23 January 2009
12:43, 258950kms, 34.5⁰C. A first – have Miss Torque (the boat) attached and we are off to the top end of Lake Dunstan somewhere to meet up with Chris, Kirsty and Chris’s jetski later on today. Taking the boat mainly to see how she tows, and how Maggie copes. Very, very windy, so this is pretty much the ultimate test. Kirsty, Chris and Benny will sleep in a tent, next to us, so we need to find somewhere with room for all of us, sheltered from the wind, and somewhere to at least get the jetski in and out of the water – not sure about the boat, simply because it’s so windy. Went out checked out Bann
ockburn inlet first but there is nowhere nice to park, quite exposed and people everywhere. So off to the top end of the lake, but again, nowhere suitable – either nowhere nice to park, or so exposed you can’t stand up, or nice and sheltered but nowhere to launch jetski. So back down the Cromwell Gorge towards home, trying to find a spot down by the lake because it’s actually reasonably sheltered there. Saw a few potential spots, but couldn’t get off the highway because there were so many cars up our butt every time. Ended up driving from the Goldfields monument down to Jacksons’ Orchard 3 times, but no show of turning off road, into tight-ish driveway. So ended up going into the bay before Jackson’s Orchard (from the Cromwell end) and after much uhming and ahing decided to stay put – had thought to check out further up towards Cromwell by the tunnels but decided to leave it for another day, preferably without the boat. And, considering the hefty head wind, the boat and M
aggie coped well, and really only the wind caused the usual massive breaking affect on Maggie – didn’t really notice the boat at all, especially when the wind was behind us! So that’s great. After 102 kms going up and down, finally all set up at 15:24, sent Kirsty a text to
tell her where we are and now waiting for them to arrive. Still very warm, occasional big gusts of wind but quite pleasant really. And despite being right beside the highway, this spot has everything we need - flat, room for us and tent, place to launch jetski, shelter from the worst of the wind and room for dogs to run around. Mike had an afternoon nap, Marielle entertained Roxie and enjoyed a very warm afternoon. K & C arrived just on 19:00, had a few drinks, yarns and laughs (especially watching Kirsty help Chris put up the tent!) followed by bbq tea (we’d put the barbie in the boat!) of steak and coleslaw. Hit the pit at 23:30.
24 January 2009
Up at 8:00 after really good night’s sleep. Beautiful day, hot already, still windy but not as bad as
yesterday. Ha
d bbq breakfast and then spent the day playing on jetski, enjoying hot wea
ther (42⁰C in the sun, 37 in shade, so spent most of day sitting in shade).
Once everyone else was off the lake, Chris got his .22 out, and Kirsty had her first ever go at shooting – and hit the target several times. Not bad at all! Had another bbq tea (chicken marinated in speights – YUMMY!) and went to bed at 23:00. Great day!!!
25 January 2009
Up at 7am. The wind got up again, severely, during the night and kept Marielle and Kirsty awake for much of the morning. Thought we might end up with K&C in Maggie as we didn’t think the tent would stay up – but it did, and Chris never noticed a thing! 21⁰C at 7am, but cloudy and wind increasing, so after breakfast we decided to head home and tidy up. Left 11:10, home 11:30. 259067kms.
20 January 2009
A first for Maggie - Marielle's first trip away on her own. Mike is on night shift, and one of the things we've always said is that I should go fishing if the weather's good, while Mike is sleeping and working. So I left home at 12:54 (258911kms), 17⁰C and cloudy. Stopped at the local Four Square to get a few bits and pieces, then off to 2nd Galloway. Had to go back because I'd forgotten a lighter, stopped and saw Ray, the boatbuilder, and asked if he could and would make us a cupboard door to go over the hole left by the removal of the heater, and which we now use as the shoe locker - not a problem for Ray, he said, and he's happy to help - thanks!. All set up at 13:40, and off for a fish. Drizzling, and fished pretty much all afternoon 'til 19:00, except for a couple of hours where the drizzle turned to rain and I read. Caught 2 fish - one the smallest one I've ever caught - as big (or as small!) as my thumb! Very cute though! Other one about 20cm long, but really fat! Had chicken minestrone for tea (I'd made this in the morning before I left, same as what Mike's having for tea). Read for a while and turned lights off at 22:00. Bit weird being here alone, it's just not the same without Mike, but it's ok. JD a bit different too, won't stay on Maggie and sleep for hours on end like he normally does - if I go somewhere, he's got to come too. Both him and Roxie have been good little guard dogs all day and evening - anyone comes remotely too close for their liking (including other fisherman walking along the banks), they bark - handy!
21 January 2009
Up at 08:00, good night's sleep Only 10⁰C inside, 12 out, so it must have got quite chilly overnight. Had a couple of coffees and off for a fish at 08:30. Left at 11:49 as fish not biting, and it's now pouring (where the BLOODY HELL is summer?!?!?!? - today's forecast was for fine and 28⁰C - yeah right, it's only 15!). Also forgot to bring my cellphone charger, and not keen to stay here alone without some form of communication. Got home just after midday, 258950kms. Fridge has worked fine all trip - but battery down to 50% this morning, so obviously we need to check the battery and make sure it's ok, and maybe carry generator if we're away for more than a night, just to charge the battery.
15 January 2009
16:20, 258731 kms on the clock, off to Galloway somewhere to cool off, as it's currently 34⁰C with sun and cloud around. So hopefully the river will provide some cooling! Got to 2nd Galloway and all set up at 16:42, took the chilly bin and a couple of chairs and sat beside the river (and stood in it for ages, up to our thighs, and the river is really warm and also very low) following the shade from the willows around. Had left over seafood salad from last night for tea, and hit the pit just after 21:00.
16 January 2009
Up at 5:38. Had a good night's sleep, and despite the high temperatures it wasn't too hot in the luton at all. Had a couple of coffees and then Mike decided it was too early, so he went back to bed, Marielle went and had a fish - caught 2 (one chocolate, one about 1lb.) While making the coffees, discovered that the fridge wasn't working, so at 9:22 we headed off to Alexandra to see if the guys at Central Refrigeration could have a look at it - not good, not having a fridge in these temperatures - 23⁰C at 9:15. So, the guy hops on board, and the first thing he says is "but it's running?" Sure enough, fridge running happily. Turns out, the fridge has an automatic cut out when the battery gets too low,
and the battery has been getting low really quickly these days. So off to Aitken Automotive to ask about the battery - and found out where we've been going wrong. The battery needs to be plugged into 240 volt to be fully charged - we hadn't had a problem with the battery while it was cold, because we used the gennie. But now that it's warmer, we've been relying on the alternator to fully charge the house battery - but it doesn't. Problem fixed - don't need to buy a new fridge after all! So we decided that we would go home, plug Maggie in, have showers and then head off to Poolburn. So left home at 11:45, 32⁰C with big heavy clouds all around - t
he forecast is for thunderstorms, which should be exciting up at Poolburn if they do arrive. We are going to Poolburn to meet up 
with Kirsty and Chris - and Chris has no idea that he's coming up to the fishing hut. 12:48 - at Poolburn - 23⁰C and blowing a howling norwest gale! Chris and Kirsty arrived just after 17:00, wind has abated and spent enjoyable evening chatting, drinking, sighting in Chris's new .22 and generally having a good time. Had Mike's famous meatballs and spaghetti for tea, and went to bed at 23:30, temperature much cooler at only 11⁰C. No thunderstorms!
17 January 2009
Up at 8am, after a somewhat sleepless night at times due to the very, very heavy rain. Big puddles all around, and a mild 11⁰C when we got up. Had coffees and a fry up, then the wind 
completely died down, so we all went and had a fish - Marielle caught a beautiful jack, about 3lb, on the fly. Her first BIG fish on the fly rod. Unfortunately, Mike grabbed the line just as he went to net it, and it broke free! Left Poolburn at 11:49 and got most of the way down the hill when we realised we'd left the chocks behind - Mike had taken Maggie off them and then 
washed them in the sink beside the hut because they had got very muddy - and forgot about them. So turned around, picked up chocks and off again at 12:39. Got home, after doing groceries in Alexandra, just before 14:00 (258911kms). Great wee trip and really good to know Maggie gets in and out of Poolburn quite happily - means we can go there any time, and not have to worry about cleaning other people's left overs and mess out of the hut.
ockburn inlet first but there is nowhere nice to park, quite exposed and people everywhere. So off to the top end of the lake, but again, nowhere suitable – either nowhere nice to park, or so exposed you can’t stand up, or nice and sheltered but nowhere to launch jetski. So back down the Cromwell Gorge towards home, trying to find a spot down by the lake because it’s actually reasonably sheltered there. Saw a few potential spots, but couldn’t get off the highway because there were so many cars up our butt every time. Ended up driving from the Goldfields monument down to Jacksons’ Orchard 3 times, but no show of turning off road, into tight-ish driveway. So ended up going into the bay before Jackson’s Orchard (from the Cromwell end) and after much uhming and ahing decided to stay put – had thought to check out further up towards Cromwell by the tunnels but decided to leave it for another day, preferably without the boat. And, considering the hefty head wind, the boat and M
aggie coped well, and really only the wind caused the usual massive breaking affect on Maggie – didn’t really notice the boat at all, especially when the wind was behind us! So that’s great. After 102 kms going up and down, finally all set up at 15:24, sent Kirsty a text to
tell her where we are and now waiting for them to arrive. Still very warm, occasional big gusts of wind but quite pleasant really. And despite being right beside the highway, this spot has everything we need - flat, room for us and tent, place to launch jetski, shelter from the worst of the wind and room for dogs to run around. Mike had an afternoon nap, Marielle entertained Roxie and enjoyed a very warm afternoon. K & C arrived just on 19:00, had a few drinks, yarns and laughs (especially watching Kirsty help Chris put up the tent!) followed by bbq tea (we’d put the barbie in the boat!) of steak and coleslaw. Hit the pit at 23:30.
d bbq breakfast and then spent the day playing on jetski, enjoying hot wea
ther (42⁰C in the sun, 37 in shade, so spent most of day sitting in shade). 
