5/1/14 – Day 30 – Apollo Bay -> Aire River Camp Ground

What a surprise! When we woke up it was raining and blowing a gale; I think this is the 5^th day in a row! However this morning we were on a mission! When we were in Apollo Bay earlier in the week stocking up on supplies eagle eyes Perrier, AKA Jack Perrier, spotted a sign for the local book fair which started at 9am this morning. Both of the boys love books so it was pretty easy to get them moving this morning. We spent about an hour pouring over the books in the school hall with a total of 27 books added to our library – for the total of $35! I have been reading my book “Ponting” pretty slowly as I wasn’t sure where I was going to get my next book from – not any more!

Through the wind and rain we restocked in town and hit the road. Sam was very sad that we had to leave Trav's dog Bolt behind and I double checked that he hadn't stowed him away before we left. 

The scenery continue to be spectacular as we headed away from the coast and then turned to go to Cape Otway Light station. We had already done a couple of lighthouses but this one looked pretty good so we decided to drive the 10ks in to have a look. On the way in I came around a pretty tight blind corner and had to bring out 5t rig to a grinding halt as there were cars all over the place, parked on the side of the road but at all kinds of angles, many only half off the road. My first thought was there must have been a massive car accident and that people had hurriedly left their cars to help, or was it...hang on they are all standing there pointing at the tree and have all got their cameras out....what are they looking at...WHAT...I nearly ploughed into a couple of half parked car so these spoons could take a photo of a bloody koala! I tooted them, to wish them a good day, and squeezed through narrow gap left. We soon arrived at the car park to the light station, and had lunch as the rain teemed around us. While the rest of the team did their ablutions I went to check out the souvenir shop at the entrance...when I saw there was an admission fee. Really I thought, all the other have been free, but I suppose we could cough up $20 for the family. Now I was surprised by the koala watching ning nongs but these guys were asking $50 to go and look at a light house!! You have got to be kidding! I did think of scouting around the fence to find a place to climb over it but new that my wife would not let me do it. So half drenched we headed back to Izzy & Co and headed to our next campsite.

It was still raining lightly when we arrived at Aire River campground and I set up while the rest of the troops ‘organised stuff inside’. Not long after the weather cleared, the sun came out and the wind completely disappeared. Awesome I thought and went for a walk down the dirt road for a bit of a look see. About ½ an hour later I was back and grabbed the boys and the camera, remembering Jo’s tip – Never go without the camera, and we headed off on a 4wd adventure. Izzy had been, apart from ungraded roads, been pretty much untested on the soft stuff (AKA sand) until this point and there was a sand track running along the edge of the river towards the beach that looked kind of fun.

Whilst listening to the Australian’s take apart the Pom’s tail in the 5^th test we bounced down a sandy beach track eventually coming to a gate near the beach. We alighted and walked the 100m to the beach and were stung by the blowing sand as we walked over the final dune. The sea was churning like a ferocious animal. Whilst I have seen the waves on the Gold and Sunny Coasts that get whipped up by cyclones this was just completely different. Nobody would be able to survive more than a minute in the carnage that the wind was shipping up. 

Happy with our discovery we headed back the truck and found that England were all out and that the Ashes was our again, with a 5 – 0 whitewash – Oh Happy Days! We pottered back down the track listening to the interviews. It was during Harris’ interview for man of the match that I realise I probably should have had a touch more speed to go through this pretty soft section......spin, spin, spin......err...reverse back....oh good that works...I’ll hit it a bit harder this time......speeding up, spinning up, spin, spin....try again...same result....Hmmm bugger I really wanted to hear this interview! Ok...let me tyres down or use the max trax...you think a bloke who sells 12v air compressors would have one with you don’t you. Nup, but there is a good reason for this that is way too long for this blog. So the trax get insterted and get us about 5 m further along the track until spin, spin, spin. Out I get, put tracks back under and I repeat the same process 6 times until we finally get to some solid ground and I drive another 50m past this...just to make sure! After retrieving the trax one last time I drive the rest of the way back with a little more speed under my belt.

On the way back the boys and I take one last side track and discover a mud pool, about 1m deep that is just to inviting to miss. It is right beside one of the camp grounds so even if I don’t make it I am pretty sure somebody will pull me out. The boys have been dying for Izzy to do some 4wd mud work so through we go, successfully, so we then turn around and head straight back in. Guess what happens.....we get through it without a problem! Ha ha got you there! We head back to camp and before heading off to sleep De spots a koala with baby in tow in the tree right beside the van. I have to admit it is pretty cute and I feel sorry for them as the wind and rain have returned with vengeance.