Bondi Beach is probably the most famous in Sydney. Boondi is actually an Aboriginal word meaning surf and Bondi is a mecca for surfers. We took the bus from Hyde Park out to Bondi and watched the surfers for a while – a much safer pastime than partaking …. We then set off on a walk recommended by Alex; the coastal walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee.
Around Bondi they were setting up for an event called Sculpture by the Sea. A range of sculptures are set up in various places around the coast – we even had to divert off the path for a couple as they were craned into place. The walk was a lovely contrast to the previous harbour walk we did. With sandstone rocks sculpted by the wind and waves, the natural sculptures were just as (or more?) impressive as the modern ones being set up.
Close to Bondi, at the start of the walk, we saw spouts from humpback whales. They were quite a way away and heading south (towards Antarctica), but they were definitely whales. As we left the cafe at Coogee after lunch though, we got a much better show. Spotting some white water out at sea, we started watching carefully and saw what must have been a pod of whales. They were in the distance (and well out of photo range) but in the sun we could see their activity clearly. Several times we saw them slapping their tails on the water and saw them breaching. We watched them for some time and it looked like a group of several of them – possibly fishing as a group?