A mate, some beer and a week off. March 2013

So I made contact with on old lost mate on the East coast a couple of weeks back. He needed to clear some leave and I had a week off in March, so it was organised Adam would come over to the West coast and catch up on some old times......

The plan was for him to fly in on Friday at 12.40pm of a long weekend. I had planned to go away for the weekend, but a cat 4 cyclone (rusty) in the Pilbara earlier in the week had some ordinary weather predicted for the South West so I canned that idea. So at 1030am on the Friday morn, the forecast had changed once again for the better, so the long weekend was on. Pity I didn't have the ulti prepped, as now it was going to make a late departure as I had to fire the fridge up, pack all the gear, do some shopping yada yada yada before I could get away. And I still had to pick up Adam from the airport.....

Anyway, the baggage handling conveyor in Sydney had crapped itself. Sydney airport was in Chaos. Subsequently, Adam was late in and I didn't make home till 3pm (which was my planned departure time). So a flurry of activity had me ready to hit the road at 4.30pm.......Just intime for the freeway peak of a Friday arvo on a long weekend....great!.....

We hit the road and all was good till Vincent St (just north of the city). Then it was probably the worst I'd ever seen it. The freeway was a carpark from there to Thomas road, a distance of some 35Km's. Normally it free flows after Berrigan drive, so this added another 15Km's of bumper to bumper traffic to contend with.

Hitting our intended stay at about 6.30pm, we find the place is full. It was full at 10.30am. I tell you what, it's getting increasingly difficult here in Perth on a long weekend to get away unless you're prepared to get there a day or two before hand. Alright for some, don't people work for a living these days?

So I make plans to head further down the coast for another site I'd never been to. All the suitable spots for the ulti was taken due to DEC in their wisdom not supporting campers. I'm finding DEC sites to be a right PITA, their over zealous use of copper logs leaving just enough room to park a car. Then, they have a huge camp site to put your tent on, but you cant get a trailer in there. I vented my frustration to the camp host and explained to her, 3 tyre footprints (two wheels and a jockey wheel) is more environmentally friendly than pitching tents all over the ground. When will DEC ever learn, a far majority of us use campers these days.....

So I bugger off yet again, much further South. I headed out for Welly Dam. We got here about 9.30pm. And it too was chockers. I was just about over it all by now and spat my plug a few times and just wanted to go home and give up on the idea. I didn't want to go any further South. It was too late for making dinner, so I headed into Collie for a take away, a rethink and somewhere to cool down to gather my composure.

I decided we would go back to the second site (Yalgorup NP/Lake Preston) to see what we could do with the dregs. After much trailer manoeuvring, trying to clear logs and trees, I was finally happy we had the ulti in the correct spot. There was just enough room for my setup and we were finally done at 1am. What a shocker of a day.

In all fairness and in hindsight, whilst it was a tight squeeze at this site, it turned out to be a very nice place indeed. There was ample shade and plenty of room in the camp site behind the ulti. The Ulti isn't really made for 4 people, so Adam got the swag under the main awning.


The camp site

Saturday was a bit of a lazy affair, what after all the drama of the day before. After lunch we went down to Preston Beach for a gander. Kaitlyn found another kiddie to play with (don't they always) and had a ball running from the incoming waves and scrambling up the "cliff". She got caught out once or twice with the incoming waves and got taken down. Maybe I'm a bit strange, but I thought it funny seeing the fear on her face (she was fine and I was at the ready anyway):

 

 

Adam went up and chatted with a local doing some beach fishing. This was timely for him, as he asked Adam to watch the rod, he hadn't had a pee for hours and was busting. Adam duly complied with the request:

 Sunday was a bit of a site seeing day for Adam. Kaitlyn decided it was time to loose her first tooth which has been hanging precariously for months. Here comes the tooth fairy....

Late morning we headed off to Yarloop to check out the old rail workshops. Wished I took some pictures (in my rush the camera was left at home, so I only have a few phone pics to share, I'll make up with google map links). They had a wealth of machinery in there, from lathes and drills, shapers (where I subsequently taught the daughter about clapper boxes), presses, pattern making shop, forges and lots of old time multiple belt driven tools of every description. Cost us $20 for the four of us, but I quite enjoyed it.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=yarloop+railway+workshops&hl=en&ll=-32.959868,115.900655&spn=0.002683,0.004313&sll=-31.968884,115.931338&sspn=1.38868,2.208252&t=h&hq=yarloop+railway+workshops&z=18


From there we made our way to Harvey. We drove around Logue Brook Dam and took some back tracks to Harvey via harvey dam. In Harvey, we pulled up in a nice little spot off the road adjacent to the Harvey River for an on the road lunch from the engel in the back off the car.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Logue+Brook+Dam,+Hoffman,+Western+Australia&hl=en&sll=-33.074318,115.939879&sspn=0.021433,0.034504&oq=logue+brook+dam&t=h&hnear=Lake+Brockman&z=15


http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Harvey+Dam,+Harvey,+Western+Australia&hl=en&ll=-33.074318,115.939879&spn=0.021433,0.034504&sll=-32.996878,115.974884&sspn=0.021452,0.034504&oq=harvey+dam&t=h&hnear=Harvey+Dam&z=15


My plan was then to head a bit further south, cross to the coast, and check out the beaches back to camp.

I checked out a camp ground near Belvedere beach. Dam pity I didn't check this on the way back from Collie. It had plenty of space for the camper and multiple free spots available. Whilst not as much shade as where I was, I wouldn't have to spend the day chasing the sun with the panels and the beach was just a short drive away. A spot for the memory banks for next time I guess. unusually there was no South Wester howlin and both Adam and Kaitlyn decided on going for a swim

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Conservation+Reserve,+Leschenault,+Western+Australia&hl=en&ll=-33.201938,115.683922&spn=0.002675,0.004313&sll=-17.518672,146.032848&sspn=0.097565,0.138016&oq=leschenault+conservation&t=h&hq=Conservation+Reserve,+Leschenault,+Western+Australia&z=18

So we meandered our way from beach to beach back to camp. Call me soft, but I took the black top. I couldnt be arsed to deflate my tyres to venture along the beach, and that said, I generally aim for non beach driving whilst solo anyway.

Honey soy Kebabs, leafy and wet salads for dinner.....Yum

The friendly Magies were hanging around for the chicken kebabs..

Monday dawned to the sound of pitter patter on the ulti roof. Bugger. I didnt really want a wet pack up. Anyway after breky, and a slow pack up, it all dried out well. So now it was time to leave, with a day of rest to come before just the boys load the ulti for the Sandy Cape/Wedge trip for the remainder of the week.

Taking the yak and not being able to use it was frustrating, but it seems to have proven my peel rivet repair on the ulti track mount was successful and I returned fuel usage of 13.5L/100, which is normal for me haulin the ulti anyway, so it looks like a minimal fuel penalty is to be had :)

Anyway, next up: Part II

Tuesday was a lay day. Time to reorganise the ulti, restock with food and enough beer to keep the swan brewery boys in for some overtime. And Adam calls me fish.......he's the one that drinks like one..... Gotta love the irony.

What is it with Ticks......I haven't seen one for 30 years and I score 3 at christmas. Then I find another one again today....Grrrrr!

Tuesday night I'm getting ready for a trip meeting for my Steep Pt trip in April. Alli has left her phone at home. She rings me at 5pm on the woman's phone who's car she got shunted into to ask if I can pick up Kaitlyn. She has been in a 4 car bingle on the Narrows. The 2 that went up her rear are uninsured and the last one is an Indian without an Aus licence. She says her car is drivable and will be home in about 1/2 hour.

So I wait, and wait and wait some more. I have to cancel my attendance at the trip meeting. All this time all I can think of is she has driven home, ran out of coolant and cooked the goose. About 7.30pm she rocks up in a taxi and informs us the car will be a writeoff. Bloody great. So now, as she was insured for market value, we will end up thousands out of pocket replacing her wheels. And where does this leave me for the next 4 days going away with Adam now she doesn't have a car.......She gives me the green light, she will catch the train and get her sister to pick up Kaitlyn.

We depart about midday on Wednesday for Sandy cape. An uneventful trip. We check in with the caretaker and he advises what he believes is the best spot and its untaken. So we drive over. There is a group of arrogant Dutch retiree's sitting under the tree. So I ask them if it would trouble them if I set up my camper here. Afterall, its not like there isn't a gazillion other shady trees they could sit under. They tell me no I cant. They are reserving the spot for their friends coming later. My blood boils......and I walk away muttering things you shouldn't post on a family forum.

As luck would have it, the spot next door was large, shady and personally, my choice of spot and it was empty before I saw the Dutchies. Two cars have since parked up here in the shade. I see the owners and ask their intentions. They tell me they are going to set up tents here. Be it right or wrong, I tell them tent land is over there. Still a bit peeved from the Dutchies, I explain to them I cant set my camper in tent land, so you cant set your tent in camper land. They are very apologetic and I score what I believe to be the prime site.


From the front:

The rear area, nicely shaded all day:

And the view from the rear:

Later in the arvo, the caretaker comes to collect the fees. We have a chat for a bit then I mention the Dutchies reserving a spot for their friends (you can see their chairs and towels strung up in the above pic). He replies, "There are no reservations here: But I'm not up for an argument". Weak as piss. Though I'm not concerned now having the best spot in camp. But still, its weak as piss. He didn't need to cause an argument but a word in their ear wouldn't have gone astray IMO. The bloody hide of them. I'm still fuming even as I write this.

Thursday dawns and yet another cooked breakfast on the barbie. Bacon, eggs, fried tomato and mushrooms. I'm going to hate jumping on the scales. Man, I've eaten some food. A stroll down the beach and we decide to head off for stockyard gully caves.


The view towards the camp on the way out to Stockyard:

Reaching the "4wd only" point, I spot soft sand. So I get the egt's raised a little. Its then I notice the big hole....crap too late to take evasive action.....The paj gets its lovells reset, I get to test the engel's tiedowns, it bounces up and down wildly and we get thrown around a bit. But we and the paj and its contents come through unscathed. We arrive at the caves and meet a couple of rangers going about their work. They are surprised to see us as it was quite hot. We had a good chat with the fella's. They advised us there are 3 caves to see. Go through the first (guessing 300 or so meters in length and in darkness), then follow the creekbed to the second (maybe 100m in length, full daylight. He tells us to climb over the "do not enter" rail to get into the second) then continue further up the creek bed to the third (apparently endless). We do the first and the second, but its too bloody hot for the third. Another day maybe.


The creek bed walk:
I thought this was amazing. If you check the pic above, you can see the coastal strip is just salt bush type shrubbery, very few trees. Its like this for thousands of K's over here on the coastal strip. To see majestic gums in the creek bed just made my day.

The cave entrance:
Adam had to be a bit careful due to the multitude of beehives. He is allergic to bee sting and carries an epi pen.

And some internals:

The jagged roof was unique:

Disappointingly, I found lots of evidence inside of broken stalactites. They were only small, but have taken thousands of years to form.



The second cave:

And looking out:

So we are now back to camp. Adam really wants a sunset pic. So we head up the dunes to the viewing platform about 40 Mins prior to sunset. The wind has been howling for days now and the platform was a good way to abrade hot sweaty skin from the dune sandblast we had to endure. We had to hang around for about 20 Mins, but eventually, I got a series of the sun going down.

Its a bit of a novelty for Adam seeing the sun go down over the ocean, not rise from it.

I'm still yet to see the green flash as the sun disappears over the horizon.

Friday comes around and we have to meet a group of fella's from work at a shack up at wedge. A ramshackle group of ex cray fishermen shacks.


http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Wedge+Island,+Western+Australia&hl=en&ll=-30.820076,115.193914&spn=0.001373,0.002156&sll=-31.968884,115.931338&sspn=1.38868,2.208252&oq=wedge+island&t=h&hnear=Wedge+Island+Western+Australia&z=19


They are not planning on being there till 4pm so we have a lazy pack up around noon. It was bloody hot. So much so, that I even went for a swim when we were done. Today, it was blowing from the East, so the bay was calm. The water was bloody beautiful. I spent a lot of time just floating on my back, as something in the sand was taking a liking to my blackfella feet.


As we had about 3 hours to kill, we checked out some of the coastal spots on the way back down. I parked the paj and ulti on the beach at Cervantes for a poser shot:

We get to Wedge about an hour too early. So out with the chairs and the beers until the gate party arrives.

That night we emptied the engel of beer and Adam subsequently went to bed. I remained on the red woobler and subsequently fell asleep in my chair. In the morn when the hangover had cleared, we made for home as I had to vote. Gave the ulti a bath and did a general unpack. A slow night was had on Saturday (due to the previous night) and I dropped Adam at the airport Sunday morning. As I type this, Adam will be sitting around the bar at Sydney airport waiting for his flight to Parkes.

I haven't seen ya for about 10 years mate, but thanks for the company this past week. Lets make it another 10 before you come back.....to give my liver function a chance to recover and pass the test.......

Xmas 2012

Saturday the 22nd, with the car choked with clothing, fridges and xmas pressies we headed off for Nannup to be with family with the ulti in tow. As usual, I was a good couple of hours late leaving than I had planned. This may have been a good thing as the freeway traffic was unreasonably light. whenever I head this way these days, I veer off at Capel and take some forestry tracks to come out about 10Km's from Nannup. Its far flatter than the Vasse highway and there's something about hurtling down a dirt road in the middle of a forest that makes me want do it.

On the road from Capel, I stopped at two caches. Both were easy finds. I left my Avon NP geo behind at one and collected another Trackable (TB) at another. Then it was onto the forestry dirt roads to Cundinup.

I know some property owners in Cundinup. Not far from there place is an old school. I always seem to be pushed for time and never stop in for a look. I have been following a cache here for a good couple of years and this trip I decided I wasn't going past without a look. I picked up the cache easy enough and left my other Avon TB behind. The recorded history of the teachers and their students was fascinating. I wasn't expecting to see that.

From there it was off to Nannup. Sunday came and I did some reconnaissance of a couple of local waterholes for room to park the ulti over night. The main one was full but there was sufficient room in the secondary one. So back to Nannup to pick up the trailer and we over nighted at Worker's Pool.

A bit of a swim in the pool kept the temperatures in check. Just before bed, the possum's put on a show for us. Once they started licking the oil drain on the bbq, I decided to lock everything down for the night. The possums then went on their merry way.

.

Bacon and eggs for breaky, then back to Nannup to help prepare for xmas day. Trying for a couple of micro caches proved to be my downfall. I attempted 4 over a couple of days and couldn't find 4. Not good odds there. But it was bloody hot and my enthusiasm was waning somewhat. I'll return when a bit cooler.

Picking the right tree for xmas in a forest full of pines was hard work.....Not!

Anyway the kids had a ball decorating the newly placed tree

and the final product:

That night, we found K had a tick from our trip to the Avon a week earlier. Off to the local hospital and a new method of removal involving lasooing the beast with some surgical twine proved to be an effective remedy. Thanks to the Nurses at Nannup local for phoning PMH for advice and the successful removal.


Xmas day came and went. Usual story, it was bloody hot, there was too many people, I ate far, far too much (don't know how it all fit in really) and by the end of the day I was glad it was over for another year.




But playing lego Santa left Kaitlyn was a highlight

Boxing day came and I discovered I had 3 ticks. Off to the local once again, for me this time.

The remainder of boxing day was much like xmas. Way too much food and people. Again, it was bloody hot. I decided to check some Blackwood river campsites out in the afternoon as I planned to spend the next 3 days camped up in the ulti. The Brother in law couldn't decide on coming with us or having a snooze. He chose the latter and lucked out cause I found a couple of pearlers. They were gps'd but wont be shared with him..... I was a bit concerned as it was very hot (40+ degree's) and the river wasn't as nice here as I hoped. I was concerned about keeping K entertained in the deep bush, in high heat with a lack of suitable swimming spots to keep her cool. So I ventured to Sues bridge. We got here about 5pm and whilst there were quite a few people, there were 2 spots suitable for the ulti.

I decided to return via Denny Road to see how busy the bush camps there were. As I thought, you couldn't stick a pin between the campers at all the spots we looked at. So back to Nannup for yet more food and we decided we would go back to our favourite hot weather camp at Sue's in the morning.


Again, a late 1130 departure meant we got to Sues around midday. I was chatting with the Ranger, he took one look at the trailer and said...good luck, but have a drive around. I asked if site 20 and 23 were still available as they were last night at 5pm. He told me they were now taken....bugger. So I did a drive round and decided I could squeeze into site 22. Back to the Ranger I was discussing getting into 22 and bugger me (I dont think you'll ever here a DEC Ranger say this)......he said he can remove some copper logs for me at 22 if I cant get in.

I was floored. A DEC officer removing copper logs...the best description of an oxymoron if one ever existed. I declined his kind offer and said "I'll be right mate". I couldn't bear the thought of DEC removing a log.


So with the camper parked up in the blazing hot sun, I continued with the set up whilst the other half took K to the river. Once nearly sorted, I headed down river for a swim myself as it was just too bloody hot. But the camper fit nicely into the small space. The ulti's stairs fitting neatly over the (offered to be removed) logs

A hot afternoon was quenched by the mighty Blackwood. The evening was uneventful as those evil Sue's Bridge possums decided to bug someone else for a change.



The next day dawned hot again. Some breakfast and the morning spent relaxing in the river and it was lunch. As it was so hot, I decided the day would be hard to spend in camp, so I promised  K an ice cream - At Donnelly Mill (a 200Km round trip in a/c comfort!). There was an ulterior motive though....I wanted another cache and to check some more remote Blackwood sites. Leaving around noon, I followed some forestry tracks and stumbled across the most amazing campsite. There was a family down there having a swim, so I made a conscious effort to make myself known. As it was, I frightened the bejeesus out of their son when I first appeared out of the scrub. We had a chat for a bit and they asked me not to share the site to all and sundry. The river access was brilliant, the Dad had seen marron in the pool and there was freshwater mussels on the riverbed

Whilst there I broke my cache drought and dropped of the last tb in my inventory. Its a pity it was pretty tight to get in there, it would be just awesome to have the ulti there. Unfortunately, I think some of the track access between the trees wouldn't allow me to get it in.


So I followed the ever narrowing track back to the highway. From there I made my way to Green's Island to follow the back tracks to Donnelly. The big male Roo at Donnelly decided he wanted to be in the shop with the A/C rather than out in the heat. That was a sight, wished I grabbed a pic. Consuming our ice cream, storm clouds and thunder was brewing. And it was geting late now, about 4pm, so we made a dash for camp. In the Donnelly forest, some light rain fell. An hour later and we were back at camp for yet another swim.


That evening was pretty amazing. Thunder and lightning all night long but no rain. Also the evil possums left me alone again. Morning dawned, and after breakfast, we slowly packed up. Once the interior was done and awnings were down, Mum took K back to the river whilst I finished the pack up. The Ranger came along for a chat (and camp fee's) and I gave him the guided ulti tour.

On the road by midday, it was another hot day. 40 Degree's showing on the car thermometer most the way home. We made the bushfire at Wellard/Kwinana before the freeway was closed which was a bonus. Home by about 3pm, it was time to wash the car and ulti, then start the unpacking process. Sunday I sorted out cleaning the interior of the ulti, emptying the fridges and putting all the camp stuff away. Just in time to start work on Monday....New years eve.

So my holidays for this xmas are now at a close. 3 weeks gone just like that and whilst it was dam hot, I wouldn't change a thing.

Avon Valley National Park, December 2102

As I was on holiday's, the little one had finished school and the other half was still at work, I had a couple of days to fill in. What better opportunity than to get the ulti out for an overnighter.

On the weekend prior, I went for a drive there for reconnaissance. Firstly, to check if the gate was open (which it was) and secondly to check if the steep entrance track would be suitable for haulin the ulti.

I don't think getting down will be a problem (if you miss the ruts from water degregation), but coming up may cause an issue???? only one way to find out I guess.

The site down the bottom was quite large and open. A drop dunny and plenty of picnic tables to be had. Best of all, no people around...Yeah!

Due to unseasonal rainfall, the water levels in the river were exceptionally high

And so it was a goer. Wednesday would be the day for the overnighter. I'll work out how to haul the Ulti back up the hill on Thursday.



Arriving about lunchtime, the journey down the hill wasn't so bad. Using low range for enhanced engine braking was a better move than overheating the brakes on both the Paj and the Ulti. I missed the one big washout with the trailer, so that made me happy. At the bottom, I positioned the trailer and roughly set up the camper so that we could get lunch underway. Kaitlyn must have had a hard year at school because she polished off 3 ham sandwiches, 2 jelly's and 2 beers (Kaitlyn's name for soft drink - if you were wondering)

During sandwich 2, I heard a vehicle and went outside to investigate. It was the ranger. I think he was both shocked and surprised to see me down there with a camper. We chatted a bit and I gave him the grand tour of the xtrk. He was impressed. I then told him about geocaching and that there was one at this campground. So out with the handheld and we gave him a lesson. Again he was impressed. So much so, he didn't bother asking me for camp fee's. I told him we would be gone by lunch on Thursday (if I could haul the ulti back up the hill)

It was starting to warm up by now, so instead of setting up camp fully, I took K for a walk. The river had dropped lots since Sunday, so we decided to go across for an explore on the other side. There was a lot of what I think was an algae going over the causeway. So much, I didn't even entertain the idea of swimming. In fact, you can see the circular shaped floaties in the lower left of this pic. There was lots of it.

The other side of the river was the Westrail access road. I have travelled this road a few times before in my days of the inwater rescue team for the Avon Descent. It was bringing back some memories....and also had me wondering.....I'm thinking that Emu Falls (an Avon Descent day 2 highlight) wasn't that far away.

So we walked up and sat on the side of the cutting, waiting to see a train...After 1/2 hour, no train, so we headed back to camp as we didn't bring water with us. By now it was later afternoon and just the right time to go for a hike. Back over the causeway and waiting by the mainline. It didn't take long for a freight train to come belting through the cutting

After the excitement of the train went through, I coaxed K into going for a walk. I had to see if what I could see on my sat maps on ozi was Emu Falls. And about a kilometer, I was rewarded. It sure was Emu. I Told K of my stories of being in the Avon inwater rescue for a few years, well before she was on the scene. I was stoked to see the place again.

You could only imagine what it is like piloting a 10HP fiberglass bathtub or padling a kayak or ski through this

So with that done, it was time to return to camp to set-up and get ready for dinner. A peaceful and uneventful night followed. K went to bed (finally) and I retired to the red.


Morning came and so did the coffee with bacon and eggs...Yum. The flies were pretty ordinary this morning due to the lack of heat. A leisurely pack up and we were ready to see how I would go haulin the Ulti up the hill.

Once the terrain got a bit steeper and rougher, I went into low range. A few spots were a bit hair raising as all 4 wheels were losing traction trying to haul the 1T slug on the back up the steep and eroded incline. I wouldn't even consider doing this with a camper if its wet. Sucessfully negotiating the ruts with the Ulti still on its wheels we neared the top. And bugger me, the gate was shut....Oh crap, what to do now? There is no way I could reverse down that hill. So I stopped and engaged the handbrake  to see if it would hold. Success.....so a walk to the gate revealed it was only pushed closed, not locked. So I opened the gate and made my way to the top of the hill.

Once through the gate on level ground, I stopped, attached the stone stomper and pushed the gate closed......I firmly believe in the concept that you leave a gate how you found it. Ask any cocky about this principle!

On the way out, I decided to check out the Moondyne's cage cache. I tried to find it on Sunday, but it was too bloody hot and I was sick of all the vegetation sticking to the sweat on my neck and back. And I'm glad I did. Cause I found it second time around and scored a nice travel bug to reposition (probably over xmas when I go down to Nannup). Then a few K's later, I stopped at another cache. This time I scored a nice geocoin to move on.

From there it was a leisurely cruise home, and a quick wash down of the camper and tug. In a couple of day's I'll head South to Nannup. With luck, I'll get a couple of days both before and after xmas to camp in the ulti before heading back to work on new years eve.



EDIT: 30th December...... A week after this trip I discovered a tick buried in K's shoulder on xmas eve. So off to the local for its removal. Then on boxing day, I discovered I was the host for 3 ticks. One in a place very close for comfort. So if your heading Avon NP way, be wary and take the necessary precautions. Luckily, it appears as if there has been no side effects of harbouring the parasites.

The Buccaneer Archipelago

PUBLISHED, but UNDER CONSTRUCTION:




Its been a long time coming, but I thought I had better blog this trip of a lifetime from 2006.

17 friends + 1 unborn, 5 boats and 8 days exploring the Kimberley Coast .

 30 Min slide show of trip:

Buccaneer Archipelago slideshow

Wellington Dam

The culmination of 4 days off and some new canvas for the ulti meant I was going away. Wanted somewhere relatively close to home.

Arriving at the camp site, I'm shocked its so small. All the choice spots were taken by the grey nomads in their vans...figures....

So I decide to check out a spot nearby. This other place is chock-a-block, so after a bit of swearing and thinking of alternative sites, I decide to go back to the original site.

I decided we will stay here, not my idea of an ideal location, but it has the room for me to spread out my new canvas.

In the end, it ended up being not too bad at all, the grey nomads were pretty good.

As I was erecting the canvas, the other two buggered off down the dam to leave me to it. It was pretty warm. Especially being out in the sun trying to work out where all these pieces of new canvas go????

The custom front awning I had made was a pearler.....It was such a nice place to sit in the shade with the cooling breeze blowing. The main awning was a bit hot as the wind was coming from the front annex side of the Ulti.

The little un had been sick and missed Mon/Tue at school due to vomiting. Then she came good, so the weekend was a goer. Unfortunately whilst we were all asleep at 1030pm, she decided to christen the ulti big time.....sh*t...

Luckily most of it was in her pillow, but the ulti copped some all the same. Some how she missed her sleeping bag, so that was a bonus.

After emergency clean ups and some make shift pillow making, we all slept peacefully for the rest of the night. The little un had a tub to take to bed, just in case.

Sunday came around, so I decided to christen my hillbilly frypan I've had for over a year now. What better way to first fire it up than with bacon and eggs for breky.....

Later that afternoon, we decided to go for a bit of an explore. Came across a nice secluded campground. Well it would have been nice if the people who were marroning out of season didn't leave their flyblown scraps in a shopping bag out in the open. (they were nice sized marron too going by the festering shells) Also the toilet was full and neatly packed with the rubbish of previous camping trips. I mean really, If you can carry it in full, why cant you carry it out empty....Grrrrrr
I happened across DEC on the way out and made mention of the poor state of the campground.

The water was crystal clear and relatively deep. I did think about going for a dip at one stage.





Back at camp and we venture off down the dam for a look

what better things do kids have to do but make mud pies

and surf burnt out floating logs

while the rest of us just sit back thinking "how's the serenity"  lol

Some wildlife came in for a better look in the afternoon. Must have been checking out the ulti

Then the 28's came in for a feed. Taken right out of the hand.

but it was now time for more serious aspects of the evening:

firstly, gathering the wood

Then waiting for the coals to build

Monday came and we leisurely packed up. Did a couple of caches on the way out. Had a slight problem with the last. I thought it was time for the girl to step up to the mark and recover the cache and its contents (after I located it that is)

All was well and she was checking out the treasure's. Until....a blood curdling scream was let out. Checking the contents of the cache revealed a small scorpion about an inch long. Whilst mum provided the first aid back at the car, I emptied the cache of scorpion's and made my way back. She had a cold beer on her arm now as the venom was rising from the thumb where she was stung and her arm was swollen and throbbing with pain. As she was in agony, I made a dash for collie hospital to get some "better" pain relief than I had on board. They gave her something to drink and sent us on our way. As it was getting a bit late now, we stopped in town for lunch. Then 10min's after we left, she was zonked for most the trip home. When she woke, you wouldn't know what had happened.

So all in all, a good result and a great weekend, even if marred by some of life's little hiccups.