Merry Beach

This weekend Joy and I went on a three-day holiday (vacation) with our Australian mates and hosts, Andrew and Marion. It's really nice getting out with them because we hear a lot about beautiful places around Wollongong, that we wouldn't hear of normally through regular 'touristy' talk!

The Bayleys :]

We went to Merry Beach, a small beach down the coast a ways, and it was incredible! Captain Mandrew and I, The Slayer, made it our duty to brave the vast ocean in search of fish. This was exciting for me as it was my first real fishing trip, and after we had successfully (and mercifully) slain the fish the first morning, which was followed by a surf and turf beauty of a lunch, we had to go again each morning.

Mandrew and I

Being it a full weekend of fishing for myself, it was quite exciting. We caught upwards of ten plus fish each morning, in only a couple of hours, including a couple of sharks! We didn't keep all of the fish, but it was just a thrill and a new experience to be out there-- the company wasn't so bad either.

The best fish we caught was reeled in by Andrew, a gummy shark! I also caught a Port Jackson shark, but released it, as it is a protected species in these waters:

The best eating was the lizzies as they're called, the flat-heads! They were seared to perfection on the grill, so much so, Joy could even get through a portion of the fish :)

But, aside from the fishing, the area was just really nice, and a perfect 'getaway' location. The Australian atmosphere was thoroughly enjoyed by Joy and I, as there were more than 50 kangaroos on site and around the area at any given time! They were all wild kangaroo, but were tamed due to their constant contact with humans, and are just amazing creatures to see and feed up close.

Joy w/ a roo&joey with the beach and heaps of other roos in the background

The beach has such clear water, and around the bend is a headland or rock, that curls on for more than a kilometer, beside pleasant crashing waves. Joy and I made a point to sit out at the end of the rock and sit 5 meters above the waves and watch them crash into the several layers of rock under us-- one of those moments where you feel you are in exactly the right place, with the right person, at the right time.

The rest of the weekend was filled with relaxation, which we all welcomed with open arms. We sat up and watched some footy, some Rugby Union between Australia and New Zealand [Australia won :)], and played with the true entertainer Lilly Bayley.

The little chicken

Back to school today for a couple difficult weeks with a lot to be thankful for. We were out of touch with internet and phone for the weekend, and returned to news of Jeff and his status over the last few days. We are glad to see that the doctors are doing everything they can to help him improve toward full healing, and love the progress he's made. A lot of love from Australia Jeff, hang in there!