Map of New Zealand Ocean
A response to the 2025 naming controversy
arising from the mad U.S. president
Donald Trump
signing an executive order to rename
the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America"
in all U.S. federal documents
By the way, the map below is not correct:
- Australia should be named West Island.
- South America should be named East Island.
Previous funnies posted here have been
migrated to:
https://onemanadreaming.blogspot.com/
2025 April ... day-hike
Central Coast seashores
(near Lake Macquarie)
NSW, Australia
To Pink Caves ... this trip report
Deep Caves
Hales Bluff
Catherine Hill Bay Beach
Middle Camp Beach
Middle Camp Inlet
Baldy Cliff
Bogey Hole (Catho Rockpool in Google Maps)
Drummer Hole
Shark Hole
Pinny Beach
Quarries Head
Split Rock
Spoon Rocks
Finally Caves Beach - lookout & cave
Part 1 of trip report
Pink Caves only
The rest are under construction 😊
Preview
Pink Caves
Very nice pink rocks in the cave !
Warning / Danger
You should only visit the Pink Caves
during low tide and low swell.
It is suicidal to go at other times.
Peolple have died there !!!
Weather
The Weather is weird.
Forecast was for heavy rain
a few days prior to the hike.
Then improved to moderate rain.
Even the day before the hike,
forecast was for showers.
However, on the day, the weather is sunny.
(We can see showers raining down
to the east and north of us.
but not a single drop of rain on us 😊)
Our group
7 of us:
- Paul, leading ...
- Ai Ling Lim
- Amy Chi
- John Graham
- Karen Lee
- Lyndal Tegel
- May Yang
Map
LPI 1:25,000 scaled 9231-4S Catherine Hill Bay
LPI 1:25,000 scaled 9231-4N Swansea
Map 1) The relevant part of the 1:25,000
topographic map
Where our cars are parked
First:
Park Lyndal's car at end of hike.
At a carpark near
junction of Caves Beach Road & Bligh Avenue,
Caves Beach
Grid Ref: 7364 3556
Google Maps link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6bshBLewJWLAdGQU6
Then:
Park Paul's car at start of hike.
Junction of Breakers Blvd & Hooey St,
Catherine Hill Bay
Grid Ref: 7215 2950
Google Maps link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TVjHVwd8gt1Bx9aN9
I could have parked my car closer to the stairs ...
Refer to photo #1.
But Hooey St is closed today ... roadwork.
GPS tracklog file & route
GPX tracklog file can be downloaded from:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K0F2q9GwvNckjWYD-oVcSHYR2FhVfwZe/view?usp=sharing
Map 2) GPS route, in red,
recorded on the topographic map:
- 6 blue arrows, top to bottom:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6bshBLewJWLAdGQU6
1 GR 7364 3556 End of our hike
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kKnQWUwSzbdWV2YG8
2 GR 7373 3552
Here, we watch Amy wading across
mouth of a cave.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EjebKFd1YhQDLxsj9
3 GR 7335 3287
Ladder to get down to Shark Hole
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1twRfQuFPFYknQw3A
4 GR 7334 3227
Bogey Hole ... Amy has a swim at this spot.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HJaBatkBZqw6eLAV7
5 GR 7272 2974 Pink Caves
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TVjHVwd8gt1Bx9aN9
6 GR 7215 2950 Start of our hike
Map 3) Satellite image of the above map.
- Yellow arrows:
Same as the blue arrows in the previous map
In summary:
First, park Lyndal's car at end of hike.
At a carpark near
junction of Caves Beach Road & Bligh Avenue,
Caves Beach.
Then, park Paul's car at start of hike.
Junction of Breakers Blvd & Hooey St,
Catherine Hill Bay.
To Pink Caves ... this trip report
Deep Caves
Hales Bluff
Catherine Hill Bay Beach
Middle Camp Beach
Middle Camp Inlet
Baldy Cliff
Bogey Hole (Catho Rockpool in Google Maps)
Drummer Hole
Shark Hole
Pinny Beach
Quarries Head
Split Rock
Spoon Rocks
Caves Beach - lookout & cave
End at Lyndal's car.
Timeline and Distance
08:01 0.0 km Start walking along Hooey St
08:04 0.24km Turn right (south)
into an access stairs
to Moonee Beach
08:20 1.12km Just outside Pink Caves
Explore inside Pink Caves
08:41 1.2 km Back outside Pink Caves
09:02 1.48 km At cliff top above Pink Caves
The rest are under construction 😊
16:48 14.15km At Lyndal's car
================================
Total: 8 hrs 47 mins
14.15 km Distance is from Google Earth
Pictures - Pink Caves only
Stairs to Moonee Beach
1) Access stairs from Hooey St
(Catherine Hill Bay)
down to the north part of Moonee Beach.
- Except the 2 guys in surfboard,
the rest are our group.
- Red arrow: Flat Rocks Point
- Red horizontal bar:
Flat Island (says NSW LPI topographic map)
- Beach in this pic: Moonee Beach
- The bay here is:
• Deep Cave Bay in AllTrails.
• Unnamed in Google Maps
(In Google Maps, Deep Cave Bay
is marked further north !)
- When you are down at the beach,
turn left to go to Pink Caves.
- Note the showers not far out to the sea.
But we never encountered any rain
during our entire walk.
Along seashore to Pink Caves
2) Along the beach to Pink Caves.
- In the middle of the pic, left to right:
Lyndal, Amy, John, Karen, Ai Ling, May
- Note the showers not far out to the sea.
But we never encountered any rain
during the entire hike.
3a, b) Along rocky shores to Pink Caves.
- Upper pic:
• Left to right: Karen, Lyndal, Amy, John, Ai Ling
• White arrow: May
- Lower pic: To the right of the upper pic
• Red arrow: Flat Rocks Point
• Red horizontal bar: Flat Island
4) Red algae on the rocky shore ... pretty !
5a, b) We can see the Pink Cave entrance now.
- Upper pic:
• White oval: Pink Cave entrance
- Lower pic:
(Continuation from the right of the upper pic)
• 4 red arrows, left to right:
1 Hales Bluff
2 We'll walk on the rocky shore
to go around Hales Bluff.
3 Baldy Cliff ... We'll be there.
4 Spoon Rocks ... We'll be there.
• Woman on the left edge is not our group.
Pink Caves entrance
6a, b) Pink Caves entrance.
- Amy takes the honour for the 1st person
to get there.
Inside Pink Caves
7a, b) Wonderful pink-coloured rocks in the cave !
- 2 white arrows, left to right:
Same as the 2 white arrows in photo #8
Photos by John
8) Inside Pink Caves.
- 2 white arrows, left to right:
1 Refer to photo #9.
2 It is the red arrow in photo #10.
9) Crystal-clear water ... not just in this small pool.
Crystal-clear water in all the small pools.
- This is the left white arrow in the previous pic.
10) Left to right: John, Amy
- Red arrow:
• It is the top white arrow in photo #8.
• Also, Amy will be standing over it
in photo #11.
11) The pool here is the red arrow of previous pic.
- Lyndal, Amy, John
12) Lyndal, Amy, John.
- The pool in the front is the one
in the previous pic.
13) Amy ... on the pink rock.
14) May on the pink rock.
- In the background, left to right:
Karen, Lyndal, Amy
15) Lyndal, John.
16) Nice colour !
To the back of Pink Caves
17a, b) Walking towards the back of Pink Caves.
- Upper pic: Ai Ling, Lyndal, John, Amy
- Lower pic: Lyndal, John, Amy
Upper pic: Photo by May
Back of Pink Caves
18) Back of Pink Caves.
- Karen, Lyndal, Paul
Photo by Ai Ling
19) John, May, Karen, Ai Ling, Lyndal, Paul.
Photo by Amy
The other side of Pink Caves
20) Looking across the channel
at the other side of the cave.
Photo by John
21) Looking across the channel
at the other side of the cave.
- John, Lyndal, May
22) Lyndal, John, Karen.
Photo by May
23) May, Karen.
24) Karen.
Looking out from the cave
25) Fantastic colour !
- May
Photo by Karen
26) Karen.
- 2 people on the right of Karen: Ai Ling, Paul
Photo by May
27) Looking out towards the cave entrance.
- Left edge: Amy
- Right: May (further out), Paul, Ai Ling, Karen
Photo by John
28) May, Karen.
Photo by John
29) Amy.
30) Amy, May.
Just outside Pink Caves entrance
31) Ai Ling.
Pink Caves entrance
32) Pink Caves entrance: Middle of the pic.
- Red rectangle: All 7 of us, left to right:
1 Lyndal ... top-left corner
2-6 Ai Ling, May, Karen, Paul, Amy
7 John ... right edge
Photo by John
Climb up the cliffs above Pink Caves
After Pink Caves, to proceed further north,
we need to climb up the cliffs above the cave.
33) This place is just around the corner
to the right of photo #31.
- Amy has a go at the cliff face ...
and showing off 😊
- She probably can climb all the way to the top.
But it is too dangerous for the rest of us.
Refer to photo #33 ...
34) So, Amy climbs back down.
(And we'll go to find an easier way up.)
- Left to right: Amy, May
- This pic is similar to photo #5a ...
Pink Caves entrance is behind
the rock cliffs (left half of this pic)
and to the left of the narrow inlet.
Photo by Karen
Not far south from the above pic
John finds an easier way to climb up the cliff.
Although we need to zigzag up.
35) John finds an easier way to climb up the cliff.
- Left to right: Lyndal, Ai Ling, John
36) From where I was in the previous pic ...
Looking down at the rocky shore.
- Left to right:
Karen, May, Amy
They are behind us, busy taking photos 😊
The rest of the trip report
Under construction 😊
2024-December
Day-trip ... bushwalk to:
a Gerringong Creek waterfall ...
Unofficially known as
Pensions Falls
by the Shoalhaven Bushwalkers club
Budderoo National Park, NSW
PDF version
If you prefer ...
A slightly shorter PDF report of the trip is in
this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PBi0PtSoOgzra8nhAM7tRmL3B8Du7Kgr/view
Otherwise, read on ...
Preview
a Gerringong Creek waterfall
Pensions Falls ... unofficially name
Topographic Map & Location
NSW 1:25,000 scaled 9028-4S Kangaroo Valley
(Scroll forward to see the map.)
Grid Ref: 2842 6060
The waterfall is the next main fall
downstream (south) of Gerringong Falls.
Prolog
A group of hikers went there
in early September 2024
and refused to reveal its location.
Why the secrecy ?
The group kept mum about the reason too.
So, the reason for the secrecy is also a secret !
The group posted their bushwalk in these 2 links:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C_sHeHdBBBM/
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1268811994303420
And claimed it took them
25 km and 11 hours
for the entire trip,
with a tough bushbashing component.
If so, then no Instagrammer nor TikToker
would go there to disturb its serenity.
Then, why the secrecy ???
The locals know about this waterfall,
and hikers in Shoalhaven Bushwalkers Club
go there regularly.
Hence sooner or later
we would all find out its location.
As the secrecy can't be kept for long,
it just makes the group's paranoid
look really puerile !
By the way, I’m not a waterfall chaser.
If someone shows me an interesting waterfall,
it goes into my bucket list,
and may just stay there forever.
However, as this waterfall is meant to be secret,
hence it became a challenge to find its location.
And when Jeremy said he knew where it is,
and offered to take a group there,
I put up my hand straight away !
Our group
5 of us:
Jeremy (Fodor ?) - leader
Amy Chi
John Graham
Lyndal Tegel
Paul
Topographic map & route
Map: NSW 1:25,000 scaled
9028-4S Kangaroo Valley
- 2 red arrows, left to right:
1 Grid Ref 8182 5924
Park car here on Gerringong Creek Rd,
just outside Winderong Farm.
2 Grid Ref 2842 6060 ... The waterfall.
- Blue arrows: Route to the waterfall.
Simply walk upstream,
along Gerringong Creek.
Pensions Falls - its unofficial name
The waterfall is not named in the above map.
But the Shoalhaven Bushwalkers Club
gave it an unofficial name
Pensions Falls
after the previous owner of a land
near the waterfall.
To reach the trailhead
At the town of Kangaroo Valley,
take Upper Kangaroo River Road,
then drive along Gerringong Creek Rd (unsealed).
When you reach a sign that says something like:
"Private Property, No Access"
Park outside the property.
(You've reached the entrance of Winderong Farm.)
In other words, you've reached the trailhead.
Grid Ref 8182 5924.
To reach the waterfall
The bushwalk starts by
scrambling down to Gerringong Creek,
then simply walk upstream (north-east-ish)
towards the waterfall.
Return leg is to retrace the steps.
Gerringong creek is NSW crown land,
not in private property,
hence no problem for hikers to walk along it.
Reference on the creek being crown land:
https://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=41799
When in website, scroll forward a bit
to find the info.
(Note: Near where you park your car,
there are private properties
on both sides of Gerringong Creek.
But Gerringong Creek itself is crown land.)
It takes us 3 hours of walking, one way,
to reach the waterfall.
The group who kept the fall a secret
They went there in early September 2024
and took a different,
and an unnecessarily torturous route.
They parked their car at the usual carpark
for Gerringong Falls.
They then walked on a loooong firetrail.
Then somehow bushbashed their way the fall.
That explained their 25 km, 11 hours trip.
Timeline & Distances
Park Lyndal's car at trailhead.
Grid Ref: 8182 5924
07:57 0.00km Start walking
09:20 2.63km At 1st set of cascades
Grid Ref 8381 6019
Morning Tea
09:35 2.7 km Resume walking
10:16 3.26km At bottom of 2nd set of cascades
Grid Ref 8413 6046
10:28 3.36km Leave top of the cascades
10:36 3.48km At waterfall
Lunch
12:13 4.35km Leave waterfall
12:17 4.46km At top of 2nd set of cascades
12:33 4.7 km Leave bottom of
2nd set of cascades
13:00 5.28km At 1st set of cascades
13:16 5.44km Leave 1st set of cascades
14:37 8.23km Back at Lyndal's car
Total:
6 hours 40 minutes
8.23 km Distance is from Google Earth.
Pictures - Gerringong Creek
1) Gerringong Creek.
- The entire trip is walking along this creek.
2) Asplenium nidus (epiphytic Bird's Nest Fern).
A remarkable feature of this creek is
plenty of this plant along the creek banks.
Photo by John
3) Asplenium nidus (epiphytic Bird's Nest Fern).
4) Gerringong Creek.
- Left to right: Jeremy, John
5) Gerringong Creek.
- Left to right: Jeremy, John, Amy
6) Asplenium nidus (epiphytic Bird's Nest Fern).
(On a fallen log)
- Plenty of this plant along the creek.
7) Zooming to the
Asplenium nidus (epiphytic Bird's Nest Fern).
1st set of cascades in Gerringong Creek
Grid Ref: Grid Ref 8381 6019
8) 1st set of cascades in Gerringong Creek.
- John ... on the right edge
9) 1st set of cascades.
The upper part of previous pic.
- Clockwise from centre:
Amy, Lyndal, Jeremy, John
10) We take a rest at the cascades.
- Amy finds a swing.
11) Amy swinging ... She is a bundle of fun.
12) A little upstream of the cascades area.
- Jeremy
13) Zooming to the right part of previous pic.
More of Gerringong Creek
14) Keep walking upstream.
- Amy, Lyndal
15) Gerringong Creek.
- Amy, John, Lyndal
2nd set of cascades
Grid Ref 8413 6046
16) We are close to our destination now ...
It is the waterfall in the distance (white arrow).
- Lyndal, Amy, Jeremy, John
17) Nice cascades !
- White arrow: The waterfall we are heading to
18) Climbing up to
above the cascades of previous pic.
- Lyndal ... (John in front of her)
19) Above the cascades of photo #17.
- Left to right: John, Lyndal, Amy
20) A nice view of us above the cascades.
- The waterfall is in the background.
- Clockwise from left:
Lyndal, Amy (lying down), Paul, John, Jeremy
Photo by John
21) Zooming to us.
- Clockwise from left:
Lyndal, Amy, Paul, John, Jeremy
Photo by John
22) The edge of the cascades.
- Amy
23) The edge of the cascades and the pool below.
- Lyndal, Amy
24) The edge of the cascades and the pool below.
- Lyndal
To the waterfall
25) Heading to the waterfall now.
26) Walking along Gerringong Creek
to the waterfall.
- Lyndal, John
27) Mushrooms.
Photo by John
28) This trip, we’ll only go to the
bottom of the main waterfall.
Next time, we should climb further up 😊
Photo by John
29) This trip, we’ll only go to the
bottom of the main waterfall.
Next time, we should climb further up 😊
Photo by John
30) Going to the bottom of the waterfall now.
Photo by John
The waterfall
31) We reach the waterfall.
After about 3 hours of walking.
32) The waterfall and its plunge pool.
33) Amy.
34) Amy.
35) Amy, Lyndal.
- White arrow: John swimming
36) Walking to the base of the waterfall.
- Amy, Lyndal
- The rest of us are happy to take photographs
of them venturing there.
37) It gets slippery further towards the waterfall.
- Hence only Amy (near right edge)
is going there now.
38) Zooming to Amy.
39) Amy ... She doggedly keeps going.
40) Amy makes it to the waterfall.
41) This is as far as Amy is willing to go.
42) Zooming out of the previous pic.
- Amy
43) Swimming in the plunge pool.
- Amy
44) Swimming.
- Amy, Lyndal, John
45) Swimming.
- Amy, Lyndal, John
46) Standing on a submerged rock.
- Amy
47) Standing on a submerged rock.
- Zooming to Amy
48) Standing on the submerged rock.
- John & Lyndal’s turn
49) Zooming to John & Lyndal.
50) Standing on the submerged rock.
- Clockwise from left: John, Lyndal, Jeremy, Amy.
51) Zooming in.
- Clockwise from left: John, Lyndal, Jeremy, Amy.
52) Me and the pretty girls.
- Amy, Paul, Lyndal
Photo by John
53) The boys ... John, Jeremy, Paul.
Photo by Lyndal
54) The pretty girls ... Amy, Lyndal.
55) Lyndal.
Photo by John
Edge of the pool
56) Megadolomedes australianus
(Giant Water Spider).
Just so that there is no misunderstanding,
the giant spider is not me ... ok 😊
Photo by John
57) At the water edge.
- Megadolomedes australianus
(Giant Water Spider).
58) The edge of the plunge pool.
- Amy ... Relaxing
59) Zooming in.
- Amy ... Relaxing by the edge of the pool.
Return to our cars
60) The banks of Gerringong Creek.
- We are retracing our steps back to the cars.
61) Thopha saccata (Double Drummer Cicada).
Found by Jeremy.
- Reputedly the loudest insect in the world !
62) The banks of Gerringong Creek.
- Amy.
She has a knack of finding vines to swing on 😊
Back at 1st set of cascades
63) Looking down at the cascades of
photos #8 - #11.
- Lyndal, Amy
64) The same cascades as previous pic.
- Jeremy
65) Scene here is identical to photo #9.
- Jeremy
66) Jeremy, Amy.
67) Same vine as in photos #10 - #11.
- Amy ... swinging
68) Amy ... She is a swinger 😊
69) Lyndal.
70) I am a converted swinger now 😊
Photo by John
71) Diphlebia lestoides (Whitewater Rockmaster).
A species of Australian damselfly
in the family Lestoideidae.
- Red ovals: Note the white bands across its wings.
72) Trailhead ... just outside Winderong Farm.
- Some construction is going on.
- By the time you come here,
the place may look different.
Comments
1)
Quite an interesting waterfall.
Not hard to get to.
A good pool at the bottom
for a swim or skinny-dip,
as hardly anyone would go there to disturb you.
2)
If I go there again,
I would try to check out the top of the waterfall.
