post camp

Back from Camp. Ten days and nine nights with eight people under a 4.5x4.5m canvas roof upon a stabilized sand dune / river delta thing. Only complaint was running water - having to run to get water. We managed to fluke one of the powered sites which were in the minority for the thousand or so tents, and were only fifty yards from the ablutions block.

It was all a learning process in terms of what one takes when camping, and we will do better next year.

Scotts Head beach was very nice; very similar to Wategos beach at Byron Bay with its protective headland and shallow graduated surf. It was neck deep about 75m out and half to one meter waves, a very good kids beach. We visited the Big Banana in Coffs (the first time in three decades for me) and had fun on the stainless steel downhill tobaggan ride - we are definitely doing that again!


Keryn and Georgina joined us for the week via Coffs Harbour airport. The wee Georgie was just delightful! She has the ability to brighten any moment with her grins. We generally knew she had been noisy the night before only when Keryn told us so in the morning! I found the occasional heavy downpour, and the wind noise through the surrounding trees quite entertaining some nights as I imagined the tent requesting tower permission for clearance to take off into the jet stream...

It was quite a busy week that seemed to fly by. Nan and Pop came up from the Hunter valley to visit on the first sabbath, and maybe might join us at camp next year. As might Roozle if we twist his arm enough. Jen did a superb job with the meals, and I did a marvelous job with the dishes, again and again and again and... The ice fridge could have been icier, but handled the hot days OK. A pleasant surprise was the sudden temperature drop each sunset making sleeping easier. The last night may even be called chilly! We took both vehicles and the truck's gearbox is still not right - it needs to rev out to 4krpm in 1st before 2nd clunks in, but 2-3 and 3-4 are normal. A sticky pressure valve? Probably.