Caravan of Courage / Stage 4 – week 3 / 1st – 7th July 2023 / VIC – QLD

DAY 15 – Sat 1st July / Jett Goes Camping

DAY 16 – Sun 2nd July / Maroochydore to Fraiser island

Up early and straight into pack down.
Massive fight with Tanya over her roll-on deodorant I had to give to jett.
90mins exactly to pack down
Leave by 9am
Fuel supplies park passes.
Get to beach and let Tyers down to 16psi.
1st track out to ferry is deep soft sand Make it onboard and get tips from one of the crew. It’s low tide now. Don’t waste any time go straight up the beach. We do at 50, 60, to.70kms. Everyone is a bit scared but we do it in 1 hour and 15mins.
The hill climb into the camp ground is steep. I try to avoid the sand ruts and drive on top of them, then slip off to one side and burry in halfway up. I have to reverse down with speed to make it back out onto the hard sand on the beach. This time I build up more speed and take the rut track and make it up. The defender really is a great 4×4.
We get to camp and set up.
I through some chicken straight on the BBQ as I missed lunch stressing about missing low tide.
I fillet the coral trout.
We have wraps instead.
Light a fire and sit out under the stars.
No Starlink internet as we’re under too many trees.
Epic day that ends in a great night.

We all miss Jett but know this camp is the best thing for him.

DAY 17 – Mon 3rd July / Fraiser island 4×4

Up at 6.30am nice work Hugo
We get the map out and plan a massive day four-wheel driving.
Tide is low at 1.30pm so we try to leave at 10am to see if it’s low enough to drive around the island on the beach and it is.
We hit the shipwreck then a dead whale carcase then Eli Creek to float down on the run-out stream. It’s a bit cold so we just check it out instead.
Then we tack our 1st full on 4×4 track. The entrance from the beach has wooden boards to stop erosion and is damaged. It’s a rough start and everyone is scared. I get used to it and push on. We pass through a transition rainforest. It’s amazing. Everything turned dark under the canopy of the forest. It takes us 45mins to travel 8kms to Allom Lake. We play with turtles then start the generator and have toastiest for lunch.
Travelling downhill on the way back was easier. There’s a lot more traffic and I have to back up into a turn out and 1 stage down a steep hill. We then head for champagne pools and orchid beach and were running out of time as the tide is coming in fast. I hit the gas. There is a long soft sand inland track past India head.
Lessons learnt.
Don’t try and ride to top of the mud ruts. Just stick to the track.
We have steamed coral trout for dinner and sit by the fire. Winds moves us into the van for a movie. It is very protected here at Cathedrals in the top camp if we come back again.
HEPER boys arrive from Turkey ready for tomorrows. SYDNEY launch.

DAY 18 – Tue 4th July / Fraiser island to Hervey Bay

Hugo gets us up at 5.20am today. Didn’t need that as we can’t really leave until 12pm which is 2 hours before low tide.
It rain hard last night.
Tanya meets a builder that says this time of year on Frasier is always the best and he couldn’t believe it was raining.
We pack up slowly and leave at 11.30am. Its tight getting the 221foot van out of cathedrals. Tide is still going out and I have to ouch through waves getting around rocks on the beach. We make it to the barge and onto the mainland with a sigh of relief. The air compressor in the van curs out after 5 Tyers overheated so we head for a servo. Defender is not happy.
We get to Hervey bay by 4.30pm and its racing and already dark. Quick set down and off to dinner at the pub. Tan does a massive load of washing and I buy a brag map of Australia.
Next time we come to Frasier we’re thinking of leaving the caravan in Hervey Bay and taking the ferry to the top of the island. Then four wheel driving over the island to cathedrals and staying in one of the new self contained villas the builder had just completed.
I’ve saved lake Macintyre for you Jett. We all miss you.

DAY 19 – Wed 5th July / Hervey Bay to 1770

Up at 6
Shops with Leo and Hugo
Veterans phone call re Jett then Packed down in the rain. Leave late 10.45am.
Van is jammed full of sand and so is the car. Things aren’t working. Needs a clean bad!
Car wash then caravan wash then boom Tanya washed her face with a metal Gerni. Told Leo to f off and piss off and blamed dad.
Drove 3 hours from Hervey Bay to 1770.
Told some one has reveresed into the RANGE ROVER at Keele St.
Set down van and packed ready to leave at 6.30am tomorrow morning. Need to get to Bundaberg airport by 8am. For our 8.40am flight.
Meet Sean and had beers around d the campfire with 2 dudes with their kids camping on school holidays. 10pm OUT.

DAY 20 – Thu 6th July / Fly to Lady Elliot Island

Up at 5am to finishing packing. Kids at 6am. On the road by 6.30am.
Drive to Bundaberg airport in heavy fog. Plane is delayed due to all the fog.
Arrive at Lady Elliot Island do a briefing tour and check in. I do a quick snorkel of the lagoon with Leo on my back but the tide is going out and it’s to shallow. Lunch then …
Tanya and Leo go for a snorkel. It’s a disaster.
Leo swims off towards the snorkelling line happy and confident then tanya grabs him and drags him under. Then says lets practice 1st and swims in a circle. Tanya starts kicking Leo in the face and knocks his mask off. Laughter turns to tears and crying and it’s over. Leo says I’m drowning and scared mum.
Then I do a refresher dive course in the pool and book a diver for tomorrow afternoon as the morning will be windy. 17knot westerly.
We play beach volleyball and have a buffet dinner.
Kids crash early and I take Tanya on a night walk to the light house. Stars are out. We come back to our side of the island and the moon comes up in full red colour. Beautiful end to our day.
Heper launch in Melbourne is a huge success. Well done everyone

DEAN you need to upload pictures from the OSMO ACTION!!!!!

DAY 21 – Fri 7th July / Scuba Dive with Manta Rays

Up at 5am again..
Omelette breakfast
Leo and I do the glass bottom boat and snorkel. We wear our own Short wetsuits and were both a bit cold. We see manta rays and turtles.
Quick buffet lunch and I. Off on the 1pm dive. There is a wreck with a lemon shark and massive stingray. My Osmo action shits itself as I get in the water. It’s only rated to 10meters anyway and I’ve forgotten the clear plastic case for deep dives anyway. I get to 20meters deep and last for 29mins. Standard for me. Everyone else makes it to 45 mins. Highlight was kneeling on the bottom watching a manta ray from underneath. Very different to snorkelling above them in Ningaloo reef WA.
Tanya has an afternoon snorkel and sees turtles.
Dinner and Im Exhausted after my dive. Some night photography and off to bed. I sleep for 10 hours! Wow

dean.14bells.com.au