Manly Beach is located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, stretching 1.2 miles and offering excellent surfing conditions. It got its name from Governor Arthur Phillip, who was impressed by the “confidence and manly behavior” of the indigenous men he encountered there in 1788. Phillip’s observation led him to name the area “Manly Cove,” which eventually became known as Manly Beach. Intermittent rain and high winds made for an adventurous ferry crossing from Sydney. We arrived mid-morning and walked up and down the full length of the beach before Jeanine found herself a manly man.

Norma’s Deli is not to be missed if you ever find yourself in the area. We enjoyed a fantastic lunch here, and it was all I could do to prevent Jeanine from buying our dinner for take-away as well.

Once fortified with food, we set out for Shelly Beach, a much smaller and intimate one south of Manly. Here, we made a short climb to the top of the pictured cliffs, where we got a birds-eye view of the surfers numbering in the dozens.

Some of the biggest waves broke close to shore and some of the best surfers risked everything for a sweet ride. Notice the proximity of the rocky shore to the dismounted surfer in the photo below.

On the path between beaches, there was an abundance of birds, and I felt lucky to capture the one below. It was my favorite photo of the day.

After hours of walking, we decided to reward our efforts with gelato, and Jeanine, as is her superpower, sussed out the best place. We shared a serving of chocolate almond with nut-infused caramel sauce. Kill me now.

We returned to Sydney by fast ferry (considerably smoother ride than the regular ferry we took earlier in the day) and relaxed at the Customs House Library until our 6 pm walking tour of the “Rocks” began. Originally known as Tallawoladah by the Cadigal people, the Rocks was established in 1788 as the site of Australia’s first colonial settlement. Initially a hub for convicts, sailors, and merchants, it evolved from a rough and tumble, overcrowded area into a historic precinct. Our guide shared stories of robbery, murder, kidnapping and general mayhem painting a vivid picture of life in the area during its early days. It was quite entertaining and led us to some nice vantage points for photography. By the end of the day we covered more than 10 miles on foot.

Sydney Harbor Bridge

Rock crushing car art installation.