Longer drive than planned after Ross missed the East Link turn off to Lilydale. Stopped between Jamieson and Kevington to chop up some fire wood on the side of the road. Freecamps are generally well and truly picked clean of anything that will burn Arrived in Kevington, checked out the pub and headed to the free camp. Fire started quick smart. Camping has certainly changed over the years. We would never expected to hear being yelled across a neighbouring camp, “are you making any more bruschetta”

Monday 23-4-18 11.11 Crusty is right here (Hit this Google Maps link if the map above isn’t visible https://www.google.com/maps/place/-37.99263631,145.0884243) GPS accuracy 62.2 mtrs

Tuesday 10-4-18 17.22 Crusty is relaxing right here GPS accuracy 39.44 mtrs (Hit this Google Maps link if the map isn’t visible above https://www.google.com/maps/place/-37.23480043,146.2265863)

Saturday 09-3-18 17.16 Crusty is right here (Hit this Google Maps link if the map above isn’t visible https://www.google.com/maps/place/-38.66183294,146.32734865) GPS accuracy 4.55 mtrs

We left Anna Bay this morning, pointing south toward home.   Unlike the many other times we’ve left Port Stephens as our last camp and driven through to home, this year we’d already decided to get into Victoria or as close to the boarder as possible and stop, leaving only 3 hours to get home before lunch. On the law of averages, it had been a great break.   There was a couple of crappy blocks, but the better periods added up to a terrific trip.   The week at North Haven, and the week at Anna Bay were text book awesome’ness As usual, Ross [ ... ]

Crusty is right here -36.4515151,146.23277595 Hit this Google Maps link if the lower map isn’t visible https://www.google.com/maps/place/-36.4515151,146.23277595

Sadly our last day before we break camp and start the 13 odd hour drive home from Anna Bay to home tomorrow morning.   We have many times done this exact drive, and every single time we’ve done it in one run.   This time we’re breaking the drive over 2 days, planning to not commit to a plan and just stop somewhere enroute whenever we, or Ross, gets sick of being in the car.   With the very high forecast temperatures free camping is out of the question, so some unknown cheap country town caravan park will be our surprise destination An early [ ... ]

After Ross and Barbs morning walk along the beach it was just a day at the beach today. The caravan park at One Mile backs directly onto the beach over the dunes.   One path to the beach from the caravan park is around 30 metres from our camp; that track leads to the beach about 100 metres north of the life saving club.   The other end of the caravan park accesses the surf club end of the beach.   That end of the beach has a licensed restaurant and cafe.   Theres not much that this place doesnt provide for our holiday requirements [ ... ]

Quiet morning around camp, no exercise today. We all headed to the beach for high tide around 10.30am. It was astounding after the deadly massive seas a few days back to be replaced with todays meek and mild beach. The waves today resembled the our local Melbourne bay beach of Mordialloc. Even Barb ventured out to the breaks. After lunch we popped into Nelson Bay for Daniel to spend some of his Xmas money. His found his long wanted back scratcher, and got himself a spray on tattoo. Some other dickhead father was vocal about the rip off tattoo price ($7) and how that [ ... ]

We generally leave our roof hatches open at night when its warm, and there’s no rain forecast. The hatches have sliding fly mesh to keep the bugs out. Last night the hatches were only open about 3 inches a bloody possum sneaked in and sat in the fly mesh. Barb heard it, got up and then woke Ross. Ross dragged himself out of bed, punched the possum through the mesh and out of the hatch, turned and waddled back to bed. Over night the ocean has done a complete turn around and delivered up this morning a calmer, swimmable surf beach, [ ... ]

Surf beach still close, so we went for a drive around to visit Shoal Bay and Fingal Bay. We’ve stayed in Fingal Bay a few times, but never Shoal Bay. We’ve stayed in Nelson Bay, and the caravan park we’ve stayed at fronts the very protected Nelson Bay beach and backs onto to dumpling deep drop off at the western end of the large Shoal Bay Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay are inside Port Stephens, and Shoal Bay gets some dumpy surf at one end and is calm safe beach at the easterly Shoal Bay town end Fingal Bay is a small bay [ ... ]

Day one at One Mile and access to a long beach and adjoining Tomaree National Park meant walking would be a focus for Ross and Barb.   First thing was to find a track map and options of where they could go.   The National Park is large, covering a huge percentage of the area.   We are camped at the lower part of the map on the coast at the southern end of One ile Beach.   The beach stretches north along One Mile Beach, past a rocky headland onto Samurai Nude Beach and then into the Tomaree National Park at the far [ ... ]

Crusty is right here -32.77606196,152.114421 Hit this Google Maps link if the lower map isn’t visible https://www.google.com/maps/place/-32.77606196,152.114421

Non eventful day breaking camp at Port Macquarie Breakwall and heading south to One Mile Beach Holiday park Leaving Port Macquarie and day early, we had a spare day to take advantage of and maybe camp overnight on the journey south.   Unfortunately the forecast high temperature removed free camping from the list.   We headed of the Pacific Hwy and along the coastal road into Forster Tuncurry.   That route also past the road into Seal Rocks where we’ve stayed previously and really enjoyed. Consensus decided we’d contact One Mile and if we could arrive a day early, which we eventually did The beach at [ ... ]

We purchased a couple of new board games we could all enjoy.  One game was a subject trigger, with 5 seconds to name 3 corresponding responses Daniels question 1. Name 3 chocolates bars. Answer, peanut and jelly sandwich. Daniels question 2. Name 3 Star Wars characters. Answer, Darth Vader and Paul Johnson. Daniels question 3. Name 3 things beginning with “J”. Answer, Jack, Johnson and Jabble John We stopped playing Last day in Port Macquarie today.  We decided to leave tomorrow, a day early, and head south to One Mile at Port Stephens.   Ross went for the last 10km walk along the coastal path.  Some [ ... ]

Another long walk this morning. After paddling 10km yesterday Ross is a little fragile Ross and Barb walked past Flynns Beach where Daniel had the surf lesson a few days ago. There in the sand was a giant message for Ross, for all the world to see “Jesus loves you” These gazebos are very common camping accessories, but they don’t cope with heavy rain. They hold water and eventually collapse, damaging what ever is around them These ones have “anti pooling technology” … technology? Hmmm, not sure what that means, but at least the manufacturer of the Wandered brand are acknowledging [ ... ]

Ross took the kayak out early today to coincide with the morning tide. Any real distance paddling (or peddling to be precise) was always going to be a real test on his knee, but he managed a healthy 10km paddle … (and fishing, added in very small print) Ross pulled up reasonable well afterwards, which was good. Ross and Barb have been walking a lot, and it would appear to the medically untrained that maybe walking has helped to strengthen lineal stabilising bits and bobs to take pressure off the joint. Ross called Barb from the grand Australian warship, the HMAS Crusty, on [ ... ]

Our caravan park site is right on the breakwall. Town Beach Long walk for Ross and Barb. Beautiful coastline and coastal path to enjoy it Back in town is the statue of a man significant to here, and Australian history. Sir Edmund Barton, the first Australian Prime Minister. Ross felt the need to place a humble servants hand on his rather generous sized noggin Daniel first surf lesson today which started off a bit shaky Taking his roll as second level safety backup Not taking her roll seriously at all Daniel conquered the surf lesson, and was surfing like an old pro Steve and Lena walked down to [ ... ]

Massive electrical storm smashed it way across the mid North Coast last night. The forecast and warnings included large hail and damaging winds The lightning and thunder were certainly impressive. Ross 3/4 rolled in the awning just in case, but shortly after the storm hit, it was savage enough to roll it right in. The caravan park was smashed, and the power went out across the caravan park. We automatically switch across to battery so we weren’t even aware until Ross went to brave the storm and head to the park toilet. Ross went to disconnect the mains power in case it spike [ ... ]

Crusty is right here -31.42703257,152.91400871 Hit this Google Maps link if the lower map isn’t visible https://www.google.com/maps/place/-31.42703257,152.91400871