Author Topic: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane  (Read 16306 times)

Offline Kerry

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Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« on: December 19, 2008, 05:14:04 am »
Kerry takes a walk down
Memory Lane



Sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, as seen from the cliffs of Narrabeen in Sydney.


My friend, George, is on vacation in Queensland, visiting his in-laws. He has asked me to take care of his treasured rose garden while he’s away. It’ll only be for a week. Just watering and light maintenance.

George lives at Narrabeen on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Narrabeen is where I was raised and spent the first seventeen years of my life.

One morning, after watering George’s beautiful roses, I decide to set-off on a nostalgic walk down Memory Lane.

Come join me, won’t you? You’re very welcome to come along.




I take the short walk from George’s house, along the lakeside, estuary path that leads to Narrabeen beach, where the lake empties into the Pacific Ocean. It’s a beautiful, bright, clear, summer morning. The air is invigoratingly laced with the brisk, sharp saltiness of sea spray blowing off the ocean. The constant, rumbling ebb and flow of the breakers on the nearby beach accompany me as I walk on. There aren’t many people out at this early hour.



I continue along the path leading to the rocky platform of the reef, below the cliffs of Narrabeen headland. There’s a steep, precipitous cliff to my immediate left, a bright yellow and black sign warning, “Beware falling rocks.” To my right is the dazzling, golden sweep of Narrabeen beach as it stretches southward towards Collaroy and Long Reef. Just as I take this snap, an elderly lady tiptoes into frame, tentatively taking a morning paddle (may be necessary to scroll over to the right to see her). The large building on the beach, to the right of the picture is North Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club, where big bronzed Aussie life savers can be found, in their tiny red Speedos. They not only look good, those life savers. They’ve been known to bring drowned surfers back from the brink of death, with their kiss of life.



 The waves are breaking over the reef as the surf swells, so I decide against progressing further. Instead, I walk along the ocean wall enclosing the rock swimming baths. I have to jump to avoid the waves rolling in, as they crash over the wall. There are a few board riders bobbing on the waves in the distance.



I return along the path from whence I came. This is where the waters of the lake narrow, as they progress along their circuitous route, before emptying into the ocean. It looks peaceful on days such as this, but in storms and when there’s a king tide running, this tranquil waterway turns into a deadly, raging torrent, the sandbar swept away and deposited miles out to sea.  A school friend of mine was drowned near here.  He was English, aged nine, didn’t know the danger. We all lined the street in school uniform, as the hearse passed by. That’s Ocean Street bridge to the left.


To be continued . . . . . .

In the next leg of our walk, we will climb to the top of the cliff above the beach (Yes, the cliff with the falling rocks!) to see breathtakingly beautiful vistas of the New South Wales coastline.


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Offline Kelda

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2008, 03:35:58 pm »
Beautiful!
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Offline Kerry

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2008, 03:53:09 am »
Thanks, Kelda. Let's continue on our walk, shall we?   :D


I continue walking along the lakeside estuary path, almost to the Ocean Street intersection. Before getting there, I take the wooden, cliff-side stairs to the top of the cliff. The stairs are firmly fixed to the heavily wooded cliff-face, making several twists and turns before reaching the top.



At the top of the cliff, I come to an overgrown path.Though it can’t be seen through the dense foliage, I am aware from the sound of the surf pounding on the reef below, that the sheer drop of the cliff is not far away. It’s peaceful here, protected from the biting sea breeze by the surrounding vegetation, the air warm and heavy with the scent of eucalyptus. The hearty, cliff-top scrub has the characteristic look of all such coastal flora – gnarled, bent, windswept, tough.



I come to a grassy clearing and walk towards the cliff-top lookout. I take a seat on the park bench to catch my breath, while I enjoy the beautiful view of the coast below.




East: The next four photos, commencing with this one, were all taken from the lookout seen in the previous photo and  should be viewed as a complete panoramic sequence, reading left (east) to right (west). This first photo is looking due east, straight out to sea. Far below, the ocean waves break on the reef at the base of the cliff. Over the distant curve of the horizon is New Zealand; beyond that, Peru.



South-East: The estuary, where the lake waters pass over the reef and empty into the ocean. Way off in the distance, across the water, can be seen Long Reef, stretching out into the Pacific Ocean. It was there that I first set-up house with George, back in the 1970s. Long Reef holds so many wonderfully happy memories for me. On a more somber note, Long Reef is where my ashes will be scattered one day. They are to be cast upon the waters on the night of the full moon, as the moon rises out of the ocean and the tide rushes out to sea. But not yet!



South: The beautiful Narrabeen coastline. North Narrabeen in the foreground. South Narrabeen, where I grew-up, in the middle distance. Collaroy in the far distance. Long Reef off camera, to the left. It is said that everyone of a certain age remembers exactly what they were doing when they heard of JFKs assassination. I’m no exception. I was on that stretch of golden sand in the immediate foreground when I heard. I was studying for my life saving certificate, practicing resuscitating a classmate. A fellow student rushed up to us on the sand, excitedly declaring, “Someone shot the American President?”



West: Narrabeen Lake estuary, with the coastal waters of the lake visible beyond the Ocean Street bridge and causeway. The waters of the lake proper stretch off camera to the west. A large building with a light-colored roof can be seen on the distant shore of the lake, close to the right of the photo (may be necessary to scroll to the right). It is my Alma Mater.

To be continued . . . . .

In the next leg, we'll walk along the beach to South Narrabeen, where I grew-up.

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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2008, 04:04:38 am »
Thanks for posting these beautiful pictures Kerry, and taking us along on your walk. Those pictures take a while to load on dial-up, but they sure are worth it! :D

And just think - all the way over on those waves, way out in the distance, is ME standing there waving at you! :-*

I hope you think of that the next time you gaze out on the Pacific Ocean. :)

Thanks for sharing your pictures and tour with us Kerry! :D

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Offline Kerry

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2008, 06:13:09 am »
Thanks for posting these beautiful pictures Kerry, and taking us along on your walk. Those pictures take a while to load on dial-up, but they sure are worth it! :D

And just think - all the way over on those waves, way out in the distance, is ME standing there waving at you! :-*

I hope you think of that the next time you gaze out on the Pacific Ocean. :)

Thanks for sharing your pictures and tour with us Kerry! :D


Next time I'm at Narrabeen, David, I promise I'll send a special, big wave across the ocean, just for you.  :-*   :D

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Offline Kelda

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2008, 01:55:16 pm »
wow, i wish i was there!!!
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2008, 08:42:01 pm »
Heavenly pictures friend! Thank you for taking us along on your walk!
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Offline Kerry

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2008, 09:40:26 pm »
Heavenly pictures friend! Thank you for taking us along on your walk!

Stick around, Lee. We'll shortly be walking along the beach, so slip off your shoes and socks, roll up your trouser-legs and prepare yourself for some serious  paddling.  :D
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Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2008, 01:06:15 am »
Kerry, this is exquisite.  I wonder how much this lovely landscape helped shape your lovely way of being.



Offline Kerry

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Re: Kerry Takes a Walk Down Memory Lane
« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2008, 01:19:15 am »
Kerry, this is exquisite.  I wonder how much this lovely landscape helped shape your lovely way of being.

(Blush) That's such a sweet think to say, Clarissa. Thank you.  :-*

Stay close, because we'll be setting off along the beach shortly. And after that, we'll be feeding the ducks, down by the lake.   :D
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