Endless Rythmh

I know I'm not alone. The ocean provides an endless rhythm of texures, patterns, movement and sound.

Hmmm. One photograph isn't going to tell much of a story!

Oops!


Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Ocean Sand Low Tide

Sometimes, between the rocks where the water can't run off with a high velocity as it can on the surfing beaches, the beach also turns into a myriad of fascinating patterns and pools at low tide.

Pt Cartwright.


Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

River Sand Low Tide

Just inside the mouth of the river there's a bend where Council deposited some sand to create a swimming zone. This appeared to be ill advised, as anyone who has spent some time on the water would expect that the sand would constantly wash away from the outer side of a bend, and so it is that the beach has been closed, and the constant pumping of sand onto it has ceased.

But the gentle wave action in the river leaves nice patterns as it washes it away.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Skywatch with Tinny

Those who have just popped in for a Skywatch visit, will have to scroll back a few posts to understand what a tinny is, and no, the ship in the background probably doesn't count!

These recreational fishermen are returning from a no doubt hard day in the gentle winter sun, as the first tinge of pink hits the late afternoon sky. Despite appearances, the atmosphere was not at all hazy, as can be seen from the clarity of the ship on the horizon, it's just one of those moments when the light doesn't do what one would hope for a spectacular photograph!

This may be our last linked Skywatch for a time, depending on whether we get access to the internet on Fridays over the next few months, but we'll keep posting anyway, and there's always Skywatch Home where you can find links to skyshots from around the world.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Bigger Tinny

Tinnies come in all sizes, this one definitely needs a trailer to get it home!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

On the river

Not every boat needs a mooring, some simply get pulled up on the beach, or more commonly trailed home behind a car.

If you've been dropping in here for a while, by now you'll recognise this little aluminium boat as a "tinny". If you look closely near the skipper, you'll see a pair of lawnmower wheels on this one, set up so the boat can be turned upside down, and wheeled home along the footpath!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Another River View

The Harbour provides shelter for a fair fleet of sailing and commercial vessels, with Buderim "Mountain" looming in the background. "Mountain" because that's what it is called, not what it is!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

The Mooloola River

From the south side of the river, looking west at Mooloolaba, it's easy to see just how little urban development exists, and why our government believes that there is plenty of room for more migration. Actually there is, but selfishly we don't want too much to change.

The glass house mountains (elevation 150m) rise up in the west.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Where are we?

If you'd thought anywhere in the world other than the Sunshine Coast, you could be forgiven. The pine trees are Norfolks, the greenery in the foreground is actually a strip of Casuarina, and the rather eclectic housing style is the area of Beachfront we know as Buddina, on the southern side of the Mooloola River.

Buddina

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Banksias are such fun!

I love sneaking up and catching them with the sun behind them when they least expect it!

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

... when this Spitfire......Skywatch with aeroplane

I was just minding my own business sitting on top of the hill when this Spitfire P51 Mustang (thanks to Mick and Darren for the proper identification) came roaring past!

I know it looks as though the shot was taken from an aircraft, it wasn't, which is a bit of a comment on just how low he was flying, probably being a bit naughty I suspect.

I thought the sky made a lovely old wartime sort of picture, if there is such a thing as lovely wartime that is.

Of course it's Friday, so visit the Skywatch Home where you can find links to skyshots from around the world.

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Hold on we're almost finished!

I figured by now, half of you are starting to wander off, so a cutesy kiddy shot might wake everyone up. We're nearly around the point, I promise!

OK, we'll have a break for a few days and resume later!

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Views of Point Cartwright 5 of 5

As we walk around the rocks to the part that's more exposed to the full force of the ocean, the smaller rocks disappear, and the surface becomes a solid mass, interspersed with puddles and rockpools.

No, this isn't the last of the Point Cartwright Views, but I thought I'd stop numbering them before I got to double figures.

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Beach Textures

Mind you, the transition between the rocks and the water is fairly sudden too, and when there's a swell, there'd be no walking out there!

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Beach Textures

It's a fairly abrupt transition from the sand to the rock, so there's no chance of missing the change.

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Views of Point Cartwright 4 of 5

I love the foreshore around this kilometre or so of coastline as it changes every few metres in texture and degree of danger. My photographic skills are inadequate to capture the full range of emotions it conveys, but on a clear winter day with little swell, it's a magical place to poke around.

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Views of Point Cartwright 3 of 5

Well we're going to be geographically confused today as well, but we are now on the southern side of the river, but since it kicks around at the last minute to enter the ocean facing north, we are also on the eastern side of the river mouth!

If that's confusing, well just remember there's no river between us and the lighthouse now, so we can walk around the rocks and enjoy the view.

Pt Cartwright


Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Northern Breakwater A place to sit and Skywatch

The Northern Breakwater is technically on the Western Side of the river entrance and located further South than the Eastern (or Southern) one, but it's often incorrectly referred to as the Northern one, because it's the last one you'd get to if you were travelling up the coast. OK so that's a bit confusing, it doesn't matter, provided you aren't trying to navigate by my instructions in a storm, it's on the Mooloolaba side of the river, and it makes a great place to just hang out on a good day, watching the sky.

On a bad day, it would be appropriate to hang on very tightly! (Remember yesterday's photo?)

Of course it's Friday, and we're back so we can once again link to Skywatch Home where you can find links to skyshots from around the world.

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Views of Point Cartwright 2 of 5

Walking a few hundred metres closer to the river mouth, and back in time by almost a year, after the storm the remnants of swell remain.

Notice the height of the waves relative to the white marker on the rockwall, and remember that for tomorrow!

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Empty

I am not sure whether a shoe without a person in it is more correctly described as "vacant" rather than empty, but I saw the poor thing lying lonely on the beach and thought a photograph might cheer it up.

Yes it was on a small patch of sand between the Southern Breakwater and the Rocks.

Pt Cartwright

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in today's theme day: "Empty"

Views of Point Cartwright 1 of 5

I keep finding different angles from which to view Pt Cartwright. That's not a difficult thing to do since it's clearly visible from at least twenty kilometres of coastline.

I'm still fascinated by the rocks that have made their presence felt along the beach. In a few months they will once again be buried under several feet, if not metres of sand, so I'd better record them while I have the chance.

During the course of the next week or so, I'll walk around the point, and publish ever closer views till everyone goes numb from boredom!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

She Oak

Nothing tells me I'm at the beach more than the gentle shhhhhhh of the wind through the Casuarina (She Oak) trees.

Well there is the water, and the sand, and of course the roar of the waves, and the sun glistening off a swimmer's back, and......

Oh heck, you know what I'm getting at!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Racing Ski

A lifesaver takes off for a training paddle late in the afternoon. These skis are dedicated lightweight racing craft, deceptively difficult to keep upright, about the width of a K1 racing kayak, but of course with waves and wind to contend with as well.

He'll be back before the sun goes down.

Probably.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Urban Landscape

I think this First Avenue apartment owner should get a certificate, confirming they've had a "really good try" at growing plants on their deck.

Two yuccas do not a forest make, but it's a start.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Life Imitates Art

I'm sure building sites were not as colourful before Bob the Builder came along.

No Go Zone indeed, everyone knows that green means GO!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Skim Boarding 4 of 4

Sadly, there's no elegant way of getting it wrong.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Skim Boarding 3 of 4

With split second timing the rider uses the momentum of the wave to fire him skywards, where he executes a quick double roll with twist and half pike before landing waist deep on his feet.

It's not an old man's game!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Skim Boarding 2 of 4

Following from yesterday's post, here is a skim boarder whizzing down the sand, about to make contact with the incoming wave, no doubt mentally preparing himself for some stunning jump.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Skim Boarding 1 of 4

The skim board is a strange beast, it was developed in the 60's for kids like me who couldn't afford a proper surfboard. In our day it was a simple ply disk, which was skimmed along the shallow water as a wave receded, and one would run and mount it, skimming along on the sand.

Times have changed, and the boards are now a little more extreme. The object now is to skim into an oncoming wave, and using it's power to jettison oneself skywards, execute a series of elegant aerial manoeuvres!

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Watching Brief

Surely it's just coincidence that the day after I publish a photo of a wedgetail eagle on my Postcards blog, I stumble across this Osprey, sitting quietly near ground level.

Perhaps I could become a raptor whisperer.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Home at last

After being so far from the water for so long, today I just had to go down to the beach. The coast has had some enormous storms while we were away, a couple of days deposited eleven inches of rain EACH DAY, which combined with huge seas to make quite a mess of the sand stocks on the beaches.

As a consequence, there are quite a few more rocks visible than there once were, but the sand will build up once again given time.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Arkaroola Sunrise A touring holiday Skywatch

As most regular visitors will be aware, we've been away "on the road" for almost six weeks, and have left posting to this blog pretty much on autopilot the whole time.

Of course I'd like to send a big thank you for all those who have visited and left comments in that time, and now that I'm back I'll be trying to get round the blogosphere to see what I've missed!

In the meantime, I've run out of Sunshine Coast Photos, so thought a sunrise shot from Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia would make a perfect skywatch. I hope no one minds this little souvenir of our holiday. The curious may see more at our Postcards Blog.

Of course it's Friday, and we're back so we can once again link to Skywatch Home where you can find links to skyshots from around the world.

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Bodyboarder

Winter wave, late afternoon, Caloundra.

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Old Surfers

The love of a wave just never seems to die.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Board Meeting

Doing a little business, Sunshine Coast style.

Note the disparity in dress, it's what happens when one lives in a "perfect" climate. What we think is cold and wetsuit weather, southern tourists consider to be warm and inviting!

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Winter Wave

Enough of the navel gazing, let's get back to the naval stuff!

A little winter wave at Mooloolaba rolls into an offshore breeze.

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Loved

I'm the first to admire towns and buildings which display a hard earned patina, a lack of lustre which reflects a long and useful history, but I'm not sure that some of Nambour fits that category.

I'm not sure that it just doesn't reflect a certain lack of pride, or perhaps more charitably a lack of understanding that a coat of paint and perhaps a repair to a sign here and there could well improve the business of the town.

Or am I an unnecessarily harsh critic?

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

In the shadow of St Joe's

There's an architectural expression which goes: "Heaven is in the detail", and while I'm sure the "management" of St Joseph's have a different view of where heaven is, there are glimpses of heaven, in this modern link to the older Church building. Sometimes, when a designer thinks about light and shade, it is apparent in the outcome!

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Hairloom

Whoever it is that thinks up these names needs to be PUNished.

Nambour

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Irony

No matter how hard I look at this photo, it's the right corner.

Nambour

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Batman Lives!

Sometimes, when viewed from a certain angle, sunshades remind me of.......

Nambour

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Colour!

Thank goodness there's an electrical retailer across the road to give a bit of life to the Council precinct!

Nambour

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

HQ

A building so ill-conceived that the entry needs a big sign just so that one can find it, with graphics so poor that the sign has to be repeated three times and it still doesn't sit over the entry. It must be the Council head office, hopefully the first impression isn't a reflection of the decision making process, but I do have some lingering reservations.

Nambour.

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Reflecting further in Nambour

Perhaps the nicest view of the Nambour telephone exchange is to be found in the reflection from the Council building.

Nambour

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Nambour Reflections

The library in Nambour has an obscure glass shopfront with a rather pleasant wave pattern etched into it. Even more pleasant I think, is the reflection of the Council offices in the wave, perhaps the most pleasant view one can have of that building!

Nambour

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Hiding

In summer, I can understand children sheltering in the shade from the ravages of the midday sun, but in winter I have no explanation.

Noosa

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Bluebottles

I have noticed reference to "bluebottles" in many different context, but here on the coast they aren't an annoying little insect, rather they are a hazardous form of jelly fish that sometimes appear in numbers after a long spell of north-easterly breezes.

They have a lovely translucent blue "bubble" which keeps them afloat, and sails them before the breeze, but sadly for those who come in contact with them, they trail tentacles loaded with nasty stinging poison. While not fatal, the sting can range from uncomfortable to needing treatment in hospital.

When they are in numbers, they wash ashore in numbers.

Mooloolaba

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

To the Beach!

Sometimes the access to the beach itself is worth visiting just for the glimpse it gives of what lies beyond.

Mooloolaba.

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australias

Got one!

A fisherman on the Noosa River lands a small bream.

By now, regular visitors will recognise the boat as a "tinny", an aluminium dinghy noted for its lightness and durability.

Noosa

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Feet

The public Parking Station in Nambour is not a glorious thing. Like much of the town's architecture it's ugly, unkempt and detailed without regard for the humans who would view it during the day.

It looks ok at sunset though.

However, being able to drive right into the heart of the business district really does save wear on one's FEET! (which is a really sneaky way of participating in a theme day when I'm three thousand miles from where I need to be to take a photo!)

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in the day's theme photos, most of them featuring actual photographs of things properly related to the theme.

Nambour

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia