Fenn Cup Ocean Race / Fenn 盃划船賽

Fenn Cup Ocean Race consist 4 series race, first race took place at last Sat. (18Sep), it's a approx 17kms race, although the wind was dreadful Westly, in which condition that racer would make greater effort to reach shore, still many racers turn out for the race, Andy was one of the hundreads.

The original starting point was Long Reef, however due to tricky wind condition, the racing route had changed and started from Fisherman's Beach.
這個划船賽共有4場, 第一場在上星期六舉行, 全長約17公里, 本來的比賽起始點是在 Long Reef, 但是因為海象不好, 比賽改在Fisherman's Beach 舉行.當天吹的是會將人往紐西蘭吹的最不討好的西風, 雖然氣候不好, 當天還是有上百人參加比賽.

Here are few photos to share the atmosphere that day...

The registration office in Long Reef
比賽報名地點

registered, T-shirt fit, heading to race place
報名完畢, 比賽裝也合身, 前往比賽地點!

the kayaking route with short & long course
當天比賽路線圖, 參賽者可選要長程或短程賽

arrived, carrying kayak from car park to beach
到達會場, 著裝完, 扛起船步向海邊

 

after 500m of walk, finally arrived racing spot, carrying on walking toward beach
走了約500公尺, 終於到海邊 , 把船繼續扛到海灘上

 

discussing wind condition with mates
海象不好, 跟同伴一起緊張的討論海上狀況



race is about to start, paddling to the starting point
比賽時間快到了, 開始往海上的起始點前進

firstly, had to fight with the strong wave though
一個大浪將船給打走了, Andy 迅速抓回, 安然往前划

everybody is ready at starting point n wait for the signal to start
大家都在起始點等著開始ㄉ哨聲響

After approx 1.5 hours, racers started to return to finishing point, I can not tell Andy's score, all I could say is that, it's all busy works in the office to be blamed... :-)
約一個半小時後, 開始有參賽者回到終點報到, 我不能告訴你們Andy划得如何, 我只能說他上星期加班得很厲害, 完全沒有練習就硬著頭皮上場了... (以下影片請注意其他參賽者都是用跑的回去終點站報到的)

- the end -

Eating out/外食 - Cammeray / Sake Sake Restaurant

Sake Sake http://www.sakesake.net.au/ - 聽說是很貴, 又份量很小的日本料理餐廳

餐廳就在轉角的商場裡, 每次去超市買菜都會經過, 不管是中午還是晚上生意都很好, 一直納悶是來吃氣氛, 還是真的料理好? 上週末終於動身前往一探究竟. 很不情願地梳理, 換裝出門, 心想搞不好裡面的服務生每天都看到我邋遢的去買菜, 看我換裝, 可能會不習慣 XD

當晚餐廳約八成滿, 但不確定是不是都是預約的空桌,  所以Andy 問了領班是不是有2 人座位, 領班故作大方地說, 會盡量挪個位置給我們, 但我們附近的空桌,  一直到我們離開都沒有人坐..., 太假了, 扣一分

我們點了沙拉, 壽司捲, 脆皮豬腩, 照燒雞串, 因為聽說份量小, 我們還加了一晚白飯, 後來發現多心了,  因為我們認為這家的份量和價錢都還蠻公道的呀...

有圖為證:

招牌沙拉
Sake Sake Salad with soya dressing

有炸蝦的蔬菜壽司捲, 結帳時還確認是 veggie sushi 沒錯!
Vegetable sushi

脆皮豬腩
上面灑的是沒什麼味道的油蔥酥
crispy pork belly in sweet potato bed

照燒雞串
(心想友人來時可能都點燒烤, 才會有又小份又貴的評語)
teriyaki chicken skewer

結論是, 不錯吃, 還會再來 :-)
Over all, it's a nice restaurant

- the end -

This is another usual week / 沒有新鮮事的一週

經過狂風掃落葉的週末(晚間新聞還報導了市區巨風造成的災情呢...), 這個星期天氣不再做亂, 陽光和煦, 微風可親,  我和Andy 認真上班, 吃飯, 睡覺, well, 簡單一句就是...乏善可陳啦! 在此拿濫竽來充數, 不要見笑啊!
Last weekend's strong wind did cause some casualtiecs in downtown, luckily Andy and his mates return from paddling safe and sound. The weather this week was much nicer, lots of sunshine, breeze and shower for plant to grow, Spring has officially arrived I suppose...
We didn't have much but routine this week, in a another word... nothing particular to report...., therefore, I think maybe some photos from our Weekend Master Chef might take your interest...

- the end -

忠實的讀者, 我聽到妳(們)的心聲了 / feedback to readers

在台灣台北的忠實讀者懷疑Andy 是不是沾沾水就打道回府了!? 希望能親眼看到 Andy 確實有下海練功, 在此列出詳細出海經過, 保證沒用替身 :-)
A reader in Taiwan is questioning about Andy's paddling, it seems he is showing up in the beach front for some fresh air, then head back home without any sweat from last post, well, here are some clips to show more details about Andy's paddling...

兩星期前的出海, 風和日麗, 風平浪靜出海日

Balmoral paddling 2 weeks ago on a lovely weekend

以上的美麗景象卻跟這個星期六的景象大不相同...
This weekend's paddling is a different story though...

出海前的閒談..., 只是是在狂風中
the usual chatting before kayaking, but in the rain and blowing wind though...

愛划船的熱血男士是不畏風雨的
the kayak lovers fear nothing but not able to paddle...

- the end -

雪梨的春天

窗外單薄的枝幹悄悄露出芽苞, 才不過幾天嫩芽就熱鬧的攅出, 接著競相伸展枝葉, 靜靜的, 忙碌的在煦煦陽光下為新的季節佈局

在這裡, 太陽和北風是一夥的, 窗外陽光黃豔豔, 暖烘烘, 稍不防備被陽光給騙了出去, 冷峻的風帶著冰刀, 力馬從樹梢躍下, 將你刮得鼻紅唇裂, 亂髮遮臉, 自此歸納出春日外出 check list: 防曬乳, 護唇膏, 太陽眼睛, 加保暖薄外套.

住在台北的忠實讀者們 (明明就只有兩位 XDD) 十分關切夸婦的香草植物, 請大家放心, 它們都還健在, 而且在夸婦天天追日的照料下, 不敢倒下, 很認真的長高, 長壯, 伸枝展葉 :-)

沒照片沒真相嗎? Here you are...

3 個星期後 / the plant after 3 wks

4 個星期後 / 4 weeks after

被斬頭2個星期後的蔥, 長出新的綠葉
(我還把土加高了)
Spring onion after 2 wks (I've filled more soil
in order to keep more white stalks from onion)

3 星期後 / 3 weeks after

香菜2個星期後 / coriander 2 weeks after

香菜3個星期後 / coriander 3 wks after

- the end of a proud gardener :-) / 一切向錢看的驕傲夸婦 -

Eating out / 幾餐外食

Well, 已經忘記是那個週末了, 應該是連續煮了兩個星期的飯, Andy 的室友看不下去, 發聲要 Andy 帶我出外用餐

其實不是很想外出吃飯, 因為不能像在板橋, 周末晚上隨便穿穿, 一臉素顏, 連頭髮也不用梳就可以去"灶腳", "遊松林", 或"大廚師"用餐..., 只為了去吃一頓晚餐, 要梳洗, 要換裝, 實在覺得很費工, 不到2個小時吃完飯回家, 又要換衣服, 有時還要卸妝, 真不划算... (咦!? 是哪個黃臉婆附身在我身上!?)

Anyway, 在此跟大家分享這邊外食的菜色吧.

咦, 天花板上好像有張什麼東西?! 是什麼呢?
something on the ceiling..., what is it?!

原來是室友 Jason 的搞笑留言:
帶Kelly 出去吃飯! 出去花錢!!

所以我們來了這家美花清酒吧 (Mihana Sake Bar) : 位在離家約5分鐘車程的 Crows Nest (Kelly 的不專業翻譯: 烏鴉窩!), 空間不大, 約 7-8 張桌, 加吧台 5-6個座位, 是日本味很純的餐廳
室友說美花是間物美價廉的好餐廳, 但是看到上來的第一道沙拉 AUD9 就知道又是一個物價水準不同的誤解..., 但總體來說食物真的不錯吃

美花清酒吧
(照片很糟完全不是我的問題, 是 Nokia!!)
Mihana Sake Bar and Restaurant
(I'm not responsible for the poor quality of photos, it's Nokia's fault!!)

居酒屋簡介
Sake Bar's introduction

幾樣日本味十足的配酒小菜備在櫃台供食客選取
few Japanese tapas dishes to go with sake

此乃我提到的AUD9 的蓮藕沙拉...
lotus root salad

照燒旗魚, 肉很嫩, 一點都不老
terriyaki fish - very tender

烤中卷
grilled calamari

台灣郎餐廳/Taipei Chef Restaurant: 我思鄉嗎? 錯了, 是Andy! 跟他提了有家台灣料理餐廳在Artarmon (開車約10分鐘), 他就說要去, 我是不抱期望這餐廳能解思鄉之情的, 但因是台灣人自己開的餐廳, 就去捧個場吧.

台灣郎餐廳
Taipei Chef Restaurant in Artarmon

簡單的擺設, 很像台灣的小吃店,
入座不時可聽到廚房裡的爐火和鍋鏟鏗鏘聲,
算另類的解相思吧 XD
simple setting, it's more like a eatery in Taiwan

sorry..., 又忘了拍照..., 油飯是也, 真的好吃!
once again, chopsticks are moving quicker than camera....
this is sticky rice with braised pork and mushrooms

椒鹽軟殼蟹, 這道就很抱歉了,
只能吃到厚厚的脆皮麵粉
soft-shell crab stirfried with pepper and garlic

三杯中卷, 鹹了點, 但火侯足, 好吃!
calamari stirfried with sesame oil, wine and soya sauce

跟在台灣一樣, 很自然的點了炒青菜,
結果來了這盤...., 貴婦人應該會喜歡, 因為薑下很多!
stirfried vegie

Delicado 西班牙餐廳 / http://www.delicadofoods.com.au/ : 位在北雪梨, 去年還是前年去吃過一次早餐, 因為餐廳很有特色, 所以某個週末剛好到附近, 便提議去用午餐.
但這次去卻留下不甚好的印象, 因為侍者太會推銷, 有壓力..., 而且這餐我們沒有喝酒也沒點飲料, 因為不餓, 所以點了下面的菜色, 外加餐後兩塊磅蛋糕就花了AUD65..., 連Andy 都嚇一跳, 就不要問我吐血多嚴重了...

餐廳很長, 這是中段, 除了餐, 也賣醃菜, 雜貨
interior of restaurant, apart from meal,
restaurant also sell tapas and groceries

充滿西班牙味的盤子

烤麵包配橄欖泥和香軟大蒜
toast with butter garlic and olive paste

開胃菜 (燉兔肉配柳橙 / 生蠔配紫蘇梅雪泡 / 脆皮盛鮪魚), 是的, 就醬而已...
Tapas (rabbit stew wz orange / oyster with plum sobet / tuna filo)

- the end -

Morning paddle at Balmoral / 風和日麗出海日

Usually, Balmoral Blast will have kayaking race every Sat., however, Balmoral Blast helped run a down wind ocean race from Monavale Basin to Long Reef this Sunday, the Sat. race was therefore cancelled. Andy and his mate had a short paddle down in Balmoral Beach still.
終於有個暖暖的週末我有勇氣跟Andy出海, 通常星期六是Balmoral Blast划船社團的練習日, 但因社團將在星期日協辦”順風競賽”, 星期六的活動因此取消, 但Andy跟他的社友還是前往伸展手腳.

It’s very nice day with clear sky and bright sunshine, while Andy and Peter kayaking into ocean, I strolled along Balmoral’s white sandy beach.
Balmoral Beach has two bays, with a rocky island in the middle, which provides a nice lookout point.
這天天氣非常好, Andy 跟Peter 奔向海水, 我則乾遊.
這個海灘很寬, 中間有個小島隔開兩邊, 小島有石橋, 石階供人登高遠眺.
這個海灘一到暖天非常熱門, 海邊還用網子隔出一個區塊當游泳池, 人, 魚分游 

In the next day, Andy headed to join the down wind ocean race, it was as beautiful a day as Sat., but in the middle of race, there came the hail storm, the hail the size of ice cubes make from the freezer, pouring out from sky, what a surprise!
Later on, a friend of Andy show a photo on facebook with kayak half filled of hail…
隔天, 又是一個大晴天, Andy前往參加”順風競賽”, 不料賽事進行到一半, 天氣竟然豬羊變色, 下起冰雹(這個字竟然唸: ㄅㄠ2 !!), 像從冰箱製冰盒裡倒出來的冰塊從天上叮叮咚咚的打在參賽者的頭上, 事後, 友人還在facebook上秀了裝了半滿船的冰雹的照片

coming out from car park and heads to the beach
從停車場把船載出來

a perfect day for kayaking!
今天是個很適合出海的好日子

right, let's go!
裝備檢查完畢, 出發囉!

after 10mins drive, here is Balmoral.
開車10分鍾, 來到 Balmoral 海灘

get the gear, head toward the ocean
扛著看起來很重, 但其實很輕的船下海囉!

where shall we head to, Peter?
彼德, 我們今天划到哪裡?

yes, to chowder bay then Fairlight sounds good
ok, 划到 Chowder Bay, 再轉到 Fairlight 回來
是個不錯的主意

paddle finished, here comes the cleaning routin...
練習完,  準備例行清洗工作

rinse off all the salty water
裝清水把海水都沖掉

then wipe off excessed water, time to head back for a good rest
用毛巾將水漬擦乾, 就打道回府了

Here is Andy's kayaking route at Balmoral Beach at 14Aug and Down Wind Race at 15Aug.
(ps. following maps show street rout, but Andy is kayaknig)
Andy 14, 15日的划船路線如下, 都在雪梨北邊, 你們可以Manly 海灘做指標.
(ps. 地圖只能標陸路, Andy 是走海路)

Balmoral (A) to Chowder Bay (B) to Fairlight (C), then back to Balmoral:


View Larger Map


Mona Vale to Long Reef:


View Larger Map

- the end -