Yorke Peninsula Combined Trip ....

November 15, 16 & 17, 2002

Wanderers 4wd Club - 5 vehicles Bill, Barb, Paul C, Lee, Nicky, Sam, Rick & Cindy

Y. P. 4wd Club - 5 vehicles

Port Pirie 4wd Club - 1 vehicle

Friday night , Bill and Paul camped alongside the Y. P. 4wd Clubrooms situated in the Kadina Showgrounds.

Saturday morning we all met at 10am and were introduced to the very friendly Host Members while having coffee in their Clubrooms. Off we went to our Base Camp for the week-end, near Cape Elizabeth, (about 10k South of Port Hughes) one of many council owned camping sites along the Coast. This site has a large corrugated shed (very clean conditions/sea views) which is available on a first come first served basis. We set up camp and cooked lunch in the shed before assembling for our trek down the coast.

Barb left the Subaru at camp and filled Carols’ empty seat in the Defender. We took off in a convoy of ten vehicles and after jockeying for positions, headed on to the beach and drove south in perfect conditions. No need to lower tyre pressure as the sand was quite firm for most of the trip.

We passed through a small town called Balgowan & headed towards the Aboriginal settlement of Point Pearce before turning off and stopping for refreshments at Port Victoria, with Wardang Island in the distance.

South of Port Victoria we travelled down to Second Beach where a pink bikini commanded many roaming eyes. Lee spent considerable time locking his hubs/adjusting mirrors/checking tyres, before Nicky forced him back into the vehicle.



Onwards to Port Rickaby, we were tempted to continue to Parsons’ Beach and raid the Francis’ fridge, but Barb conveniently left the shack key behind. Heading back, we drove on bush tracks to arrive back at camp to find a small dent in Barbs Suby and Bill looking very guilty. After a communal wading session in the pristine waters, we wandered back to cook the evening meal overlooking a brilliant sunset.

An entertaining evening was enjoyed sitting around our camp-fire (Bills’ Citronella Lantern) in perfect conditions. Lee set a new record for the 5 metre dash when Paul popped the cork on a bottle of Red.

On hearing of Ralphs’ (Port Pirie 4wd Club) predicament twelve months earlier, (Ralph suffered a Heart Attack the morning after a heavy Camp-fire session), Paul and Lee decided the best way to help extend Ralphs’ life was to consume his alcohol.

Midnight arrived before the camp settled for the night. Once again, perfect weather greeted us for breakfast and after packing we drove along the beach to Port Hughes, then to Moonta Bay where we had morning tea at Pauls’ home (YP 4wd). Not too many homes have a headstone for their deceased pets, but then again, when you run a Memorial business. Bill was presented with a Muck Up Award Certificate from the Yorke Peninsula 4wd Club for Stuffing Barb's car and accepted it with all intentions of destroying it. Lucky we were given a copy for our club's records.

Our final drive was from Moonta to Wallaroo via the beach and never ending undulating bush tracks. After some 4x4 play in the sand dunes we had lunch before farewelling our Hosts and trip leaders Paul and Steve and departing for home. Many thanks once again to Bill for organising this very relaxing trip.

Rick



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