Day 25 - 25/11 South Durras.

 

Staying at Murramarang Resort, although i think the term resort is stretching it a bit, although they do have a good pool with a bar (with resort prices). So this kept dad and the boys happy yesterday with the usual weekend crowd and a wedding.

Today's been a funny day which started out as a pearler and then the sea mist rolled in about 10 o'clock. After a swim in the pool we headed down the beach for a surf, Joel is getting better particularly on the new 8 foot board and is getting to his feet really quick. We even managed to get Cody out on the board with mum and then eventually into a couple on his own.

Joel in Sea Mist

Mum and Cody

 The weekend crowds have cleared out and the boys have made some friends and are hanging in the park.

Joel running the local Ninago Spinjitsu Fight Club.

Home Tomorrow.

Day 24 - 24/11 Potato Point to South Durras.

Beachcomber Caravan Park at Potato Point just south of Tuross is right on the beach at Blackfellows Point, still no power or water but you do have flush toilets and proper showers.Great Spot

You get so used to not having many people around you during the week, that when the weekend arrives it comes as a shock to have people camping and caravanning all around you, and with Broulee Boardriders having their weekend trip away at Beachcomber there wasn't going to be much chance of an uncrowded surf. So with the boys craving a pool, games room and power we stayed only the one night.

Beachfront Site.

During an early morning surf check i was surprised to see two emus on the beach, i went back and got the boys ( the photos are on our camera that we forgot the USB cord for.) but lets just say the emus didn't stay on the beach long with Cody and Joel chasing them down.

Day 23 - 23/11 Saltwater  Creek to Potato Point.

With the week end coming up the 14 site campground at Saltwater started to fill up (half fill anyhow) after pretty much having the place to ourselves for the last two days it was time to move on.

What was funny was watching the Kangaroos getting into peoples tents and stealing food. Also we had not seen one goanna the whole time we were at Saltwater Creek until the final day, when they were everywhere.

 On the way to Potato Point we stopped at Merimbula McDonalds this made the boys very happy. But Joel was told he had to do a chin up first.

Day 22 - 22/11 Saltwater Creek.

 

The hope was, that the swell would hang around for a morning surf before the wind swung back onshore. Dad woke early to find the swell pretty much gone.

So we took the boys boards down the beach.

First for a paddle in the creek

Then to use as a slide. (the water is that colour from the Tea Trees)

And finally into the surf (Joel anyhow, Cody wont go near the surf on a board)

 

 

 Joel was stoked when the dolphins came in when he was surfing.

After lunch went for a drive to Green Cape lighthouse, and Bitangabee Bay both very scenic and rugged places, with a lot of history. Not that the boys were real interested.

Disaster Bay south from Green Cape

The sort of thing Joel would rather be doing than getting dragged to a lighthouse in the middle of nowhere.

Although poking sticks in fires is always fun.

Day 21 - 21/11 Pambula to Saltwater Creek.

 

After watching the weather maps for the last week Dad thought he saw a window to get a wave at Saltwater Creek, Somewhere he's wanted to surf and stay for a long time.

So off we headed into the depths of Ben Boyd National Park leaving the many comforts of Pambula Beach Caravan Park for no power, no water, no mobile reception and pit toilets.

We arrived about lunch time to find only one other couple camping at Saltwater. Who promptly warned us about the black snake that lived near the garbage bin.

We went down the short track to the beach, the swell was there but we needed the wind to swing,  it was predicted to do this about 3ish.  

Only Ones on the Beach other than the Kangaroos and wallabies.

Of course there is no stopping the boys from going for a swim, let alone leaving their cosies at the van.

While the boys swam in the ocean and the creek the wind swung around and Dad got to go for a surf. Although it wasn't as big as he would have liked for Saltwater to show its true potential he got it to himself for about 15 minutes until he was joined by a bloke who had driven all the way up from Malacoota ( who also had been watching the weather predictions). Dad was quite happy to have the company and surfed for almost 3 hours.

The boys played and watched Dad from the Rocks

Dad out on his own at Saltwater, he says it was worth the busted reflector on the Prado that he got getting the van in there.

Camp site

 As night came in and the fire got lit, with the Kangaroos and possums hanging around Joel even said he liked it here.

Day 20 - 20/11 Pambula Beach

 

Early morning surf for dad and then Kids club duties, this time masks, while mum went off for a coffee and a look at the shops. The boys love the craft stuff and i think its part of school they are missing. We have had dramas with Joel getting him to do his school work each morning which basically comes down to about 15 minutes of work.

The kids club shed here is the best I've seen with a huge range of toys, something i think that is also being missed 

??????

We travelled in to Eden to the Killer Whale Museum, which i can highly recommend, even Joel found it really interesting. The Killer Whales helped the whalers of Eden herd and catch blue whales.

On the way to Eden we made off road deviation to look for an out of the way point break dad had read about. we found it and also saw lots of goannas and even a echidna. 

Echidna

Returned back to the Park for an ice cream, a swim and a round of Put Put Golf. There hasn't been much whinging at all the last couple of days.

Day 19 - 19/11 Pambula Beach

 

Bit of a lay day,

Had some serious wind and rain last night. Dad lay in bed wondering whether to go out and bring the awning in, of course mum didn't hear a thing.

Dad went for a surf search and 4WD, while Mum and the boys did Kids Club and hung at the pool.

Fun at Kids Club

The Boys made some Tea Light Mosaic

Day 18 - 18/11 Paynesville to Pambula

No Photos

Got away early for one of the longer drives at just under 4 hours.

Stopped at Canns River for a late morning tea, any stop with a park is a good one with the boys. But Canns River seemed to be a very popular spot for travellers to stop and i can highly recommend the bakery which had the best Vanilla Slice and Mocha Ring I've ever tasted.

Just outside of Eden we drove through a doozy of a hail storm, with everyone else pulling over under trees there was no real use with the van. So we continued on.

Dads choice of Park seemed to get approval from the back stalls. With Jumping Pillow, 3 pools (including an indoor pool), trampolines, playground, mini golf, kids club and a games room it leaves the boys little room for complaints. Plus its right on the beach.

Day 17 - 17/11 Wilsons Promontory to Paynesville.

 

Due to Tidal river being run by National Parks there was no need to by out by the usual 10am. So we went and had a look at Picnic Bay and Squeaky beach two of the easiest accessed beaches in the Prom.

Picnic Bay

 Wilsons Promontory contains a lot of great rock formations and Joel believes he is a great rock climber, which he does seem to be good at. Of course this place was still hopeless and there was a great deal of whinging between the happy times.

Rock Climber Joel

Triumphant

The Climber and the Clumsy

Cody told to stay with Dad while his brother goes off exploring.

 

 

From Wilsons Prom we began our trip home north. Because of Mum and Dads bad choices of caravan parks Joel was given the duty of picking the next stop this way he could not complain about it.

His pick at Paynesville ( I like to call it Joelsville) was based solely on the fact it had what it claimed to be a large games room. We arrived around 5pm and the games room was closed we left the next morning at 9 and the games room was still closed. I'll give Joel credit in that he picked the cheapest park yet at $28 a night.

Day 16 - 16/11 - Phillip Is. to Wilsons Promontory

 

Dad went off looking for surf again in the morning and found a little right hand reef break that wasn't breaking too far off the shore. Which seemed like a good option, after yesterday seeing the photos of a 7m great white caught just off the island and finding out 90% of the fish catch in the area is shark.

With two people already out i was happy for the company, but by by the time i had my wettie on they had both hopped out. So i surfed by myself for about an hour, no one else around. As the tide started to drop the rocks starting to come out of the water on the wave facesthis eventually getting the better of me i headed in. I i later learned this spot is renowned for people losing fins and is not recommended at low tide.

The Boys however managed to get a couple of nice barrels

Cody late to his feet

But manages to get there

Joel has a few more years of experience under his belt

Heading Into Wilsons Prom

Tidal River Campground Wilsons Promontory

Looking back across the river at the camping area.

Where the river runs out onto Norman Beach

A surprise attack on Cody from a Rogue Jedi on the Tidal River Track

Joel said this was the most boring place we had stayed, No Pool, No Games Room, No Jumping Pillow, No Power (ie we tell him no TV even though we can run it off the battery). No Fun Whinge Whinge Whinge !!!!

Joel having No Fun

Then late in the arvo Cody our little explorer who has no fear or sense when it comes to animals, came running up all exited saying "look at that".

Mum and Dad were just as exited as the boys to see a wombat (neither us had ever seen aliving one in the wild) let alone when its cute little baby waddled out as well.

We were even more surprised when the boys were able to pat them.

Joel still having no fun

Day 15 - 15/11 Phillip Island

Dad went and checked out the islands surf breaks in the morning. He found plenty of potential but no people. Not wanting to surf alone in these renowned sharky waters he returned home surf less.

One of the many breaks on Phillip Is.

We went and visited The Nobbies out on the SW Tip of the Island, Its a bird nesting site and the rocks to the left are a seal colony.

The boys at the kids room at the Nobbies Info Centre

From The Nobbies we went and had a look at AMAZE'N Things a pretty cool place for everyone, with Mazes, Illusions and heaps of fun things.

We're Pretty Excited about this Place

Cody loved the mirror maze even though he failed to learn to put his hands out and continually smacked head first into the mirrors.

3 Course Dinner Is Served

 

They had this slide where you had to put on overalls and socks, then hang vertically from a bar in mid-air and drop onto the slide. Joel just being tall enough to have a go, was all Bravado until he got up to the top and looked down and like so many others before him walked back down the steps (maybe next time).

Mum after alot of encouragement from the crowd (and the attendant having to wipe the sweat off the bar from her hands twice)  finally did it, but didn't see a thing due to her eyes being firmly shut the whole time.

Dad loved it so much he had a second go. SORRY ONLY HAVE VIDEO.

That Night we went to the Penguin Parade, and a great late night was had by all. NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED. Cody especially loved racing the Fairy Penguins up the beach along the Boardwalk.