the bus back to Bondi Junction where I caught a train to the city. I had a very lucky day with public transport connections. You can never be sure how long you’re going to have to wait on a Sunday but yesterday it all went like clockwork.
The beaches are something that I will miss in Sydney. I loved heading over to Dee Why or Freshwater - they were my favourites because they were not as crouded as the Eastern Suburbs or Southern beaches. I loved a good late afternoon swim in the sea…
They sound nice - I don’t like it when it’s so crowded that you bang into someone any time you dive under a wave or get bowled over by a boogie board when you emerge! I have fond memories of childhood going to Port Kembla beach in Summer - Fiona will remember that. It was lovely. I clearly remember one day playing in the waves and Fiona and her Dad were there. People used to jump off a big flat rock in the ocean and I used to think that was so daring. People would also fish off the rocks and we would see them from our house, wearing their wet weather gear with waves sweeping around them. They could easily be washed off. Our house overlooked the sea on a kind of cliff and we could also see surfers way out away from the beach. We saw whales twice too. I have a strong connection with the sea from growing up hearing it outside my bedroom window every night.
Sounds like you had fun Ruth. Like Andrew I prefer the beaches up north i am afraid
but I do like the beaches down in Victoria, i really should go down the Great Ocean Road soon. 
I did the Bondi to Bronte walk once it was really soothing.
You North shore snob! Only kidding
How about youse all come up to BB to experience the beaches up north??
But you have to wear something brief!!!!??? to keep up with the Schoolies who will soon hit this town (yuk) and the backpackers who descend on us in droves these days. I feel a bit of a Granny when I walk down the main drag in Byron. Once I was dumped when swimming at PK beach. That scared me to death. Ruth, you loved being DRAGGED down for learn to swim classes on a Sat morning especially when the southerly was blowing. I can still hear, “I don’t want to go!!”.
Ha ha! It was freezing cold and so salty and I remember standing in a row waiting with the other kids in the middle-sized pool for my turn to swim to the other side. Nightmare! It is great to be able to swim well now and something I really enjoy. I’m still averse to cold water though!
Rose that is so kind of you to invite me. I am tempted!!!!! I have only been up as far as Lismore never to Byron, yet! Gosh! I *AM* tempted! We can leave the love birds alone and go swim and have a blast!
Speaking for the two lovebirds, we are looking forward to November when we will be up for the weekend of the 12th and the 13th. Looking forward to getting a bit of a swim in and blinding everyone with my extremely reflective white body
I will be bringing the sunscreen up as well so that I then don’t turn lobster. It should be a good weekend and I am looking forward to seeing you again.
Oh, and Amit, when you next head down you should drop by. You can sample some of Melbournes cool restaurants and drinking establishments with us (Hopefully Ruth will be down here by the time you make your next trip to Victoria).
Now Amit……I don’t think you would want to see ME in my “togs” (kiwi for swimmers). I think the two lovebirds arrive on the 11th. That’s when I’ll be at Goldcoast airport. Andrew, I don’t think we’ll expose you to the sun for too long. It has been hot here lately though ie 29 degrees. How about Melb temps? Amit, I would love to see you again but no camera this time, please!!! I think you would enjoy BB.
The two fair-feathered, glowing and shiny lovebirds will be swooping onto the Gold Coast on November 11th and will be taken under the wings of the Mother bird for a few drops of golden wine and luxury bird seeds.
Mother bird is ruffling her feathers with pride to have her baby bird back in the nest with someone to share the “love nest” with. There will be much chirping and crowing, preening and petting. Hope the fodder is up to scratch in the farmyard.
That last comment cracked me up (i.e. the eggs in the nest cracked open and little birds poked their beaks out and started squawking with laughter). We must be on the same wavelength!
Oh no! What have I started
. Ha ha ha ha 
We’re on the ’same page’!
Didn’t you know you’ll be with a couple of “crackpots”, Andrew???
Hi Rose, I’m just worried that with 3 “crackpots” in the house (ie that includes me) there will be mayhem
.
We’re going to have a lot of laughs and fun times….can’t wait!
aah, the sound of the surf, the late afternoons jumping the waves. I always thought you were entirely more daring in the surf than me, Ruth. Funny thing, I got asked in a quiz on the weekend what one of my favourite memories of childhood would be, and I said exactly what you just outlined above. Port Kembla Beach was lovely until they took most of the sand away and planted those spinifex thingos. It’s still a good beach, though.
I must say I miss the surf. I am surrounded by water out here on the Redcliffe Peninsula but it is a bay so no real waves. We drive up to Mooloolaba and Noosa or down to Rainbow Bay on the Gold Coast alot as Sean is a surf fan. It’s still nice to take Judah swimming most days however and we walk along the shoreline and play in the lagoon pool. He is a water baby. I think if you grow up y the sea like we did, the love of it never leaves you.
I could never live in a landlocked place. I agree with Andrew that the North Shore beaches are great - Warriewood, Palm Beach, Dee Why and Harbord.