After deciding to head to Wilmington a day early the Hem's arrived at the [Once Could Have Been] Beautiful Valley Caravan Park on Wednesday arvo to find that TONYO & Gail had been there since Monday! - talk about keen. They had set up in a nicely mown unpowerd area out of the wind.
Greetings exchanged we started to set up camp, camper unfolded & annex roof on when we were hit with the forecast 90kmh winds & rain. The tropical roof & annex were quickly blown off the CT & it was decided to sit the storm out until the winds dropped a bit. While waiting for this, Gronk [Greg & Helen] with thier KK and Laith [Laith, Jodi, "Princess" Hannah & Ryan] with Camprite in tow, arrived. Just as well 'cause all hands were need to help each other set up in the wind. Note to self - next time, include Impact Drill & long masonary bit for the ground - it would claim more than a few tent pegs over the next couple of days.
Once done it was soon decided that it was too windy for a fire so the next best thing was "the go" - dinner at the local pub! On the way out we spotted a Patrol & KK bunkered down in one of the cabins but decided it couldn't possibly be a myswagger as they must be way too soft. HOwever it did turn out to be one of us, no names mentioned but they did will the camp oven cook off.
The $10 schnitzel's were Huuugge however $ 6.40 price tag on decent beer meant it was not a late night - just as well because most of it was spent wondering it the CT's would survive the wind that kept gusting.
Thurday dawned & as the wind was still strong [and cold] we took a run into Port Agusta to stock up on last minute supplies
. Buy the time we returned several others had arrived including JKohn [John & the boys Oliver & Jasper] plus Disco1 [Morrie, all the way from Tassie] and the "Cabin Dwellers" [Parry & Ros] plus more kept arriving, almost too fast to say Hi.
Thursday night was a bit better and we were able to cook dinner & have a few drinks around the campfire.
Pic 1 - Tony's camp
Pic 2 - The Hems, Laith's & Gronks Camps
Pic 3 - Added Insurance
Will leave the rest to John but a vote of thanks to him & Catie for all their organisation over the weekend.
