Sunday 30th July 2017 - Sunday Afternoon Ice Hockey Practice @ Macquarie Ice Rink

For those of you who think Australia doesn't play ice hockey not even in Winter - think again! And not without the punch ups as well!

Most Sunday afternoons when the shops at Macquarie Shopping Centre are about to close, it a great time to purchase a snack from the food court and sit and watch the ice hockey practice sessions below. It is free however if there is a national tournament or international friendly on then the blinds are down and the only way to view the ice hockey game is to purchase a ticket for a seat inside the ice rink located below. Hockey and figure skating is all year round along with speed skating however we don't really have curling in NSW - we leave that to the Melbournians down in Victoria at the Winter Institute of Sport where there are double (Olympic sized) ice rinks under one roof just outside the city centre - one dedicated to figure skating the other to ice hockey , speed skating and curling.

Photos attached.

Half time and its the changing of the goalies or is that guards? One goalie was getting all the action and the other had enough time to take off some of his gear.

Wait on this is not a mens ice hockey team - there's a female amongst them! It's a mixed team playing tonight!

Uh oh looks like a dispute - 2 players being sin binned and video replay performed?Yep there was a bit of biffo on ice near the goal post a few moments ago.

I didn't stay for the entire practice session/game - I like ice hockey but not that much - time to go home.

Saturday 29th July 2017 - Orange Grove Public School Saturday Organic Markets

I finally made it to the Saturday Orange Grove Public School Organic Markets out at Perry Street Lilyfield.  On every Saturday throughout the year between 8 am and 1 pm, it is a larger market then the Saturday Carriageworks Markets however I prefer the Carraiageworks Markets.

These markets are a little more difficult to get to unless you are an inner Western suburbs local. For me it was a train from Chatswood Station to Central Station. Then walk across to the bus stop located on George Street Stand M where I caught a half hourly frequency 440 bus to Perry & Glover Streets Lilyfield located just across the road from Orange Grove Public School.

The markets are outdoors with a large area in the school's playground to sit ot play around in. It is always very warm and glaring at the markets in throughout the winter therefore suncreen and sunglasses and a hat are recommended.

I arrived at the markets around 11 am armed with a shopping list which I didnt complete as the quality of fruit and veg are not as good as the Carriageworks Markets.

Plastic bags although minimised are still supplied by several stall holders whereas they are almost non existant at Carriageworks Markets. Most people bring their own trolleys and or reusable shopping bags and even coffee cups.

Photos attached

Onto the Sydney Fishmarkets by 440 bus back to Central Station then lightrail to the fish markets to purchase some salmon and octapus.

Funny thing -  I was sitting on a bench near the pay parking machines at the fish markets having some of my salted caramel bundt cake and a lady sits next to me looking for her parking ticket and says "I know you from sonewhere - Do you live in St Ives?" , I replied "No I dont think so but I work there." She then asks me where I worked as she shops there a lot and I said that I worked at Plenty. I also said to her that I am not Brenda (my work collegue we get confused when working together) in case she was thinking I was. That is the second thing I hate about working at Plenty - first is whenever Brenda and I work together not only do people get me confused with Brenda but every week at least  one customer asks us if the shop has changed hands! I detect a little racism going on - our other Caucasian work collegues are usually at lunch or busy in the storerooms whenever this happens.

Tuesday 25th July 2017 - Balmoral Beach in Winter

White tipped sea anemones were everywhere

Sand writing long the beach everyone was doing it so I decided to.

Spot the crabs hiding amongst the rocks near the rock pools coming out to sunbake

Yet another beautiful day - I spent the afternoon at Balmoral Beach but didn't go for a swim.  The water was fresh as I dipped my feet into the sea water but not too cold that you couldn't still go for a swim in the middle of Winter.

There were people who were swimming but more people were sun baking trying to get their dose of vitamin D for the Winter months whilst the sun was out.

I spent my time looking at the rockpools as there is an abundance of marine life around Balmoral Beach year round.

The vibrant green sea grasses present around the same time last year which I previously blogged about were missing however there was quite a lot of seaweed varieties present. No sea hares or star fish were present and the white tipped sea anenomies had lost their bright white pigment and were covered in tiny shell fragments.

One creature I managed to catch coming out from under the rocks near the rock pools to sunbake were little crabs not much larger then a 50 cent coin. These little crabs love to hide and only come out when there is no one around. They had one distinctive white claw.

Photos attached at top of blog.

Sunday 23rd July 2017 - Manly Sealife Santuary

Today I could not decide which beach to visit. Another beautiful day not to be wasted indoors.

After deciding the time it would take to get to Ettalong via Palm Beach Ferry Wharf and Dangar Island, I decided on boarding the M40 bus to Wynyard and taking the slow ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf again.

This time I spent quite a few hours at Manly Sealife Sanctuary doing  some research online as to entry fees and about the Sanctuary.

I have been to Sealife Aquarium at Darling Harbour but never to Manly Sealife Santuary.

Finding Nemo - yes he is in there somewhere!

It was no cheaper to buy an online ticket then it was to purchase one at the door ie single visit adult $25. I also read that at the end of 2017 it will be closing its doors and no longer be part of the Merlin Entertainments Group (which also includes Madame Tussauds Sydney, Sealife Sydney, Wildlife Sydney Zoo and The Sydney Tower Eye) due to the unviable cost of maintaining the aging 3 level building(s) that house the Manly Sealife Sanctuary as a business. It is such a shame as it is such a cute little aquarium that has been around for 50 years with passionate staff more then happy to answer any of your questions and tell you all about the marine species housed within the aquarium and around the local area and it also has some very unique species that are not seen at the main Sealife Aquarium at Darling Harbour.

Seahorses

As you enter enter through a short tunnel to the ground floor of the circular aquarium building you are surrounded by circular tanks of sea horses (the most difficult to photograph), illuminating jumbo jelly fish (also quite difficult to photograph),  colourful coral displays, sea anemones, a lazy giant octapus, salt water crocodiles,water dragons, turtles, venomous rock fish, puffer fish, morning cuttle fish and various colourful tropical fish including a tiny
"find Nemo" clown fish amongst a rather large white sea anemone.

Penguin Cove - feeding time

Onto my favourite section of Manly Sealife Santuary - Penguin Cove upstairs. At around 2.30 pm daily it is penguin feeding time however unlike feeding time around the same time daily at the Biodome in Montreal, the penguin feeder in a wet suit actually jumps into the water at Penguin Cove to feed the little penguins swimming around him and not just feed them from dry land. There is also an assistant present who stays on dryland to record how many pilchers each penguin eats at each feeding session. If a penguin stops eating a certain number of pilchers it means it is sick and needs attention. Some penguins like to be fed on land rather then in the water. So much fun to watch the penguins interact with the feeder.

Sharks

Turtles

Friendly puffer fish

The shark tunnel

Schools of fish

Giant sting rays

After the penguins feeding session it is time to go downstairs to the shark tunnel. There is usually one at every acquarium and this one is just as fascinating to walk through. Sharks and sting rays swimming around and above you are larger then yourself and then there are all the schools of fish that swim so closely together.

Another look at the displays on the ground level and it was feeding time for the lazy Octapus (who loves to try and escape)  - a prawn, Seahorses - tiny shrimp and in the touch rock pool a large sea hare - butter lettuce and for the sea urchins - chopped up pieces of white bait. Sea urchins are very slow eaters - it will take them at least 2 hours to digest a tiny piece of white bait, the large sea hare is a little faster at devouring a few large butter letuuce leaves which I could see disappearing into its "mouth" very slowly as I watched. Other sea urchins clinging to the sides of the glass rock pool had small prawn tails just visible sticking out from their "mouths".

Entrance to ground floor of Manly Sealife Sanctuary

Touch rockpools

Kids play areas just before exit gates ground floor

View of Manly Wharf from inside Manly Sealife Santuary

Morning Squid - note how they look like they have been photoshopped in when they are photographed

One of the many colourful coral displays

The lazy octapus

Turtles

Venomous rock fish

Before exiting for my long bus ride home on the 136 Manly to Chatswood bus, a quick toliet stop and a few phoros of the kids play areas.

Photos attached and short youtube video has been uploaded of Penguin Cove Talk and Feed

Rating 9/10 - a great place to educate and entertain the kids. Also has a birthday party room downstairs. Busy on weekends and school holidays but no long queues. Enclosed views of Manly Wharf area from inside from upstairs Penguin Cove. A tourist attraction to visit before it does close.