While Arram's team warmed up...

Arram (15 year-old grandson extraordinaire) had a soccer game this past Sunday afternoon and I went along with him and Allie. It was being played in Whangaparaoa, north of Auckland. This is also the peninsula that also boasts Army Bay Beach. 

Allie, who is always thinking, and a master of multi-tasking, suggested that after we drop Arram off at the field for his team warm-up and practice, which was approximately one hour before game time, that we should use ten minutes of our wait to drive up to Army Bay for a quick beach comb. Her time management skills are well honed. I applauded her plan.

I got this little picture from Wikipedia. The blue indicates the beach. 

We had a great walk along the very windy beach before the game. The tide was mostly out, the way I like it, and I was able to see some tide pools and interesting rock formations that are inaccessible during high tide. I did find that at almost 73, my sense of balance is not what it was when I was a youngster of 60, especially when a gale is blowing. I took it very easy. I can no longer take chances and make my way out to some of the more interesting, but slippery and precarious spots on the rocks that I did the first couple of times we came to Army Bay Beach years ago.  

Still, I got some good shots, especially considering that I used my phone's camera.  I present the first batch of them to you now. I hope that you like them. 

Some of you have seen pictures from Army Bay before, but it's been a long time so I hope it's not too repetitive.  

Looking to the west,

 

to the north,

 

and to the east.

Let's walk down the beach to the west. 

Two of the most common and sought after fish are the kahawai and snapper. Their pictures, in that order, which I found on Wikipedia, are below. The snapper is by far the tastier fish.  

Whether you call it wind surfing or sailboarding, and I'm not sure of the similarities or differences between the terms, there were several guys out doing it.  They were flying!   

 

The fisherman's car. 

 

I love the patterns in the rocks here. 

Once I saw a starfish and a sea cucumber in some pools, but not today. 

That's it for today's beach stroll. I managed to keep my feet dry, not to slip, and my hearing aids protected.  in fact, the wind was so intimidating when we got out of the car that I pocketed them. What's to hear anyway, other than wind? 

On our way back to the game, we stopped momentarily in the town of Manly. While Allie bought a coke, I stayed in the car and looked at the businesses around me. There was a Manly Supermarket, and Manly Realty, Manly Pharmacy, Manly Bakery, and so on, seemingly ad infinitum. 

Later, as we drove out of town, I even spotted the signs for Manly Beach and Little Manly Beach.  I'm sure they are both very nice. What I could have probably used though was an 'Old Manly Beach.' 

That would be one that had an escalator rather than steep steps leading from the parking lot down to the beach, It would have tide pools, accessible at both high and low tides, with cool critters in them, but with no slippery rocks surrounding them. There would be interesting rock formations of course, with tide-proof benches every 100 meters or so for contemplation. The shells washed up on my 'Old Manly Beach' would all be easy to pick up. And the winds well, they'd always be just right.    

I'll definitely do a post if I ever find this beach of my dreams, you can count on that. Keep watching.     -djf

-And what do you think about free ice cream and coffee trucks always on site?  Yeah, I think so too.