4. Off Grid at Wilsons Prom

Veronica, Pete and Donna

Our two-night stay with Veronica at West Creek was so nice. And unlike everywhere else on the east coast of Australia - the weather has been our friend since our sailing weekend in the Hawkesbury over a week ago.
We stayed in the van in a paddock beside the house yard. 360 degree views of rolling green farmland and distant Wonthaggi. Sunrise and sunset - all the country colour feels. Really nice for Pete and Veronica to have a good long yarn, and for Veronica and me to get to know each other a little. We danced in the kitchen to Steely Dan and others that Pete selected especially knowing Veronica's music. And, you guessed it, we had Pete's French Toast for breaky - Veronica loved it! Never gets old.

West Creek South Gippsland

Frosty Morning

We left Veronica's on Sunday morning and shopped in Wonthaggi for a week off grid, then took the scenic drive through Tarwin Lower and Walkerville on route to Wilsons Prom, stopping for beetroot dip and mango chilli biltong snack on the side of the road, with the warm sun on our backs. The BOM said it would be fine until Weds. 

We set up camp for the first real time, in a tight but private un-powered site. We'd booked powered but there were a dozen powered sites on top of each other and not many vacancies - so we chose to be away from the throng. We laughed at ourselves after finally getting her into position - many of you would know the scenario of man and woman setting up camp. We survived it pretty well :) It was dusk so we did a quick walk down to Tidal River just behind the camp and were immediately enthralled.

Checking out Tidal River

First campsite - a dud in hindsight - we moved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We did our best with outdoor matting and cardboard and placement of table to reduce walking mud straight into the new van. Pete had bought himself a new camp chair and when he opened to box there were two! one for me too. So delicious - padded and as close to a lounge chair as a camp chair could get. Rosella's wombats and possums wandered around oblivious to our presence. 

 

 

We used the outside kitchen to cook salmon and washed up out there too using hot water from the aptly placed outdoor shower. The van is constantly making us smile. Comfy bed and lounge, heating when needed, hot water, 12v power for phones and stuff. All the things and more. Quite something compared to the roof top tent we took to Moreton Island this time last year. And the nice thing is this would go to North Point Moreton Island no worries. We've muted going there for a bit during winter when we return from this trip.

Monday we got our ebikes off the car and took a ride all around - on the wet sand at low tide on Norman Beach/Tidal River where we are camped. Stunning place. Looking straight into Bass Strait through some spectacular rocky outcrops.

There's a massive boat, that drives along the sand and into the water, full of masked sightseers heading out to Skull Rock and other amazing scenery and wild life. 

 

 

Pete was keen for a surf - I was probably delaying that for a bit while I got braver about getting into my size 12 wetsuit (bought after losing a stack of weight when sick in 2018) and going into that very clear very beautiful and most probably very cold ocean. We made a 3pm time to surf and in the meantime took a drive to Squeaky Beach, Picnic Bay and Whisky Bay - very Tasmanian landscape. Remote, clean, isolated, stunning. I was checking out painting spots - keen to do a painting Tuesday so it had a few days to dry. Traveling with freshly done oil paintings is going to be interesting.

We picnicked on the lookout between Picnic and Whisky Bays, watched a couple of guys surfing. Looked pretty good so back we went to Norman Beach, donned our gear, did a few stretchs and in we went.

 

First mat surf for a good couple of months or so. I love my wetsuit! squeezed into it without too much of a struggle - It made getting in the water doable and it was delicious. The odd trickle of cold water dripping down the collar. Caught some fun waves off the shore followed by a warm shower and tofu burgers.

New camp

 

 

  

Pete's prawn and ginger fried rice

 

After a couple of sleeps in the first camp we moved to a flatter, sunnier, drier camp - so much better. Seeing as we booked five nights may as well be comfortable. It took us about an hour. We strung up a clothes line, and hung up our wetties and towels to dry properly. 

I spent the afternoon painting - finally - right opposite the new camp, hidden in the bushes, in the shade, looking out over Tidal River Walking Bridge with the hills on the other side  showing signs of a recent controlled burn. It was the easiest option - plein air painting can be a slog at times, dragging all the things and finding 'the spot'. So when I looked over the edge of the road opposite our new camp and saw the view - it made my choice easy. I set up my old camp chair, picked out my oldest top and pants and my straw beach hat. It's funny the lead up to putting a mark on canvas... then there's nowhere to hide... you just got to do it. A bit like surfing in cold water it seems.

I'm happy with the painting - the light was war, and yellow when I started at lunch time - the river was pale ochre - by 4pm when it was cool enough to call it quits, the light had reduced a lot. I took progress pics throughout to see how it becomes a painting - it certainly darkened during the process.

Tidal River Walking Bridge after controlled burn

'That's fishin"

Pete rode all around the place, brought me a cup of tea, and a pan fried banana and honey sandwich - yum! Then he got organised and went fishing out  where Tidal River meets Norman Beach.

I packed up and got warm and rode out to see how fisherman Pete was going. Nothing caught but that's fishin'! And he came home and made us prawn fried rice - he certainly looked after me today. We snuggled in the van out of the cool breeze that had blown up.      
Reading the tale end of Jimmy Barnes book for Pete. Not quite finished by lots of hilarity coming from the back corner of the van. Catching up on Sailing videos me.

This blog seems to be going on for ever! Weds, the last forecasted dry day, we squeezed in all the doing - expecting a quiet Thurs, and departing this beautiful place on Friday.
We walked over the Tidal River Walking Bridge and took the Pillar Point track - 3.6km return. So much to see along the way. A lolly shop for someone who likes to paint landscape. I took 150 photos - the pics with show the variety of eye candy. The weather shone again.

Near Tidal River Walking Bridge

What do you see?

Norman Beach

Pillar Point

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon we drove to Squeaky Beach where Pete did some much awaited drone filming. Then to Whisky Bay where we thought about going for a snorkel. Then we thought better of it.

Whisky Bay

Whisky Bay

We returned to camp and rode for ages around the roads paths and Norman Beach and the upper reaches of Tidal River till dusk. We snuggled up and watched Pete's amazing drone footage on my lap top. He's looking forward to editing it into a punchy aerial representation. Can't wait.  

Sunset reflecting on Mt Oberon and clouds

My iphone counted 11,500 steps this day - nice. Pete is an energiser bunny. He's living in the moment more than ever. He missed a good friend's premature funeral on this day and was feeling the loss, and gratitude for still being here to enjoy life. 

Thursday, as they said, dawned rainy and overcast - so I blogged and Pete did a bit of this and that dodging raindrops - he was outdoors all day. Riding, fishing, making cups of tea outside. 

Packing up Friday - hopefully not in the rain. Starting our dawdle home via the chiropractor and the dentist. 

Thanks Wilsons Prom for the memories. The pleasure has been all ours.