Tuesday 14^th February

Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all…

We are going to what is called a café but what looks like a very posh little restaurant, all starched white tablecloths and a 4-course special dinner, on the banks of Lake Macquarie.  But not till 7.00 so there is time for G & T and blogging.

We left our mooring at Shoal Bay early, still not sure if it was a public one or not… It did seem to have some vaguely yellow leftover writing on it that might once have said PRIVATE PROPERTY KEEP OFF!!!  But now it just said SMUDGE BLUR.  So it was ours for 12 hours, from 5.30 till 5.30. 

The trip down to Lake Macquarie was beautiful, and not too long – we got to the Swansea Bridge at 12.00, just in time for it to open, majestically, for us.  So satisfying, holding up a long line of traffic.  We cruised down the coast through big flocks of muttonbirds, and then, so wonderful, into a large school of dolphins – Pete thought there were at least a hundred.  Small groups of ten kept coming at the boat from different angles, diving under, meeting up with another group of ten or so, diving off, merging, and finally leaving us behind.  Or rather, in front.  Fabulous moments!

Lake Macquarie is – of course – very beautiful, another large inland waterway, lined with beautiful forest and small cheery towns.  We first anchored at an island, Pulbah, I think, where I had a swim.  I tried to spend time with some sea creatures but only saw a few large vertical shellfish, attached firmly to the sand, and two small pale shallow-living fish which were terrified at the sight of me.

The anchorage was extremely shallow so Pete decided to head off across the lake.  Half an hour later, we arrived at Murray’s Beach (more a rocky foreshore than a beach, but never mind.)  There were several free moorings, and a large, welcoming jetty with big solid bollards.  Just the thing – and no signs saying PRIVATE PROPERTY KEEP OFF.

It is very peaceful here.  Birds tweeting prettily, a few pelicans gliding just over the surface of the lake, and – yes of course – a lone sea eagle disappearing into the treetops.

I have just finished reading, on my iPad, How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran.  Has anyone else read it?  I read some comments about it on mamamia.com.au and opinions was very divided.  Extremely divided, in fact!  I loved it, thought it was very funny, very clever, a new perspective on feminism.  And before that I read 11.22.63 – Stephen King, a huge book.  I was sad to have finished it, was very engrossed in the world of the 1960s, and in the cleverly managed time-traveler theme.