It's winter and the ocean is warm - northern beaches, New South Wales, Australia

Byron Bay late June

Just travelled from Sunshine Coast down to Sydney. It's one third into winter and the ocean temperature is 20-21 degrees C. Same story wherever you swim - Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Port Macquarie or as far south as Port Stephens - it's like a bath. The combination between warm ocean temperatures and cooler air temperatures is making the waves bigger too.
In the early morning, as you approach the water's edge you feel a faint warm draught from the ocean mass - spooky. Daytime maximum temperatures in these places: 19-21 degrees C, compared to 12-16 degrees C in Melbourne. Brrrr!

No wetsuit needed. My wetsuit had a lovely holiday in my suitcase, all the way from Melbourne.

Port Stephens, Australia - let's keep this place a secret

Port Stephens is about 2.5 hour drive north from Sydney. It seems to be a secret only the locals know about.  People from New South Wales holiday there, but few interstate or overseas tourists. 

Fishing, whale watching (winter), surfing, bushwalking though national parks and rugged coastal scenery, dolphin watching (year round).  Just walking around a local track 5 minutes from our accommodation, we saw a dolphin dart out of the water. 

Quiet harbours and inlets, clear water, powder white sand, stunning sunrises, picturesque headlands, bushland, native birds galore.  A surprising lack of litter (unlike many resorts, especially Asia – the curse of the plastic bags and bottles).

As Dale Kernigan from “The Castle” would say, “How’s the serenity?”