Nicola Ann Art
Hawks Nest, North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Crowdy Bay, North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Seal Rocks, North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Crowdy Bay, North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Crescent Head, North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Crescent Head, North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Apr 10
by Nicola in Adventure, Beach, Nature 0 comments tags: Adventure, Australia, BeanOn Photography, Byron Bay, Camper-van, Corrinder Beach, Crescent Head, Crowdy Bay National Park, Early morning, Exploring, Hawks Nest, nature, New South Wales, sea, Seal Rocks, Sunrise, Sunset, Trail Goal Campsite

North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The moment we collected the camper van, all singing all dancing home on wheels, from the other side of Sydney, the real adventure began. For ten nights we slept in the van while exploring the North Coast of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.   Not even thirty minutes after Apollo signed over their beast to us, we’d gently knocked a van’s wing mirror while trying to parallel-park the vehicle near Bondi Beach while stopping off for a bite to eat. Ouch!   Hawks Nest   A few hours later, after taking up most of a shopping’s car park while stocking up on groceries, we arrived at Hawks Nest, our first port of call, many minutes too late. The campsite had locked its boom gate and no one answered the emergency number on the office door. They definitely weren’t open for business. Ah look! The beach with a car park – a perfect spot to spend the night. Without any interruptions, we slept soundly. A forty-minute run along the silky soft sand had me rearing to go first thing the next morning.   Seal Rocks   At the stunning, pristine beaches of Seal Rocks we spent a night at Treachery Camp. […]
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Jan 29
by Nicola in Beach, Durban, Sunrise 2 comments tags: beach, BeanOn Photography, Durban beach front, Early morning, Indian Ocean, KwaZulu-Natal, Moyo Ushaka Pier, North Beach, sea, South Africa, Sunrise, uShaka Beach, uShaka Pier

Habanero-hot welcome back to Durban

What a warm, actually habanero-hot welcome back to Durban. And I’d left London the day after the snow had settled overnight. With Emirates, from London Gatwick to Dubai and then finally Durban, the flight path permitted me to take in kilometre after kilometre of the rich-blue Indian Ocean bubbling below. What a sight after eighteen hours of flying time and three-hours wait in Dubai. Never mind the nine months of being away. It felt as though I was away for much longer but from the moment I stepped off the plane it felt as if I had never left; the epitome of home.   I don’t know how but I resisted (resistance is usually futile) snapping the sunrise at uShaka Beach my first morning at home. Well, to be honest the need to catch-up on sleep triumphed and I ventured down to the beachfront for the sunrise the second morning after my arrival.   My brain failed me momentarily, but it was 5am after all. I forgot that during the summer months the wall of the harbour mouth blocked the sunrise and it didn’t rise directly in front of the pier. I’ve since discovered the incredible SunCal, informing me that on […]
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Jun 07
by Nicola in Back2Blighty, Beach, Nature, Sunrise, Sunset, The United Kingdom 0 comments tags: BeanOn Photography, Celtic Sea, Cornwall, Early morning, England, Mousehole, nature, Porthmeor Beach Café, sea, St Ives, St Just, St Michael's Mount, Sunrise, Sunset, The United Kingdom, Trevose Harbour House

St Ives in Cornwall

End of April (for my birthday), I ventured down to St Ives in Cornwall and explored the seaside town, on the coast of the Celtic Sea, and its surrounding areas (St Just, Lands End, Mousehole – don’t get me started on the pronunciation of such place – and St Michael’s Mount) for a few days.   The moment the sea filled my vision when arriving at St Ives I felt my jaw drop – the stunning colours of the water caused awe to wash over me. “Is this really England?” I’d asked my friend.   I’d never known England to present such exquisite beauty before. About 12 years ago I first visited Cornwall and I did not recall it to be as vividly pleasing. Unless it’s taken my eyes and mind thus long to be fully open and aware and appreciative…   Another delight took place while dining at the Porthmeor Beach Café, less than a 5 minute walk from St Ives’ harbour. The heated booths outside on the balcony overlooked the beach without any interruption, and the tapas of fresh fish couldn’t have been cooked better elsewhere. The dramatic sky added to the ambiance of the place, to the […]
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Aug 24
by Nicola in Beach, Cycling 0 comments tags: BeanOn Photography, Bike&Bean, coffee, cycling, Durban beach front, Indian Ocean, sea

Bike & Bean at Durban’s beachfront

About this time 3 years ago I last cycled along the beachfront with a friend who lent me his brother’s bike. This time I decided to do it on my own and hire a bicycle from Bike & Bean, this took place yesterday when the weather couldn’t be better; sun and stillness unlike today’s gusty wind. 
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Mar 31
by Nicola in Nature, Sunset, Umdloti beach 0 comments tags: Adventure, beach, BeanOn Photography, electric storm, Indian Ocean, running, sea, storm, Sunset, Umdloti beach, wild sky

Wild Sky at Umdloti Beach

As I start running along the beach after work, late afternoon, the sky suddenly darkened, turned wild, a wild sky, south of Umdloti while north had the light radiating from above.   A few strides later a thunderstorm rumbles and crackles, enveloping my senses. Never had I seen the sky so angry and stunning at the same time; the waves in rhythm to the storm’s roar.   I stood below it, taking in every colour, flash, sound and smell – feeling the heat, steaming humidity and rain drops sizzle against my skin – until my brain kicked in and moved aside the adrenaline.   What on Earth are you doing, nutter? Get back to shelter, get your phone and capture the moment – before being stuck by a lightning fork – as best as you can using a not so great camera-phone. Why did I leave my DSLR at home today? Why…   Any photos are better than nothing, right…?   To be amazed by nature; to allow nature to amaze; its power; its wildness – a wild power that commands respect!
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