Bicheno and beyond

Yesterday we left Triabunna and wound our way up the coast in a slow but steady stream of motorhomes, caravans and motorbikes who all seem to be touring the eastern seaboard at the same time. We had been told that there were special CMCA camp sites opened up for us for the rally but the club magazine has not caught up with us with details so we enquired at the Triabunna information centre and were given verbal information which was of little use when you don't know the area. Only after arriving at Bicheno did the information centre here give us a printed list of the east coast camp sites. Unfortunately we had already passed a couple of them.

Swansea was a pretty place and the main street was motorhome alley with rigs parked along a long stretch of road. I am amazed also at the number of rental motorhomes plying the road over here. I decide I was going to have a look at Nine Mile Beach but unfortunately I turned into a suburban street, following another motorhome and of course my "bumpersticker" Allan followed and we all ended up in a narrow street with no turnaround. The guy in front of me had no problem with his car on an A frame, I just backed into a driveway and did a three point BUT! Allan with his car on a  caddy had to unload it to make a U turn. If I have learned one thing on this trip it is NEVER to travel with someone with a car on a caddy. You would think he would have learned after being caught FOUR times with this rig. %^$#@&^ Caddy trailers.

Anyway he laughed it off and I go grumpier and we travelled on.

Just as I exited from the Nine Mine Beach turnoff I pulled over to allow an ambulance, who was coming up behind rapidly, to pass and unfortunately we came across the scene of an accident where a bike rider was laying in the middle of the road being attended to by the ambulance.This was the first accident we had seen on the Island and most people appear to be very cautious on the roads down here.

We turned off to Coles Bay and only had a quick look as the weather was closing in all the scenery was covered in low cloud but decided to continue on to Bicheno for the night. We are currently camped in a sports ground right on the foreshore with the wind blowing and rain falling, probably the heaviest rain we have experienced so far but still relatively light. John, Kay and Gizmo (the ferocious guard dog) and Keith and Beth are also in camp here so we enjoyed a happy hour last night and caught up on the gossip that inevitably come from travelling and not seeing each other for a long time.