Blacksmiths, January 2014

December 28^th, We finished packing up and drove to Blacksmiths Beachside Holiday Park, where we booked in to start our 4 week stay. After getting set up again, we went up to Carole and Rob’s place at Charlestown for Dinner and “Tiles”. As we were staying in this area for 4 weeks, Rob offered me the use of his boat trailer, which I was only too happy to accept. I normally don’t fish when we stay at this Park, as it isn’t right on the water.

December 29^th, I took the boat off the car today, ready for Rob’s trailer arriving and worked out that I could fit the boat trailer and our car on our site.

December 30^th, Rob arrived around 10am with the trailer in tow. I met him outside the Park and we transferred the trailer to my car. Rob left to go to an appointment and I drove the trailer into the Park and spent the rest of the day setting it up to suit my boat.

December 31^st, Rob and Carole came down mid afternoon, to spend New Year with us at the Caravan Park. We enjoyed a nice dinner and filled our time in playing “Tiles” with a break to watch the Sydney Fireworks (on TV). Our visitors left around 2.30am after a very enjoyable time.

January 2^nd, Greg, Dianne, Jessica and Annaliese came up to Swansea, with their boat in tow.  They booked into Swansea Gardens Tourist Park for their 3 day stay, in a Cabin. I drove around to the boat ramp, just outside their Park, and went out fishing with them. We tried quite a few spots around the Swansea Channel and up towards the northern end of Lake Macquarrie and we did catch a few small fish but no keepers. We came in when we ran out of bait.

January 4^th, yesterday and today, I went out fishing with Greg and Dianne while Val looked after the Girls. We caught a lot of small fish but still hadn’t caught a decent fish, so in desperation we decided as a last go to try at the Swansea Bridge. The current is very strong there but Greg was able to keep the boat stationary using the engine speed to oppose the current. Dianne had only just thrown her line in when she hooked a good size fish. It gave her a good fight, on the way in it went under the boat and Dianne wanted Greg to take over but he said “You can do it“ and he got ready with his catch net. Dianne pulled in a nice 40cm Silver Trevally and has got the record of being the one to catch the biggest fish, over this week-end. Greg and Dianne came around to our Van for dinner and Val and Greg ate

the fillets from Dianne’s catch, which they said was delicious. We said our goodbyes to Greg, Dianne and the girls, as they were heading back home to Sydney in the morning.

January 9^th, We have spent the last few days, just relaxing and winding down after the long week-end. Carole and Rob came down today and I took Rob out for a fish while Val and Carole played tiles. I caught the only keeper and it was a 26cm Bream. I would have put it back but the Ladies had said to us “don’t come home without a fish”, so I had to bring it in and I did fillet it for Val. We bought hamburgers and chips for dinner, from the takeaway, just across the road from the Caravan Park (now under new management), and the hamburgers and scallops were huge and delicious, the chips were hot and fresh. We all played tiles till late!

January 10^th, Joan and Robert came down this afternoon and it was good to catch up with them. It was too late to take Robert out for a fish but we had an enjoyable night of tiles with them, after dinner.

January 11^th, Jessica and Annaliese are coming up tomorrow for a 10 day Holiday with us, so we had to clear the bunks, make up their beds and shop for them coming.

January 12^th, Greg, Dianne and the girls arrived with Hamburgers and chips for lunch. The Girls were soon in the Pool and looking around for friends to play with. There were a few friends here that they had met last year. Greg and Dianne went home around 4.30pm, as they had to get ready for work tomorrow.

January 13^th, The girls had a full day with swimming in the Pool, a trip to the beach, scooting and riding their skateboards and finished the day with a movie, put on by the Park.

January 15^th, We took Jessica and Annaliese up to Carole and Rob’s place at Charlestown, for lunch and a swim with their granddaughters, Sophie and Ayva and Chloe ( Ayva friend from School) . We had a lovely BBQ lunch and all the girls got on famously and played in the pool all afternoon. We got back to the Van in time for the girls to have dinner and showers before going to tonight’s movie.

January 17^th, I went out for a fish today while Val kept an eye on the Girls. This was the first time I have launched my tinnie off a trailer by myself. All went well getting the boat into the water and the fishing was pathetic, I didn’t catch a thing. The boat ramp was busy, but I waited patiently until they all cleared the ramp and I had plenty of space to reverse the trailer. Trailer in the water successfully, with the front of the boat centred on the back roller and winch connected, I started winding in the boat. The current caused the back of the boat to move sideways and the trailer rollers didn’t self align the boat as I wound it in. Four attempts later I finally managed to get the boat onto the trailer, with a lot of, wlnching a bit then pushing the back end over to centre it. It may have been easier if all the rollers had been adjusted correctly to suit my boat.

January 18^th, After lunch we packed up the car with “Boogie Boards”, chairs, snacks and drinks and took the Girls down to Caves Beach. The tide was about half way out so Jessica, Annaliese and myself were able to revisit the caves again. We had done this last year when they were up here for a holiday with us. The Girls had a great time riding their boards in the surf. Tonight there was a “Smurf” movie on at the Park. The Caravan Park had organized activities on for the kids every day except Sundays.

January 22^nd, We packed up all the girls gear in the morning and left for Sydney hoping to get to Glenwood around 4.30pm. Out of the 10 days that the Girls were with us, yesterday was the only day we had rain and it stayed with us all day. We can’t complain and again Jessica and Annaliese had a great Holiday with us. After Dianne came home from work, we had a cuppa and a catch up and headed back to Blacksmiths. Greg was working late so we didn’t wait to see him.

January 24^th, Carole and Rob came down after lunch, for dinner and Tiles. The weather has been patchy, windy, overcast and showery these last couple of days, so we didn’t go out fishing.

January 25^th, We drove up to Cardiff South, to catch up with Joan and Robert and their family. Lisa and Matt where visiting as well, so it was good to catch up with them also. Cory and Maryanne were home with their little son, Tyler, who has grown out of sight since we last saw him. Joan put on a lovely dinner and we played Tiles after Lisa and Matt went home. I was very impressed with Cory and Roberts rebuilding of their back verandah. It’s a job that was on the drawing board for at least the last 10 years, now finally coming to fruition.

January 26^th, The Park was alive with tents and Kids for Australia day. Ruby did a special Australia Day Disco, which included “Red, White and Blue” face painting for all the kids. As the night wore on, Val developed a cough that didn’t sound too good, which she put down to her “Hay Fever”.

January 27^th, Rob needed his boat trailer back to day, as they are going down to Dunleith Tourist Park tomorrow, for their annual holiday at The Entrance. I pulled all my gear off our boat and packed it away, then took the boat off the trailer. After lunch, I hooked up the boat trailer to my car, made sure I had all the gear that Rob had leant me, and towed it up to Rob’s place at Charlestown. Between us, we loaded Rob’s Boat on to his trailer, re-adjusted all the rollers to suit and finished my visit off with a Coffee and chat. Val’s cough was getting worse, but being a public Holiday the Chemists were closed.

January 28^th, I loaded our boat up onto the car and secured it. Val’s cough has moved down onto her chest, sounding very bronchial, so I went down to the Chemist and picked up a cough mixture for her.

January 30^th, I went down to The Swansea Bridge for a fish this morning, lost 2 lots of hook line and sinkers on snags and didn’t catch a thing. I was chatting with one of the older Park semi-permanents and he told me where he goes to fish (I can’t tell you the secret spot or I would have to kill you) and very important, only fish on the outgoing tide!

January 31^st, I went down to have a fish in the channel, just north of Pelican (not the secret spot) on the outgoing tide and caught 3 Bream, the biggest around 20cm, so all throwbacks. I was happy just to catch something. Val’s cold has worsened so off to the Chemist I went and got her some Cold Tablets”. I don’t want to start travelling while Val is not well, so I’ve extended our stay here till February 11^th.