Checking through the weather forecast for the week, it looked like Monday afternoon would be the best time for a ride. Photographic conditions did not look that great so I only took a small point and shoot camera.
As it turned out, the light improved as I rode. I went along the Cooks River Cycleway as usual to Homebush and then out to Bicentennial Park at Homebush Bay. Next, past the Newington Armoury and over the Silverwater Bridge and then back along the north side of the Parramatta River.
At Meadowbank, I stopped for some photos and got into a conversation with one of the locals. He was watching the waves from various ferries along the river. It was his opinion that the waves from the newer private ferries were much larger than those from the slower Rivercats. This, he thought, could be the reason that a lot of sand was being washed into the riverside mangroves. Mangroves need mud, not sand for their survival. He did add that the now abundant mangroves were not native to Sydney Harbour, having spread from Moreton Bay after white settlement via ships. I am not sure if this is true. What I found on the internet was that mangroves were much less common in Sydney harbour before white settlement. But they were growing in the harbour.
I then crossed back over to the south side of the river and then rode along the foreshore at Rhodes. This time the light was becoming right for a good sunset. I spent the whole “magic hour” along this nice section of Homebush Bay.
Then it was a fast ride back along the Cooks River to home. This time in the dark. Luckily I had brought along my front bike light.