VK2/HU-094, Yaccaba

VK2/HU-094, Yaccaba - Hawks Nest (VK2NU and VK2WFT, 28/July/2017)

When I moved to Australia just over 20 years ago, I lived for a year at Port Stephens, which is the home of my Wifes family. Even after moving to the Central Coast we make frequent trips to 'The Bay', but in all these years I've never visited the Northern side of the Port (Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest)!

 Black circle indicates car park. 4WD access via the beach is possible to the base of the headland (saving a 3km stroll there and back on the beach).

Access to the summit is well signposted.. A 1.5km walk along the beach, a 1km track to a viewing area on the North of the Headland, and then a difficult rocky climb for a further 500m to the summit. This last 500m takes it out of you, and the decent is hard on the knees, but the views are well worth the effort.

  Looking back towards Hawks Nest

     Shack in a bag... and my trusty old hiking boots

     VK2WFT, taking it easy again.. Summit marker, and Haverford/EFHW

   Looking across to Tomaree Headland (not quite a SOTA), which I've climbed many times.

   ....and in close up.

   Aldi branded waterproof hiking bags (a great buy)  

   The view alone deserves more than the one measly SOTA point...

 Myall river in the background

The previous two activation's were both 8 point summits, with 3 winter bonus points each! No sore legs or aching knees. It would be nice if the points scored matched the effort put into the climb..😣

We tried our first SOTA VHF QSO today, with a 2m sked arranged with VK2BPL Paul, in Newcastle... Unfortunately whilst we could hear him, no copy was made.

Propagation was poor on the day, with extreme QSB, but we still managed 11 QSO's on 40M SSB/CW. "Did I mention this was only a one point summit....."

We had planned to also activate Karuah Hill (VK2/HU-091), on the trip home, but sight-seeing got in the way, along with a picnic lunch at Pindimar..