Butlers Beach (Hillocks Drive) ....

Leaders: Paul, Paula, Kaiden and Daniel

Fellow fishers: Stuart & Karen, Les & Joy, RobRoy, Rick & Cindy and Mark.

We arrived Friday about 9pm to see total mayhem at the campsite. Paul was having a lot of trouble with his tent and a team of erectors was trying to give advice. There was a lot of tension in the air. Paul was seen the following week checking out camper trailers.

We spent Saturday morning relaxing and about 11am went fishing on butlers beach in perfect conditions. Mark caught 8 mullet in the surf while the rest of us tried without success. There was a report of two beached whales, but it was found only to be Mark and Paul tumbling in the waves, scrambling back to shore with their fishing rods.

At one stage it looked as though we may have needed a snatch strap to recover Paula from the beach as the sand was extremely soft.

After lunch we explored the tracks and isolated campsites on Hillocks Drive. A very interesting drive with a small stretch requiring 4wd.

The pancake competition started late afternoon with a brilliantly combined effort from the Caldicotts. A two-tiered wedding pancake, supported by pancake columns, and dusted with icing powder was presented as a hint to Stuart and Karen.

The three musketeers, Mark, Stu and myself went fishing on Salmon Beach at dusk. Cindy refuses to go down the goat track, which proved to be a wise decision as the return trek was treacherous. (Ask Stuart about the Private Parts incident).

With my first cast an almighty bite was felt and after a titanic battle between man and beast, a 47.5cm salmon was reeled in through the booming waves. Mark and Stuart were licking their lips in anticipation, but for the next two hours no other fish was caught.

We headed back to camp about 9pm for the wine tasting. We each presented a bottle of wine wrapped in duct tape to see who had the most palatable wine. Unfortunately Pauls 1990 Penfolds was unceremoniously beaten by a bottle of Eagle Hawk Merlot. Stuart and Karen were caught out trying to enter their famous Goon Jooce in a plain bottle.

Les and Joy celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary by sharing a late night shower (saving $2) and retiring early.

Robroy and Paul were up at 5am trying in vain to rescue the Clubs shelter shades in strong winds early Sun morning (minor damage).

After finding out that they were both semi-naked at the time, the rest of the group were very relieved that they were asleep in their tents.

Threatening rain and strong winds caused a very early pack-up. There was no time for late entries for the pancake competition.

We travelled on the back roads to Edithburgh with plenty of sandy beach access tracks for some 4wding. It proved to be a very scenic little great ocean road drive. Paul and Paula told the tale of their frolics on the isolated beaches in their courting days.

Stopping at Edithburgh for morning smoko, Les refuses to refuel at 99c@ litre. He finds petrol further on at 98c, proudly saving 30 cents. Combined with his previously savings of $2 on shower, Les and Joy were presented with the "IGGY AWARD".

Little Daniel regurgitates smoko at Ardrossan (burley for next fishing trip) and the proposed beach driving between Ardrossan and Price was put on hold to another time.

Wearily, we all head off home.

A proposal is put forward for RobRoy to scout all future campsites (NOT).

Rick

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