Our Touring Past

This is where you let let yourself down Master, all these negative vibes ! After 3 beers you will spill more than it will rain.
We need a little of the pommy type weather to add atmosphere to the Scone bake off.

JD Positive.

Sorry to say we won't make it to Shellharbour this year, was looking forward to the bake off, I don't do a bad scone myself.

We may have a happy hour though and sit on deck chairs in the driveway (I'll bet it doesn't rain or blow here) and admire the lines of the Astronaut, love it, even though it's for sale. Don't forget to pass the word on if anyone turns up looking for a VV!

I'm surprised Reddo is so negative too, cop a look at his photo of happy hour in the flood waters at the Poplars Caravan Park at Camden in 1975. I had been living there for best part of 3 years in our little Millard and no floods. Our house was built and I was waiting for the electrician to clear a couple of faults (about 30 as I recall!!) and he was messing us about and in the last 3 weeks we had to move out twice due to floods. Guess who got messed about getting his final payment cheque?
It didn't deter the die hards as you can see. They sat there and watched the bridge wash away!

I'll have sympathy for you if Shellharbour gets this wet, otherwise enjoy


George & Barbara

Snorkel... check
Flippers... check
Mask.... Check
"What whale is that??". Book.. Check.
Oars .. better make that two oars... i might get lonely at night .. checkarooney
A bottle of rum.. double check
Navigation charts to make it safely to the camp kitchen and toilets.... No brown runs this time.
Tide chart to record the highs and lows of the weekend.
Anchovies and pilchards .. so we can smell like we just came off a tuna trawler...


Just picked up the latest Shell Harbour tourist guide..
Major changes this year.. tapping in to the new potentials...

I am booked in for a whale and Dolphin spotting cruise at 10:00am... in ShellHarbour shopping complex

Followed by a visit to .."The Octopuses Garden" in a Yellow submarine.. ... apparent it is situated at site 44N. at our van park... ... wherever that is
Those of you that intend attending might have to purchase a fish finder /depth sounder

Take a snorkel down memory lane and check out the remnants / relics left after last years deluge and ensuing cyclonic depression that dropped 45 feet of water on the beach front sites in 15 minutes ....

Finishing up the day with a dive on the caravan park coral reef ...and check out the crown of thorns star fish which have overun a Hunter Minor that was beng towed by a Datsun 240z full of scone mix???

Yep.. Yep..Yep... Good to see Shellharbour Shire Council embracing climate change...

Rumour has it that the maxi yachts are booked in next year right beside us while we are in the park.. Bloody Bewdy Mate !!!

20 to 30mm RAIN expected Friday.....Dont let your scone flour get damp ..

Reddo.. Owner operator of Laundramat ( and Ark Hire) up on top of the Mt Siani range near Robertson Pie shop... new customers/ survivors of the great flood will get 20% discount on all clothes dryer hires .

There was a young fellow named Reddo,
Who had so many Shipwrecks in his bed oh!!
He came from the Tribe,
of the negative vibe.
On scone camp he came,
predicting big rain.
Insead he had much fun,
with all that had come.
So drive safely from near and far,
down the long winding tar.
If we do break the drought,
I`m sure some famer will shout.
As they need the rain,
we`ll just have a little Reddo pain.

Distress flares... i forgot to mention distress flares.....
Check....

Sorry to hear you cant make it this year George and Barb....
We will just have to wait until next year to sample your culinary delights.
I am calling in at Berowra on the way down tomorrow morning to check out the Bedford you messaged me about.
It will be on a building site( as a works truck) ... had a look at Google maps.. gunna be interesting trying to turn the car and van around in the dead end street.

Will let ya know how i get on with old mate and his Bedford some time over the weekend.
Will phone on my new "Mike Nelson - Sea Hunt" underwater phone

Now if you will excuse me i will get back to packing....

Sextant ... check
Compass... check
Tasman Sea maps and charts... check
Binoculars.. Check
Periscope... check
Ships bell... Check
Diving Bell... check
Hooka... check
Compressor and air line... check
Shark repellant.. check

First vintage vanners just arriving at Shellharbour.for the 2017 get together.......
Reddo

1 more sleep, must organise a caravan reversing class
I can almost taste them there scones.
Don`t forget your parot Reddo, all pirates have them !!

Trainee scone tasting judge.

Will do JD

Have just completed an intensive 1 hour scone making training program...
I am now a contender on saturday arvo... dead set easy..what could go wrong.....

GR

FOR SALE:
1 Ark... low kilometres.
Only used for one day.
Lower decks will need sanitising after transporting animals to higher ground on the Friday.

So.. thats another great weekend away with the vintage van loonys over and done with.
My trip started badly ....
When i finished checking the van lights after plugging into the panelvan ready to leave home, i left the parkers on.. had a cuppa with the missus and then went to start the car.... flat battery...
Jump started it and got on my way.. All good to about 3k before the end of the M1 motorway and got tangled up in a massive rolling road block.. A semi had broken down in peak hour morning traffic.
This put an extra 1.5 hours on the trip..
Finally arrived at S.H.. very strong Nor easter blowing making erecting the annexe a bit difficult.. thanks to Garry lending a hand we quickly had it sorted.
The usual fiveses out the front of Geoff and Judes van finished off the arvo.

Awoke about 2 am to the sound of rain on the roof and a strong souherly buffeting the van about.
Went out and made ready the accomodation on the Ark.

Daylight Friday arrived wet , blowy and miserable.. see ... i warned ya's.. I spent a few hours rock fishing ,... nothing that i would eat .. a few rock cod kept me on my toes .. that was in between replacing hooks and sinkers lost on the rocks /snags.. why do i bother .. then the weather improved ( only slightly) during the arvo.. rain left us alone but a cold southerly lingered on.
I decided a good bottle of port would see me through the worst of it... unfortunately the bottle was empty by early evening.

Saturday dawned clear but the southerly stayed on until lunch time.. excitement built throughout the arvo in anticipation of the inaugral "Scone Bake Off" ( or as i call it.. Sconathon") .. at first it appeared that i might have a chance of getting a podium finish.. but then the seasoned cookers ( all woman) started turning up with some very professional looking efforts.
By this stage the weather had settled ad the arvo was picture perfect....
There was no shortage of "Judges"
John Strugglebrook was kept busy loading the tastys into the wood fired pizza oven ,, meanwhile Ken Koala was on the mix master whipping up the fresh cream....combined with lashings of strawberry jam it didnt take long before all the scones where baked and devoured.... Hell .. people where even meeting my soggy offerings

Mick the gammy leg /on crutches part time cripple ....was the main judge and announced that there where 4 major winners.. all woman....it appears the $100 bribe i left under his wiper blade either blew away or was snatched up by some unscrupulours person.. how dishonest was that..

The Sconathon was followed up with pizzas that where prepared back in the mess tents..
Some very professional offerings where fed into the oven.. and there was my failure that had a 3" high outside edge crust...

If that wasnt enouh to fill everyone up the caretaker bunged on a few kilo of snags and bread rolls for us vintage vanners... thanks guys..

The park is looking great with the new ammenities and the camp kitchen that was finished off last year..
There is a new area set up with 4 electric BBQs and it appears bythe look of the huge concrete slab it wont be long before it has a large covered shelter over it.

Sunday morning came all too soon and i had to head for home...
Always difficult saying goodbye knowing that those staying on for a few more days where surely going to enjoy themselves..
Buyt .. Hey.. i had a great time and really enjoyed catching up with everyone .. and a few newbies as well.

Uneventfull 3.5 hour run home.. Flogged down rain on sunday night .. so i took the opportunity to float the Ark over to the local marine and hang a for sale sign on it.... or.. should i of parked it down the back in readiness fr next years flood..

More photos soon
Reddo