Slept IN! All those hours organizing the trip caught up with me, and the sound of the waves lapping at the beach made for the best night’s sleep. Tony paddled out from Bundeena, another eminent Australian coming for a "paddle with Sim" and we agreed to catch up when I got back from the trip. Out on the water, it was yet another perfect day – a gentle breeze from the North and blue seas shimmering up against the spectacular cliffs of the Royal National Park. I couldn’t help thinking how lucky Sydney-siders are to have this much bush so close to the metropolis, and thanking those who had the foresight to preserve it. I pulled in to Garie beach for an ice-cream and to practice a surf landing since Garie can get dumpy. Not today – all smooth. Met a surfer called Tim just out of the water, and when he found out where I was going he said “are you going to join that lawyer guy?” Tim had been on holiday in Tasmania where had seen the clear-felling. Tim’s not exactly the sort of bloke you’d describe as a Greenie, but he couldn’t believe they were destroying such beautiful forest in Tasmania, and was stoked about the trip when he saw it on the news last night. So there you go, from surfers on the beach to CEO’s of major investment companies, looks like everyone feels the need to preserve our environment.
