143 - Sawtell and Coffs Harbour

The bride and the clock tower at Sawtell

After just over two weeks we moved out of Red Rock, and headed for Sawtell which is just south of Coffs Harbour.

Yeah I know, I have been a slacko with this blog, however we have been flat out being lounge lizards and just chilling out. Plus those of you who are regular readers have contacted me by email, making sure I was alright. Thank you, really appreciated your concern. And yes apart from the above, the dreaded “Jelly Belly” that warranted a 5 day camp to the 5 star Nambour Hilton mid last year, did make an unwelcome return, due mainly to the social calendar we have experienced while here at Sawtell. But the good news is, didn’t need to go to summer camp, at the 10 star Coffs Harbour Novatell……… Just gave myself an upper cut, curtailed the social nastiness, said sorry to my broken down body, and promised I would not be a naughty boy again.

Anyway back to what we have been up to.

Our move to Sawtell was mainly a family decision, as the bride’s sister and family are here, and my brother, who I haven’t seen for a few years, also lives in Sawtell. Both have been part of the set in Sawtell for the best part of 20 years each. The cookie was sweetened as my brothers’ partner offered her down stairs two bed room unit at her house for the duration of our stay. Yippee! Apart from the unit, there was also a place to park the RetroLiner, and only 15 seconds to the beach…….. Yippeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!! again. Gotta love that!!!!!. Anyway we could not stay at Red Rock because of Easter, and of course; NSW and Queensland school holidays was immanent, and the joint was booked out. Didn’t really want to be around there during that period anyway! Been at Red Rock long enough anyway……over it!

Aaaa'h another beautiful home for the Retro Roamers

Back of the house and fifty paces to the beach

Fifty paces later....Sawtwell Beach

That's me showing off on a left hander (he! he!!)

However in saying that I miss calculated, when Easter was falling on the calendar, and the school holidays. Hence our move to Sawtell was a little premature. But, that didn’t matter anyway, as the last three weeks have just flown by. At the time of writing this blog we are only two days from leaving once again, and heading south to Stuarts Point on Tooooooosday 10th.of April 2012

So what have we done? The bride has done some voluntary work at Meals on Wheels. We have had new seeing eye dogs made (new goggles) as the brides’ sister is an optical dispenser. The bride has also been able to catch up with her nephew, who unfortunately is not well. I have walked Sawtell Beach a million times. We have been on scenic drives, revisited other spots like the local pubsssssssssssssss, Fisho’s club, hung out at Park Plaza, to satisfy the brides’ shoppers’ disease, and generally played “Tom the Tourist, and “Norma the New Comer”.

Overlooking Coffs harbour from the Forest Sky Pier Observation deck

A bit further around...see the hairy port?

Jenny (my brothers partner) brother Robert and the bride

Robert, the bride and the good look'n one...meeeeeee!

I will add, this area is not new to us. We have been here a million times before, the most recent around September 2009. The posting is on this blog. Plus we managed a motel here, a couple of years ago, and going back to 1998, when we were managing another motel in Armidale, which is 167 kays to the west of CH, and we would visit my dear old mum who was in a retirement home in Coffs Harbour. Both her and my Dad did pass on 1995 and 2000. So I guess Coffs Harbour, is fairly significant to us for all sorts of reasons.

So where to now? Well we did initially say we were going to stay here till after the school holidays, however we cannot stay any longer, as we wish not to wear our welcome out. So as above we should be outa here on Tooooooosday, weather permitting. Speaking of weather, it has been just fantastic. Beautiful one day, perfect the next……ooooooops, that’s a Queensland saying. In saying that, as per the locals, our stay has co-incided with some perfect weather, as prior to our arrival, and for moths preceding this; the weather has just been a disaster.

The Forest Sky Pier

The bride just had to pose

 The reason we are going to Stuarts Point is, that while we at Yamba on our way down, we met some “crazies” who manage the Stuarts’ Point Holiday Park, so we can’t miss an opportunity to socialize once again. How long we stay there will again be weather dependent. From there we have decided to return to the Goldie and not continue south as per the original plan. Several reasons for this, is the further south we go, the colder it is going to get, and I am the world’s biggest sook, when it comes to the cold. Plus I need a few things attended to, as far as the Val is concerned. Also car registration and my DA (Drivers Authorization) needs to be tidied up. Finally, Queensland Council Elections are on at the end of April……so gotta get a vote in.

In saying all that, we have also decided to head to Darwin. This has been prompted, by a mate and his wife in Adelaide who heads to Darwin every year from June for three months, as well as another mate and his bride are heading that way commencing early May from Bribie Island, and another mate and his wife who we have been friends for over thirty years are doing the same trip from Brisbane, leaving around mid May. We will have a good start on all of them, so we are just going to “mosey” on up at our pace………………………….but in the meantime the next up date will be Stuarts Point.

Stay toooooooned!!!!!!

Look who's posing again on the Coffs Harbour jetty

Looking from the jetty into the boat harbour

The beach from the Fisho's club