Come on in…
Lately, Sydney has had a run of cool, cloudy weather. Though light, showers have been hanging around day after day.
Nevertheless, the water’s still fine. Its temperature is hovering above 20 degrees, well clear the 18 degree mark that equates to ‘cold’.
So, is it really surprising that a few keen swimmers, myself included, are still taking the plunge?
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I started to wonder yesterday whether the rain event predicted by the weather bureau would really amount to much, but as today wore on, the rain kept on coming.
Though it’s easing now, the parched Sydney gardens have surely had a drink, and I guess the bushfire potential has taken a nosedive (at least for now).
Funny how we can be sweltering on a Spring Saturday and shivering on the Sunday (and Monday).
Rain on the River
On the other hand, the sound of rain on the roof is surely a pleasure!
The place to be…..
Who can blame this kookaburra for perching on this water bubbler?
Just below lies a tempting pool of fresh water, ideal for drinking or bathing.
Today, Sydney experienced another scorcher although technically it’s mid-Spring.
Whatever will Summer be?
Kookaburra on the Bubbler
My guess is that like this Kookaburra, Sydneysiders will be trying to keep cool.
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This is where I’d like to be…..
And had it not been for Sydney’s predicted extreme weather, I would be….
Ron drove Chicki and me to the park gates earlier today, but that was as far as we got. The park had been closed to both vehicles and pedestrians…..
At that time, the temperatures were quite mild, and the wind not particularly strong. But this afternoon, it’s likely to be a different story.
Oh well, hopefully, tomorrow (in the cooler, showery weather), we’ll be allowed in to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the bush and the river.
Where I’d Like to Be….
Chicki in the doorway: ‘It’s raining, Mummy!’
What a difference a day makes!
After a lengthy spell of dry weather, the heavens opened up today here in Sydney, Australia.
I for one quite enjoy walking in the rain, and Chicki our Maltese doesn’t shirk from accompanying me.
There’s nothing quite like observing the effects of rain on water and surrounding areas. Misty vistas and intriguing patterns on the water are special highlights.
Enjoy!
The river in the rain
Despite the fact that it’s technically very early Spring, I’m back in the water!
Perhaps it’s symptomatic of global warming — I simply don’t know — but for whatever reason, we have the ideal combination for refreshing, invigorating dip.
The water temperature in the river has hit 18 degrees Celsius: something that normally doesn’t happen until around 22nd September. And more: the daytime maximum is around the mid-twenties, with copious sunshine. Add high tide in the early morning, and there you have it: the perfect prescription for summer fun!
My favourite baths
What a glorious day we’ve just experienced! Sunshine, caressing breezes, and perfect midday temperatures made Sydney, Australia, a wonderful place to explore.
With a maximum of twenty-two degrees Celsius at about two p.m., ditching our winter woolies was no problem. Hardly souls braved the breakers, with beaches recording (almost) enjoyable water temperatures.
Those whose tastes don’t run to the beaches could enjoy other treats. Magnificent magnolias are in full bloom now, with gorgeous wine-pink blooms atop bare branches. The recent rains have greened the gardens, so many are fresh and inviting.
And to think: the official start to Spring is a mere four weeks away!
Our garden in carpeted in brown and yellow leaves. Even the stragglers are drifting away, and, for the first time for many months, the bare bones of our imposing maple tree appear in all their nakedness. It tells me what I already know: winter is just around the corner.
What an abrupt change it is! Just last week, Sydney basked in glorious sunshine and warmth. People flocked to beaches, and swam in the sea. Was this the summer we didn’t have?
But, brutally, now it’s gone: replaced by bracing mornings and cool though sunny days. The lure of the ocean swimming wafts away, replaced by snuggling into our winter warmers, and staying out of the wind.
So, for now, let us Sydney siders focus on the joys of winter: baked dinners that warm our souls as well as our bodies; long walks in the crisp, exhilarating air; snuggling up with a loved one (or a good book).
Let’s make the most of what we’ve got!
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It may be April, but at last Sydney, Australia, is getting some beaut summer weather.
What a great day it’s been: warm and sunny. Sure, there’s some clouds around, but who cares? It feels like Summer…
And so it has, for the last week or so….Beach weather, picnic time: enjoy life!
The shops gearing up for the cold to come seem to mock what we have today! And, has it been a long time coming….
The summer we didn’t have is fading in our memories. The weekends spoiled by rain and cold are drifting into the far away.
We have TODAY! We have SUMMER!
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Yesterday, the rain….Today, the flood!
A bright sunny Sydney day; not a cloud in the sky. That’s what we awakened to this morning! So off we head to the local river baths.
But, alas, history repeats itself: the river is in flood. The turbid water creates a diminishing visibility of about two inches; after that, you can’t see anything save the brownness. I know: I poked a stick in to see.
Debris: mainly leaf litter, though interspersed with filthy scum, floats in clusters near the promenade. At high tide, the water level is about one foot above that predicted for normal conditions, and the temperature’s about four degrees lower.
So, I’ll be saying good-bye to swimming there for a week or more, until Mother Nature sanctions the clean-up. With dams now full to overflowing, we can only wonder when….
Yet, casting our minds back a few short years, we wondered when, and if, the heavy rains would ever come…..That’s nature for you, isn’t it?
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margaret lynette sharp 