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Single
In a relationship
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It's complicated
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Previous funnies posted here have been
migrated to:
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Sunday, March 8, 2026
A man's gotta eat. A man's gotta drink. A man's gotta climb mountains. And a man's gotta laugh.
Current Status
Single
In a relationship
In a situationship
It's complicated
Married
✓ Marathon training
(In a committed relationship
with my training plan)
Previous funnies posted here have been
migrated to:
https://onemanadreaming.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 21, 2025
Pink Caves to Caves Beach (full report - 1), Central Coast, NSW, Australia
2025 April ... day-hike
Central Coast seashores
(near Lake Macquarie)
NSW, Australia
To Pink Caves
Deep Cave Bay
Hales Bluff
Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
Middle Camp Beach
Middle Camp Inlet
Baldy Cliff
Bogey Hole aka Catho Rockpool
Drummer Hole
Shark Hole
Nudie Cave
Pinny Beach
Quarries Head
Split Rock
Spoon Rocks
Finally Caves Beach - to a sea cave there
This is the 1st half of the full trip report.
2nd half of the full report
This link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-full-report-2.html
Pink Caves,
Shark Hole,
Spoon Rocks,
Caves Beach ...
They are in separate reports
Pink Caves has its own trip repot ... this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-part-1.html
Shark Hole has its own trip report ... this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/shark-hole-pink-caves-to-caves-beach.html
Spoon Rocks to Caves Beach
has its own trip report ... this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/shark-hole-pink-caves-to-caves-beach.html
Preview
Pink Caves
Shark Hole
Photo by Karen Lee
Spoon Rocks
Photo by John Graham
Our group
7 of us:
- Paul, taking ...
- 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
which descends down to the north side
of Moonee Beach.
Refer to photo #1 in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-part-1.html
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:
- Split Rock:
Grid Ref: 7373 3382
Just north of Quarries Head
- Nudie Cave:
Grid Ref: 7350 3314
Small inlet between Pinny Beach & Shark Hole
- 6 blue arrows, top to bottom:
1 GR 7364 3556 End of our hike
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6bshBLewJWLAdGQU6
2 GR 7373 3552
Here, we watch Amy wading across
mouth of a cave.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kKnQWUwSzbdWV2YG8
3 GR 7335 3287
Ladder to get down to Shark Hole
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EjebKFd1YhQDLxsj9
4 GR 7334 3227
Bogey Hole ... Amy has a swim at this spot.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1twRfQuFPFYknQw3A
5 GR 7272 2974 Pink Caves
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HJaBatkBZqw6eLAV7
6 GR 7215 2950 Start of our hike
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TVjHVwd8gt1Bx9aN9
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
Deep Cave Bay
Hales Bluff
Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
Middle Camp Beach
Middle Camp Inlet
Baldy Cliff
Bogey Hole, aka Catho Rockpool
Drummer Hole
Shark Hole
Nudie Cave
Pinny Beach
Quarries Head
Split Rock
Spoon Rocks
Caves Beach - to a sea cave there
End at Lyndal's car at Caves Beach.
Note:
In the above maps, Deep Cave Bay is
the north branch of Desoto Inlet
and south of Hales Bluff.
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 1.22km Back outside Pink Caves
09:02 1.5 km At cliff top above Pink Caves
09:09 1.8 km At south side of Deep Cave Bay
Morning Tea, photos #8 - #11
09:17 1.82km Resume walking towards
north side of Deep Cave Bay
Then spend some time around Deep Cave Bay.
09:25 1.98km At start of Hales Bluff
09:37 2.44km At end of Hales Bluff
09:43 2.65km Around the bottom of
Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
10:00 2.76km Leave Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
10:34 4.83km At eastern tip of headland
north of Middle Camp Beach
11:01 5.09km As far as we can go in
Middle Camp Inlet
11:29 5.72km At north-ish side of
Middle Camp Inlet
Directly opposite the spot at 11:01
11:41 5.9 km Leave north-ish side of
Middle Camp Inlet
Passing Baldy Cliffs
11:49 6.32km At south end of Bogey Holes,
aka Catho Rockpool
We then spend time swimming and
collecting sea snails at the various rock pools.
12:07 6.55km At the north end of Bogey Holes
12:09 6.64km Passing Drummer Hole
12:13 6.86km At southern-most part
of Shark Hole
12:22 6.99km At Shark Hole's
narrow channel entrance
12:27 7.07km At cliff edge above Shark Hole
12:32 7.07km Leave cliff edge
12:37 7.29km At top of ladder
which would get us down to
Shark Hole's narrow channel
12:41 7.29km Start to climb down the ladder
12:47 7.4 km At seaside edge
of the narrow channel
Photo session.
The girls are having fun doing various poses 😊
12:57 7.4 km Start to return to the ladder
13:02 7.48km At top of the ladder
Lunch
13:31 7.52km Resume walking
13:38 7.79km At top of rocky headland,
north side of Shark Hole
14:02 8.35km At north side of Nudie Cave
14:17 8.49km At south side of Nudie Cave
14:18 8.51km At an unnamed sea cave
just next to Nudie Cave
14:34 8.69km At lookout overlooking
Pinny Beach
14:54 9.94km At Pinny Beach
15:06 10.36km At southern tip of Quarries Head
15:16 10.56km At Split Rock
15:37 11.62km At where Spoon Rocks
joins the coast
We walk to the tip of Spoon Rocks.
16:03 12.49km Leave Spoon Rocks
16.30 13.88km At Caves Beach (bottom of stairs)
16:33 13.97km At north side of a large-ish
sea cave
Watch Amy wade through sea water
to south side of the cave.
16:40 13.97km Leave north end of the cave
16:45 14.05km Leave Caves Beach;
same spot as 16:30
16:48 14.15km At Lyndal's car
at a Caves Beach carpark
================================
Total: 8 hrs 47 mins
14.15 km Distance is from Google Earth
Pictures - Pink Caves
Trip report and more pictures of Pink Caves ...
This link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-part-1.html
Only a few pictures of the Pink Caves
are presented below.
1a, b) Wonderful pink-coloured rocks in the cave !
Photos by John
2) May on the pink rock.
- In the background, left to right:
Karen, Lyndal, Amy
3) John, May, Karen, Ai Ling, Lyndal, Paul.
Photo by Amy
Trip report and more pictures of Pink Caves ...
This link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-part-1.html
To Deep Cave Bay
After Pink Caves ...
We climb up a slope to above the cave,
then head towards Deep Cave Bay.
4) On the cliffs above Pink Caves
and looking down at the coastline.
- It is a popular fishing spot.
5) Narrow overgrown foot track to Deep Cave Bay.
- Left to right: Karen, Paul, Ai Ling
Photo by May
Deep Cave Bay
In the above maps,
Deep Cave Bay is the north branch of:
- Desoto Inlet and
- south of Hales Bluff.
6) Arrived at Deep Cave Bay.
- Pink Caves is over the other side of the ridge.
- Red arrow: Paul
- White oval: Same as the white oval in photo #7
Photo by John
7) Deep Cave Bay.
- Paul
- White oval: Same as the white oval in photo #6
- Red arrow: We'll have morning tea here.
Photo by John
8) Morning tea time.
- Sitting, left to right:
Karen, Ai Ling, Paul, Lyndal, John, May
- Standing: Amy on a lower ledge
- We are at the red arrow of previous pic.
Photo by John
9) Nice colour of Deep Cave Bay !
Photo by John
10a, b) Deep Cave Bay.
- 10a: Another view of us having morning tea
• Left to right:
John, May, Lyndal, Paul, Ai Ling, Amy
- 10b: Deep Caves
10a: Photo by Karen
11) Deep Cave Bay &
South Pacific Ocean / Tasman Sea.
- We are still having morning tea.
- Left to right:
May
Lyndal
Amy (mostly blocked by Lyndal)
Ai Ling
Karen (mostly blocked by Ai Ling)
On the other side of Deep Cave Bay
Morning tea is over ...
12a, b) Pretty girls on the other side of the inlet.
- 12a: Amy, Karen, May, Ai Ling, Lyndal, John
- 12b: Zooming onto the pretty girls
13) The pretty girls above Deep Caves.
- May, Lyndal, Karen, Ai Ling, Amy
Photo by John
14) Deep Cave Bay &
South Pacific Ocean / Tasman Sea.
- John
Photo by Amy
15) John ... at the same spot as previous pic.
- White sandy beach in the far background:
Middle Camp Beach ...
We'll walk its entire length
from 10:10am to 10:30am.
Deep Caves
16) Deep Caves.
- Karen
Photo by May
17a, b) Deep Caves & Deep Cave Bay
- Amy, Ai Ling
- 17b: The cave here is the left side of photo #18.
18) Deep Caves.
- Left-side cave: The one in the previous pic
- Right-side cave: The one in photo #19
Photo by John
19) Deep Caves.
- The cave here is the right of previous pic.
Photo by John
Hales Bluff
20) Now at Hales Bluff.
- No writing on this cross ðŸ˜
21a, b) Towards Catherine Hill Bay Jetty ...
Photos taken from Hales Bluff.
22) Still at Hales Bluff ...
Walking towards Catherine Hill Bay.
- Left to right: May, Karen, John, Lyndal
23) Still at Hales Bluff ...
Walking towards Catherine Hill Bay.
- Left to right:
Karen, Lyndal, May, John, Ai Ling, Amy
24) John finds a weird stone
with perfect round holes !
Photo by John
Near Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
25) Sea grass ...
Seems to be washed up at this spot only,
no where else.
- Left to right:
Amy
Ai Ling
a person in blue pants ... not our group
Lyndal
26a, b) Coal seam.
- Compared to previous pic,
we are now closer to Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.
- 26a: Red arrow: See #26b.
- 26b: Amy ... at the red arrow of #26a
27a, b) Closer to Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.
- Lyndal
27a: Photo by Karen
Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
28) The jetty is locked. We can't walk on it ðŸ˜
- Dark patches on the right: Hales Bluff
Photo by John
Caves at Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
29) A cave below Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.
30a, b) More caves below Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.
Different from the cave in the previous pic.
- Ai Ling
- 30b: Zooming into the right half of #30a
• White oval: May will be here ... photo #34.
31) Panning to the right of previous pic.
- Black & red arrows:
Same as the black & red arrows in photo #33b
32a, b) Having fun in pretending to be chained up
😊😊😊
Same chain as previous pic.
- 32a: Karen
- 32b: Amy
(Ai Ling watching from a distance)
33a, b) Same chain as previous pics.
(From different angles)
- Amy (again) ...
Having fun in pretending to be chained up
- 33a: Black arrow: Same black arrow in #33b
- 33b: Black & red arrows:
Same black & red arrows in photo #31
33b: Photo by John
34) At the white oval of photo #30b.
- May
35) At another cave.
- Ai Ling
36) Looking out from the cave of previous pic.
- Amy, John
Under Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
37) Playing under Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.
- May
Photo by Karen
38a, b) Playing under Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.
- Karen
Photos by Lyndal
39) Lyndal.
- Lyndal's hand is wrapped ... See photo #42.
Photo by John
40) Amy.
41) Around here is a memorial plaque to
Anthony Michael Kuhn.
In the above plaque, the words are:
In loving memory of
Anthony Michael Kuhn
"Tony"
3rd May 1957 - 26th September 2020
Proud Father of Renee, Danielle & Jessica
And Grandfather of Marcus Luke, Lachlan, Zachary
Blake, Oscar, Wyatt, Bryce, Cayde,
Lylah-Mae, Brandon, Mia, Nikkita, Arabella
and Avayah
Forever in our hearts Dad / Grandpa
Go Hard Go Knights !
Leaving Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
42a, b) Heading north,
towards Middle Camp Beach.
- Amy, Lyndal
- Lyndal's hand is wrapped ...
injury caused by a cat's bite ðŸ˜
- 42a: Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
42b: Photo by John
43) Looking back at Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.
- 5 people nearest to camera, left to right:
May, Ai Ling, Lyndal, John, Karen
(Person in white in the middle ...
not our group)
- Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
To Middle Camp Beach
44a, b, c) Facing Middle Camp Beach ...
That's where we are heading now.
- 44a: Amy
• Vertical yellow arrow:
Another chain ...
Amy will be there in photo #45.
• Slanting yellow arrow: Direction of walk
- 44b: (Panning to the right of #44a)
• Amy
• Yellow arrow: Direction of walk
- 44c: (Panning to the right of #44b)
45) At the chain of photo #44a.
- Amy ... She is a bundle of fun.
Middle Camp Beach
We'll walk its entire length
from 10:10am to 10:30am.
46) Middle Camp Beach.
- Ai Ling ... in front
- Dark brown lumps on the beach:
Pyura praeputialis ...
More details are in Photo #47.
47) These are filter feeder animals ... not plants.
- Dark brown lumps: Pyura praeputialis.
- Orange thingie:
Another species in the same genus ...
Identification not possible from the photo.
Can be P. gibbosa, P. australis ... or others.
Photo by May
Pyura is a large genus of sessile ascidians
(sea squirts).
Like all ascidians, Pyura are filter feeders ...
Common in coastal areas of the
Australian mainland and ranges from
southern Queensland to Cape Otway in Victoria.
They live in waters at depths of up to
80 meters (260 feet).
Pyura praeputialis is an
intertidal and shallow water species of tunicate.
It is one of three species of "Cunjevoi"
in Australasia.
(The other two being to:
- Yellow Cunjevoi P. dalbyi and
- Doppelganger Cunjevoi P. doppelgangera).
It is the first reported species of marine organism
to create a "foam-nest" for its larvae.
48) Middle Camp Beach.
- Lyndal, Ai Ling, John
49) Looking back at where we came from.
- Red arrow: Hales Bluff
- White oval:
The town of Catherine Hill Bay ...
to the west of Hales Bluff
- Catherine Hill Bay Jetty:
It is to the left of the white oval ...
Unfortunately, due to its dark colour,
you can't see it properly in this photo.
Rocky headland
just north of Middle Camp Beach
50) At the rocky headland.
- 3 red arrows, left to right:
1 Hales Bluff
2 Catherine Hill Bay Jetty
3 The town of Catherine Hill Bay ...
to the west of Hales Bluff
51) Same rocky headland as previous pic.
- Amy
52a, b) Still at the rocky headland.
- Red arrow:
Middle Camp Inlet ...
We are heading there now.
- 52a: Karen, Ai Ling, John, Lyndal, Amy, May
- 52b: Closer to Middle Camp Inlet
• Amy
Middle Camp Inlet - south side
53) At the south side of the inlet.
- Ai Ling, Lyndal, Amy
- White arrow: A cave ... see photo #54.
- Yellow dot: As far as we can go in the inlet.
- To cross the inlet (ie to its north side):
(Refer to the yellow route in photos #60, #61.)
• We'll retrace our steps.
• Climb up and over the left-side cliffs.
• Go inland a bit to get around the inlet.
Photo by John
54) The cave ... White arrow of previous pic.
55) Looking back at the mouth of the inlet.
(Picture was taken from near the yellow dot
of photo #53.)
To the north side of Middle Camp Inlet
To get to the north side of Middle Camp Inlet:
- At the yellow dot of photo #53, backtrack.
- Go around the base of the cliffs a bit.
- Then find a way up the cliffs.
56a, b) Now above Middle Camp Inlet.
(After we found a way up the cliffs)
- 56a: White arrow: Middle Camp Inlet
- 56b: Middle Camp Inlet meets
South Pacific Ocean.
• John ... bottom edge of the pic
Now, need to bushbash inland
to cross upstream of Middle Camp Inlet.
Then down towards the coast
to the north side of the inlet.
57) Some unpleasant bushbashing ! ðŸ˜
Middle Camp Inlet - north side
58) We are now on the north side of inlet.
(North side is on the right.
South side is on the left.)
- Yellow dot:
Same as the one in photo #53 ...
So close !
But it takes a long detour to reach
where we are now.
59) (Facing the opposite direction compared to
previous pic)
Middle Camp Inlet meets
South Pacific Ocean.
- North side is on the left.
South is side on the right.
60) Overview of Middle Camp Inlet.
- Clockwise from centre:
John, Karen, Ai Ling, May, Paul, Amy
(Testing your eyesight 😊
Karen & Ai Ling are resting inside a cave.)
- Cyan route:
How we approached the south side
of the inlet.
- Yellow route:
How we go from the south side of the inlet
to the north side
Photo by John
61a, b) Similar scene as previous pic.
- Yellow route in both pics below:
How we go from the south side of the inlet
to the north side
- 61a: Left to right: John, Karen, Ai Ling, May
- 61b: Zooming into the middle of #61a
• Front: Amy
• Back: John, Karen, Ai Ling, May
• Cyan route:
How we approached the south side
of the inlet.
62a, b) Middle Camp Inlet meets
South Pacific Ocean.
- 62a: Amy
- 62b: Amy, Paul
62b: Photo by May
Full report continues ...
2nd half of the report ... this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-full-report-2.html
Comments
1)
Coast walks are always interesting.
This one is no exception !
2)
A separate detailed trip report of the
Pink Caves area is in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-part-1.html
3)
A separate report of the
Shark Hole area is in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/shark-hole-pink-caves-to-caves-beach.html
4)
And another separate report of the
Spoon Rocks & Caves Beach areas is in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/shark-hole-pink-caves-to-caves-beach.html
5)
Just a reminder ...
2nd half of the trip report ... this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/pink-caves-to-caves-beach-full-report-2.html
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