Uncle Google reckons the name Coogee has derived from the Indigenous word ‘koojah‘, which means ‘bad smell’ or a ‘stinking place’. (I’ve got two little ‘koojahs’ running around my house!). The pungent smell was from the piles of seaweed on the shores of Coogee. No smell down that way nowadays…just sunrise community ice baths and lots of winter swimming activity.
Rarely do I shoot Coogee; you know I love beaches with waves, and Coogee is predominantly a flat bay. Now and then, it does get one helluva shore break, and offshore it has a big wave spot – Wedding Cake. There used to be an enormous amusement park on a pier at Coogee (Like Santa Monica), with a giant shark net protecting most swimmers. In 1934 massive storms damaged the setup, and it all came down.
Ok, enough history lesson for today. No waves, no rain (yew) and cool temps. Enjoy!
:: uge
