Beach Trips with Friends: Feb. and March 2007

The weather has been pretty good since our return to this part of the globe, and we have managed to get to the beach and swim in the sea twice a week the past six weeks. Usually, it's Sandringham Beach, the local beach near Craig's mother's house. We also went away for two weekends with friends to enjoy the beach.

In late February, we went down to Lorne (about 2 hours SW of Melb) with Jamie, Gillian, baby Harry and dogs Mochi and Clyde. We hung at the house, cooking great meals and having long talks, playing texas hold 'em poker, we walked on the beach, had a bodysurf in the waves and even caught air on some trampolines (see above photos). We all brought down mosquito netting to sleep on the deck under the stars. It was a bit cool, and a fine misty rain woke us all at 7 a.m. but this was a very special treat And a very fun time.

Breakfast after clearing away our outdoor beds

Mochi and Harry

Down on the beach, the water was warmer
than the air and great to play in

View from the house, cockatoo in foreground
Often visited by kookaburras and other great birdlife

Another trip was not technically out of Melbourne, but we drove almost two hours from our place, down the Mornington Penninsula to quiter beach suburbs to visit Emma, Ross and Bailey. This weekend we were actually watching Jamie and Gillian's dogs, Mochi and Clyde so they came adventuring with us. Ross was a keen dog-lover and happy to have the furry company, while Bailey tried to fathom the endless licks from Mochi. It was wonderful to spend several slow hours with these old friends.

A few beaches in the Melbourne area have colorful beach houses
like these which are privately owned and used for storing beach stuff.

From the beach down in Mt. Eliza, we drove up the coast and got hot again so stopped at our usual, Sandringham Beach for a swim with Ed and Mie. Mie is a friend and former colleague visiting from Japan. This was on March 10th, but Autumn weather is creeping in and our beach swims are numbered. Very glad to have had the time to spend in the sun and sea and with so much good company.