It takes a lot to break me out of my morning coffee routine but the promise of a walk by the sea and some culture does the trick. Making our way to the eastern suburbs from the city, the number of people sharing our journey suggested many had the same idea. I suspected we weren’t in for a quiet stroll.
Sculptures by the Sea
Whether it is the walk you have come for, or the culture, today will tick both boxes. Sculptures by Sea ( https://sculpturebythesea.com/ ) is Australia’s largest annual outdoor exhibition. Located at Bondi Beach, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, since 1997 the festival features art from both Australian and overseas artists. This long run may be coming to an end with an ongoing wrangle between the organisers and the local council threatening to make this the last year the event is held in Bondi.
Whichever way the dispute is settled, the festival is sure to keep it’s late spring slot in the calendar. Straddling the months of October and November, the festival avoids the heat of the mid summer months. The event is based predominantly in Bondi and along the start of the coastal walk, but we opted to do the journey in reverse. Starting at Coogee proved to be a masterstroke with us being able to avoid the worst of the crowds for most of the 6kms stretch of coastal pathway. This made for a more peaceful stroll and allowed us to take full advantage of the scenery as the ocean beat a constant refrain against the cliff tops.
Refuelling
As the walk meanders into the various bays along the coast you come down from the cliffs, giving you the opportunity to refuel. There are numerous food and drink options along the way, from beachside shacks dispensing cold drinks and ice lollies, to cafes offering more substantial fayre. Bronte Beach is a perennial favourite and is home to the original outlet of Three Blue Ducks (www.threeblueducks.com). This institution has now spread to Byron Bay.
Leaving Bronte, heading north, the walk takes you back up along the cliff tops and around to Tamarama Beach. A lot smaller than Bronte, and still some 2kms from Bondi, this is where the sculptures begin. Seemingly scattered on both the grassed area and on the beach, this is your first opportunity to see the artwork up close. You will also notice a visible increase in selfie sticks. The number of people taking photos increases exponentially. As does the amount of times you will be asked, or should this be ordered, to move so someone can get an even better photo!
Swimming Upstream
Extricating yourself from someone’s family album, keep walking because just around the corner is one of the main draws of the walk. Leaving Tamarama, like a salmon swimming upstream, keep following the path and soon the crowds become hordes. Your jaunty pace will slow to a crawl. The perfect photo becomes harder to capture. Reaching the top of the headland, and rounding the corner, you will see the waters of Bondi shimmering in the distance. Surfers dot the sea like currants in a Garibaldi biscuit. The world famous beach stretches out ahead of you and look closely and you might get a glimpse of the distinctive blue uniforms adorned by the professional life savers. Even closer up you may even recognise some of them from the TV show “Bondi Rescue”.
Reward Time
I won’t be going for a dip in the sea today but I am happy to be rescued from the hordes. Once again the combination of the exercise, the scenery and taking in some culture leaves me feeling refreshed, but thirsty. With the 6kms coastal walk finished it is time to head away from the main attractions and pick up that coffee that I skipped earlier. Checking the time I think maybe I should replace the coffee with something a little stronger, and a lot colder.
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