Kerry and Bens Travels

Monday, 9 January 2012

Tues 3rd Wind Tunnels and Roos

After enjoying a solar shower and clean hair we packed up to head into Esperance… a visit to the pie shop, quick dash round woolies and after a few map discussions we headed to Lucky Bay. It’s still school holidays in Oz so everywhere was packed, but we did manage to squeeze into what can only be described as a car parking bay… We pulled the awning out and strung up some tarps and tried to make it homely, unfortunately we were pretty much camped in the middle of a wind tunnel but the tarps did a pretty good job for a night. We had a walk on the rocks at the edge of Lucky Bay were we were camped and when we got back Trish had got dinner started, the boys cooked up the pork and we all tucked in J Trish had also bought desert, a chocolate tart of gooey goodness!!!

Watching the boys waaay in the distance... not waiting for me and Kel :p

Benny was forgive though when he scrambled up some rocks to where we'd ended up :)

Our camp neighbours

Sun 1st – Happy 2012!!! ….and Mon 2nd

Happy New Year Everyone!!!! I know the blog is late but seriously limited signal, hence the massive updates at once…

So we work up in the car park, Kelly and Kyle disappeared back to camp at first light so they could crash in their tent but cos our mattress was in the back of the ute we snoozed for a bit longer J We eventually got up and made it back to camp about 9ish, hugs and kisses to Bennys parents and enjoyed fish for brekkie. Next stop was Skippy Rock, really enjoyed this campsite, we took up two ‘bays’ between the 3 of us with bush between the bays and a walking track down to beaches… We decided to stay a couple of nights so we set our tent up too J Again the boys fished and the girls snoozed, put photos on the laptop and read a bit. Fish for dinner on the gas barbies J

Think Benny and me needed to catch up on sleep cos we managed to sleep in till 10!! That’s super late compared to all the other mornings so far… its hard when the sun comes up but our tent was in a shady spot at Skippy Rock. Kelly and Kyle went for a walk and the rest of us headed down the beach for a little bit of fishing, I had a go this time and caught a pretty big herring and maybe a stingray… the line went zinging out and then came loose and we saw a stingray shadow in the rocks so we were guessing that’s what it was. After lunch I got some more dye out (purple and olive green this time…) and after explaining the blue hands and leprecorn Trish lent me here tongs to use, as purple is one of her favourite colours she also gave me a top that shed bleached to chuck into the purple bucket!! Trish wanted to chill out at the camp but the rest of us jumped in the cars and tried to get down to the inlet for some fishing and exploring… it was blocked but we found a track around and made it to the beach, where Benny got bogged and had to get the max tracks out. I’d brought the dyed clothes down with me so I washed them out and made a washing line between the 2 cars with theraband…. Haven’t used it for exercising with yet, oops!! We were fishing on a steep slope so the waves occasionally washed up and over the slope, at one point right next to me, a herring was washed up onto the sand… I didn’t think it was fair to keep him cos I hadn’t caught him so I very bravely kicked him to one side and then after a few attempts picked him up and threw him back in the ocean, my good deed for the day J Only then the bloody seagulls swooped down and ate him!!! More fish for dinner and Trish had cooked up this yummy potatoe, broccoli, onion, cheese bake and drinks provided by Kyle, American Honey J

Bogged!!

So proud of my home made washing line and newly dyed, non-grubby, camping clothes :)

Sat 31st - NYE

The mossies were still out in force in the morning so after a brekkie we hit the beach, until the rain came in big huge droplets, so we all ran back to camp… and with the rainy weather came MORE mossies so Malcolm and Trish stayed at camp due to limited vehicles and the rest of us headed into town to give Hopetoun another go… the bakery was open but no pies L So we checked out the pub and had the biggest bowl of wedges ever, yum!! There were also posters up for the band “Manaia” playing in the evening, a regee, groove, funk band so we headed back to camp, had a siesta said bye for the evening to Bennys parents and then drove to a car park near by so we could have some pre-drinks and walk to the pub… very sensible, no drink driving! The band was pretty good and there were heaps of people, where did they all come from?! We all had a bit of a dance and a few drinks… warning do not try the UDL flavour of ouzo and coke, I thought I’d try something different and couldn’t even give it away it was that bad!! During the night I was complaining about a mossie bite on my back itching and trying to help Benny licked it to cool it down… unfortunately I was also covered in bug spray so he didn’t like the taste very much and I think that’s where the rest of the ouzo went as a preferable option to bug spray ;)

MANAIA

Dont even go there!!! Bluurrgghhh.... preferable to bug spray though ;)

Fri 30th – Kelly Poynter – “Hopetoun you’re bringing me down”

The morning brought some nasty looking dark clouds so pack up was pretty quick!! Also the destruction of Kyles camp chair that had blown into the embers from the night before L We were lucky though and the rain never hit, the boys filleted their catch from the night before, Malcolm had a bit of a photo shoot with his silver brim and even though it looked like it was nasty weather it was actually pretty muggy so I went for a dip in the ocean… when its weather like that though the ocean always looks pretty ominous so I got the ‘shark fear’ and didn’t go in very far!!

Hmm think I got confused and this was the photo from the day before... cos the morning was honestly very cloudy!!!

Malcolm and his Brim.... for my english non-fishing friends thats the fish and not the type of hat or anything like that ;)

Getting the fish fillets

Having a dip in the 'shark-fear' ocean....

When everyone was ready we drove into Hopetoun, Malcolm and Trish had said that the bakery was amazing so we were all looking forward to a pie but when we got there EVERYWHERE was closed, it was the crappest little place ever, what was going on!! In the end Benny made me a wrap of what we had in the fridge…. Tuna, salami and cheese, a strange combination but it was actually really good J We weren’t sure where the camp so went to investigate, the one place Bennys parents knew about was full but Benny found a 4x4 track with a spot big enough for us to pull off on and still keep the track free so we set up there… It wasn’t until we’d set up that we realized we’d entered MOSSIE HELL!!! I know I complain a lot about these little buggers but no joke I have never seen as many mossies in my life… we grabbed food and Kelly and Kyles gas burner and headed down the beach for fish wraps and… some fishing ;) While we were down there we were treated to the best pink sunset and an amazing thunderstorm from a distance with loud thunder and lightning forks!! When we got back to the campsite the mossies had seemed to multiply in numbers, I didn’t think that was possible but looking at the torch beam I reckon I could see 20, they were in SWARMS!! I was in a grump cos even though I’d made a fly screen around the bed it was not a professional job and let some mossies in so I wasn’t keen on testing it in these extreme conditions…I was all for taking my swag down the beach, when Benny remembered we had a tent!! THANK GOD J A nights sleep without having to worry about being eaten alive.

Road closed??! Nah...

Escaping from the mossies on the beach

Chef for the night

Fish wraps and a gorgeous sunset :)

Thurs 29th – Hours and Hours and Hours on the Tracks

Think everyone had a dip first thing, the water was right there and as Kelly said, it was the best way to wake up!! I got the biodegradable shampoo out and did my hair, always feels so much better to be even salty clean than greasy. Once we packed up we traveled in a convoy of 3 along a lot of 4x4 tracks, which most of them being single track…which was interesting when we met a vehicle coming the other way!! Most of the time we were lucky and the other person reversed or saw us coming and moved out of the way J Bennys radio was working fine in Perth but sods law and as soon as we needed it to talk to the other 2 cars it seemed to have died L So we were the vehicle sandwiched inbetween the other 2 so we didn’t get left behind… it was kind of frustrating for both of us though, Benny cos he couldn’t discuss route options with the group and for me cos I had to listen to him yelling “you’re going the wrong way” when his Dad didn’t take a turn off… anything I suggested wasn’t right though, whats wrong with beeping the horn??! Hahaha Jo that reminds me of you and your drving test when the driving instructor asked you what to do at a T-junction… shout??!! ;) xx So after an unsuccessful mission Benny decided he would take the lead and after another unsuccessful mission, resulting in a very tigh, over grown track and a dead end, Malcolm took over again. Honestly I felt like I was back at home and we were discussing the wind options for the lake and if everyone could go windsurfing / camping etc but this time it was trying to find the perfect spot with the perfect wind for…. You guessed it, fishing!!! EVENTUALLY we got to Gordons Inlet and the boys got what they wanted and fished and the girls slept and read J Then we headed behind the dunes to set up camp…. The boys went back over the dunes and continued to fish, Kelly and Trish enjoyed some wine, we all enjoyed Trish’s pre-dinner snacks and I had a crack at getting a fire started, which we all enjoyed sitting round that evening when the boys eventually returned, successful with fish!!

Discussing the track vs beach options...

Benntys turn at leading resulted in a dead end

Secret camp site behind the dunes

Trying to figure out the clunking noise..... Im writing this blog up from Esperance and we've seen a mechanic and HE cant figure out whats going on either, which makes Benny feel better about his problem finding abilities but also still hasnt solved the problem... Fingers crossed nothing breaks

Wed 28th – And then there was 3!!

On the way out of the secret spot and on to Bremer Bay I texted Bennys parents to let them know where we were and what the plan was for them to be able to join us. We’d stopped at the end of the 4x4 track to pump the tyres up for the road and next thing we know Malcolm and Trish had pulled off to join us!! Hugs, kisses, Happy Birthdays and introductions and batting off the mossies so we kept going to Bremer Bay, had a drove around, got lost a bit, found the road house that did the best pies ever…. Don’t judge, I absolutely loved my tuna mornay one!!! Next up we hit Blossom Beach for a bit of lunch, Kyle tried out the surf and Benny and me body surfed…. Great fun, I actually got quite cold and kept saying “I’ll get out after the next one” but was having too much fun! We decided to carry on to Peppermint Beach to camp for the night, Malcolm and Trish were a great help the next week or so as they’d just ‘done’ this stretch of coast line on their way back from their 4x4 trip around Oz so they were super helpful with bush sites and were was good to camp!! Peppermint Beach was pretty nice, good job there wasn’t a high tide with us camping right on the beach!! There were also some pretty freaky whale spine bones washed up on the shore…

Inlet crossing... nearly lost the number plate

Physio'ing the whale spine

Discussing the surf

Kyle hitting the waves

Camp on Peppermint Beach

Kelly getting some snaps with my long zoom :)

Whale spine... part of it...

Another Beach Camp :)

Tues 26th – Wed 27th – Beach Life

We spent the next couple of nights at this secret spot, enjoyed some snorkeling, swimming, kite flying, fishing and the discussion of aqua-poos…. Honestly how many people do this??!! Is it a common thing?! I was a little bit appalled but I was told its common among surfers!! I’m just getting my head about digging a hole in the bush and am a LONG way off/pretty much NEVER gonna participate in this event unless the ocean is surrounded by concrete and I am not able to dig a hole!! Anyway, you can tell the boys were enjoying each others company with the topic of conversation and the amount of fishing happening!! One night I did decide to join them with a drive to try and find a good fishing spot but there were 3 tides to contend with, running out with the rod and trying to run backwards with the rod, letting the line out and missing all of the 3 waves breaking!! I did manage to catch a herring, the only fish for the night J So the next night I thought I’d let the boys go off on their own and Kel and me enjoyed the sunset, some vodka and some girly chats xx The boys came back very successful with a salmon and some herring... Urm Ive forgotten what else that night, I didn’t write it down and all the fish blend into one!!

Lets go fly a kite....

Snorkel style

Didnt manage to spear anything... I think I'm glad about that...

Benny and Me.... and the sand and wash from the waves breaking over the reef

During the day the boys were fishing out on a sand bank, knees deep in water… we could see they were catching fish but it seemed they were struggling to get them in the bag once they’d pulled them in…. Don’t fear the girls came to the rescue!! We had some left over fly screen in the ute and I’d bought some glittery gold pipe cleaners with the good intention of making Christmas decorations (it never happened!!) BUT we used both of these bits of material to make fishing net bags!!!! Kel had the ingenious idea of putting a beer in the bags so when we presented them to the boys they weren’t so appalled by the glitter ;) They came back with fish!! They reckoned the bags only kind of helped… their solution was to lean back once they’d caught the fish and trap it to their shirts and then grab them from there and into the bags… lovely fishing smelling boyfriends, just what we always wanted!!!