After leaving Barrington Tops with their fogs and rain we headed back to the coast to meet up with Steven for the last time before finally going “properly” north. We went to Seal Rocks and found a great place to camp by the beach called Yagon in Myall Lakes National Park. The place was deserted and we had the pick of all the sites. Now being experienced campers we were able to assess the site like a couple of old professionals – look for somewhere shady to avoid the sun - somewhere flat - somewhere out of the wind and, if it rains, place your tent to avoid rain in the kitchen etc. We found the perfect spot which met all our criteria and got the tent erected in record time.
However we did make one mistake, a major one as it turned out – always check your site for any sitting tenants before pitching your tent – particularly bull ants! Noticing half a dozen ants on the floor, I brushed them out – only to find they had been replaced by dozens more. Having got rid of these I realised that we had a problem on our hands as, erupting from the ground in malevolent hordes, the tent was being taken over by ants – really large ones with big jaws and an amazing ability to jump (honestly). Suddenly Sandra started screaming as they found their way up her trouser legs and into her clothing. There followed a scene reminiscent of her being attacked in the garden last summer by a swarm of wasps and her trying to divest herself of her clothes as they started stinging. I don’t know how or why but ants, like wasps, seem to make a bee-line for bras and knickers and it did seem quite painful. Mind you it wasn’t just Sandra – I got stung on my finger and it was very sore! No photos of this episode I’m afraid.
There was nothing for it but to take the tent down and start all over again on some fresh, ant free ground. Unfortunately the next morning we had to do the whole thing over again as the National Park Wardens appeared to say that, as it was Easter week-end, they we expecting a big influx of visitors and we had done our second pitching over two sites – so could we please move! We did – our third pitching of the tent in 12 hours – well they say practice makes perfect!
Over the next 24 hours the place was invaded by young surfies looking for a hard days surfing followed by lots of drink and loud music. Whilst there was a day I would have joined in, it wasn’t last weekend – and having my eardrums blasted at two o’clock in the morning with rap music at full volume was not a lot of fun. Unfortunately I can get a bit grumpy in those circumstances and went out to remonstrate. I will gloss over the actual details and certainly deny the allegations of assault – suffice to say the music stopped and next day they left, I can just hear my sister-in-law Gill saying “What a curmudgeon!”
To cap it all the possum problem returned – this time a roving band of possums raided the tent and devoured most of a bowl of fruit and what they left was not fit for human consumption. All in all a troublesome night with the locals!
We had an excellent time with Steven, Ana and Lex and found the perfect beach at Seal Rocks with safe water for Lex, massive waves for Steven and lots of shells and other arty things for Sandra and Ana to collect to make into brooches and similar objects. With Ana four months pregnant she wasn’t doing much cavorting in the sea.
Steven and Co left to return to Sydney on Easter Sunday with Sandra and I leaving on Monday morning to head North from whence the next blog will be posted.
PS Sandra attacked my beard with a pair of nail scissors – she said I looked like Roald Dahl’s Mr Twit!
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