26/7/22 - Picked Up the new caravan

At last … picked up the new van yesterday … overall very pleased with a close inspection…one drawer facia needs replacing as it appears warped, a  couple of cupboard locks need adjusting and water level gizmo on one tank needs some TLC … getting the rig weighed this arvo so that will be interesting 🥴 … our plan then is to pack up and head North to catch up with our relatives, The Billy’s and continue on to Darwin etc 

Ningaloo 2022 - Our Bushtracker’s last trip to Ningaloo with us as owners

2022 Ningaloo trip will go down as one of the best mainly due to the time we were there and the family and friends we had join us. We had the Billy family Dave and Jo along with their son Trev, partner Ash and son Maitland. Also their daughter Maddison and her partner Dax flew down under from the Cayman Islands which was very exciting as no one had met Dax or seen Maddison for a few years. Good mates Glenn & Karen were already at Ning when we arrived as planned so it was super fun to have them with us, and the icing on the cake was having our daughter Erin and sons Oakley & Tate from Adelaide SA also fly across. We also had Maddison’s friend Amber and partner Ky and family visit a few days as they were camped at North Lefroy. 

The days rolled along and not much was achieved in the way of fishing, I caught three sharks, kept two and Vickie and I caught seven squid between us. Tate caught a small Trevally and a small shovelnose and Oak was the Cone Shell catcher with two and an Eel.. 

Plenty of food and drinks consumed and before we knew it our 28 days were up. We took 3 days to come home and when we did we stripped out the caravan in preparation for a big clean up as we have sold it. We hope to have our new caravan later in July, once that happens we will head away North again and catch up with Dave and Jo and escape Winter for another couple of months. 

Our camp site 14 at South Lefroy Bay Ningaloo. 

Sunset at Ningaloo 

A days squid catch, unfortunately we were not as lucky on other days, catching only a couple more 

We took Kimbo ‘The Bro’ on the trip, we have great memories of our stay at Ningaloo previously with Bro & Ned

Our mates Glenn & Karen were also camped at Sth Lefroy with their new Island Star Caravan 

We had a wet and windy night when this storm hit us on our1st night. We were better prepared the next day 

One of the pretty sounding birds that we woke to in the early mornings 

Bro in law, and great mate Dave, we enjoy travelling with Dave & Jo especially when trouble hits the fan. Dave can fix repair most things. 

Nephew Trev and his son Maitland enjoying some beach fishing time together

One of three sharks I caught, this was the largest and let go, we prefer the smaller sharks for eating 

Our Grandsons, Oakley & Tate flew over with our daughter Erin from SA. This Ning trip was a real family affair

Every evening was sunset drinks 

Oakley, Pop, Nana and Tate .. 

Dax, Maddison flew in from the Cayman Islands here they are with her parents Jo & Dave 

The Norwegian Bay old Whaling Station is slowly deteriorating, these are the winches used to haul the dead whales to the shore. Gladly this practice is no longer done in Australia 

The old boilers and tanks left 

Maitland and Tate (cousins) playing in the sand, all the boys got along well. 

Another lovely sounding bird. 

Erin and her Mum, Vickie 

Dax and Maddi 

Tate and Oakley with the small shovelnose Tate caught 

Sunrise looking from our caravan window 

Dave cooking up another great meal of fish and chips, with squid for entree 

Sisterly love, Vickie & Jo 

On the way home we stopped at the lookout near Gladstone, many tributes left for loved ones no longer, we left a stone for our friend Kimbo 

R.I.P Bro ... your missed every day 🤠

We can recommend the meals at the Dongara Hotel, huge serves and so tasty. 

Our plant has grown heaps and greeted us at the door, appears I have a job with the pressure cleaner and leaf vacuum lol