Sydney Northern Beaches - Curl Curl

Northern Beaches, Sydney

On Friday 16th November we arrived to a lovely home-cooked dinner at North Curl Curl of Sydney's Northern Beaches, New South Wales, where we will set up camp for the next two (closer to three!) months. We have been staying with Luke's lovely cousin Katie and her husband Jimmy and three kids.

Katie very kindly showed us the local neighborhoods and towns on our first few days. We have since become very familiar with, South to North, in order: Manly, Freshwater, Curl Curl and Dee Why. it's about 10km from the very southern end of Manly to the northern point of Dee Why and all four beaches with their towns are equally as picturesque as the next.

Curl Curl is a beautiful beachy and family oriented community. The beach itself is about 1km long, with lovely soft yellow (and squeaky?) sand and a notoriously consistent swell, as do most the northern beaches.

North Curl Curl beach

The first week of arriving saw us do little more than sunbathe, eat and read books. It would appear that traveling is exhausting work, worthy of a relaxing holiday after all!? The local shops include a Mexican and vegetarian restaurant, newsagent, bakery, post office, bottle shop and recent addition cafe, COOH (http://cooh.com.au/) - my new favorite place (the fact they now know me by name may be an indication of how long we've been staying at Curl Curl. OR, an unhealthy addiction to morning coffee?).

Sunday mornings see all the Northern Beaches laden with young kids and their families at 'Nippers', swimming and surf lessons for kids aged 5-13. The kids take to the water in swarms and play games in the sea followed by hotdogs from the surf shack. All very Aussie.