APRIL 09 - Easter at Shoal Bay NSW

Well, here is the highlight for the month of April 2009. We both had a long weekend so we took advantage of it and went North to a wonderful beachside resort called Shoal Bay. This is where we spent our Easter weekend. Enjoy the pictures!

Usually at Easter we are used to getting chocolate "Easter Bunnies".
This year was a little different. Bryan bought me an "Easter Bilby"
It is a type of a bandicoot, endangered species in Australia.

Photo taken from internet.

And you guys think that the traffic in Saskatoon is bad! For quite a long time the traffic was bumper to bumper and just crawling along. It is a bit hard to see from the picture but believe me, I've never been in traffic this backed up before. People were right when they warned us to leave early to avoid the traffic. I guess we didn't get out early enough!

















Well, we finally made it to our destination. "Shoal Bay Hotel and Resort". Very nice place. But even a nicer view. The beach was just across the road from our hotel room. It ended up being a nice weekend. Not really really hot but just right! Warm enough to enjoy a cold one on the balcony and just sit, relax and enjoy the surroundings and views.

About 30 minutes after we arrived someone knocked at our hotel room door. To my suprise a man was holding a huge bouquet of flowers and asked for "Mrs Willett". That's me! Bryan pre-ordered flowers to be delivered to me once we arrived. What a sweetheart! The flowers, as you can see were beautiful!

We went for a walk along the beach shortly after we arrived and Bryan found rocks again. Man, he really loves rocks. I don't blame him for they are truely amazing. Many different shapes, sized and colors. Amazing how water can erode such massive pieces into true art.

The next day we went for a walk just to investigate what was all around us. We stumbled across this quaint little place. Henry, they have a place here just waiting for you!

We saw many many beautiful flowers. I was able to snap the camera quickly to get this one.

The wonderful "Birds of Paradise" flower with a "Myna" bird using it for a resting place. These flowers are absolutely everywhere. They grow in huge bushes with the flowering stems towering from the branches. The myna birds are everywhere as well.

In the afternoon we went for a walk. Picturesque Shoal Bay lies at the foot of Tomaree Headland, offering one of the best lookout spots on the East Coast of Australia. From the summit, we had a 360 degree view as far as the eye can see - north towards Seal Rocks, south towards Newcastle and inland across the Tomaree Peninsular and Port Stephens.

One of the views from the top of the lookout. This picture shows "The Spit". It is two sand dunes which connect to an island when the tide is out. You can walk across 'the spit' at low tide with care. We were there just before the tide was starting to come in. It was late afternoon and the weather was starting to cool off a bit.

We made it about 1/2 way and with water waist deep and the tide starting to come in. I told Bryan that this is about as far as I was going to go. Bryan, I am sure would have gone the whole distance, but then there is the task of trying to come back when the tide was coming in. Not a good idea we were told, because people have lost their lives trying it. We will go back another time and cross the spit when the tide is low and the weather a bit warmer.

Fingal Bay. We walked and walked along the massive beach. It goes for a long long way. This is the beach that you walk along to get to "The Spit". There are massive amounts of sand and huge sand dunes everywhere. The picture on the right shows me amongst the sand.

My "Footprints in the Sand"
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It was one fantastic weekend. God's beauty was all around us. The sights and sounds we experienced were breathtaking. An area we will surely visit again.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of our Easter weekend.

Everyone take care and take care of everyone!

All our love, hugs and kisses!

Bryan and Maureen