Manly sealife and Shelly beach

Sunday 3rd February woke up 9.30 girls already gone for a run but couldn't be bothered going on my own. Nat's actually birthday today and she really liked her birthday present I got thought it was really special and something she can keep forever. Was gong to come with me to manly but decided against it I had to catch two trains as track work again so changed at Strathfield but then at least could get train straight to Circular Quay. Just made the ferry to Manly and first stop was a Internet cafe to print off my NMC form for notification of practice. It was then to the manly market to get Debbie's birthday present but unfortunately not their due to the bad weather. So decided would walk to Shelly beach as never been and not really sunny kept spitting on and off. At first didn't realise I had gone past Shelly beach as the waves were that big you couldn't actually see the beach and the waves were that big kept coming over side and nearly got wet. So kept walking along the foreshore past 'Oceanides' a sculpture of two sea nymphs located on the side of the rock pool at Fairy Bower Beach, in the northern suburb of Manly. The sculpture was created by Helen Leete in 1997, the Oceanides in Greek mythology were sea nymphs that were part human and part sea creature. The foreshore eventually led to Gabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve is a special area that provides protection and sanctuary for the weedy sea dragon, elegant wrasse, black rock cod and the blue grouper. It also gave lovely views off manly beach and since was good waves was quite a few surfers out so watched them for abit. I then wandered back to Manly beach going past Shelly beach again which could still not see and nearly got wet again by the waves.
When got to Manly beach still had plenty of time so decided to go to Manly sealife centre and not been and doesn't cost me anything since got merlin pass. It is a lot smaller than the one in the city as soon as you walk in is a few tanks with fish with an impressive Great Barrier Reef exhibit. Their was also one tank with a octopus in who the staff was trying to get to come out but wasn't playing. The Manly Sea Life Centre is compact yet still impressive but compared to the Sydney Aquarium and it was a completely different experience. It's smaller and less commercialised but the exhibits are of equal quality and well laid out. However, it is the ambience of the place which sells it to me. You can enjoy all the exhibits, at leisure, without constantly jostling to peer around other visitors and with space to move around. The shark tunnel is the showpiece exhibit, and home to a weird and wonderful variety of marine creatures not just sharks. Their was 'Tassie' a smooth stingray who was very big and had a sore tail was 10years old and told are actually the creatures look smaller through the glass. Also got to see some people doing the shark dive which is a unique where people come face to face with Grey Nurse Sharks, stingrays and turtles looked cool but already done. In the shark tunnel is two Grey Nurse Sharks 'Murdoch' and 'Freckles' who have been bought together to continue the successful breeding programme. It was then to see the penguin cove where you discover the colony of Manly's iconic little penguins were so cute and small and even did a little swim for us, unfortunately missed the penguin talk. I thoroughly enjoyed and will have to go back at some point to get pictures with the mermaid and the giant shark teeth. It was then time to head back and going back on the Manly ferry was abit off an experience as kept rocking side to side and would look out and all you could see was the waves, the kids loved it kept going outside to get wet. When got back couldn't be bothered waiting for train so decided to walk to central station as was fine only took 30minutes. When got back was going to go for run but got distracted sorting out my pictures so never happened. Wasn't really sure what to have for tea as not practically hungry so decided to have porridge. I then spoke to Sharon and Ellie on Skype not sure Ellie knew what to make of it and ended up shutting the laptop lid on me, charming.