25May2011 - First run in the new camper, a round-a-bout way to Launceston for a birthday party weekend. I headed to Cozy Corner near The Gardens in NE Tasmania. About 5 hours driving, with a couple of stops for photos, plus a lunch break at Spiky Beach (opposite Spiky Bridge), a spectacular bit of coastline which overlooks Great Oyster Bay and the Hazards. Some excellent photos!
Set up near the beach with the sound of the surf pelting in. It will take a while learning the setup routine, which will include re-arranging where some gear is stored: More on that later when I get it worked out. Tried a bit of fishing but didn't have any bait and they weren't touching artificial lures.
Dark came early, so I went to bed early - not the least because the drive was a bit exhausting. The sound of the surf was not unlike a strong wind, however the wind was actually very light wind so no worries about losing my poptop. Slept very well, until nearly 7am! Cold when I got up but soon dressed & had the kettle on - note to self: work out how to boil kettle quicker! The coffee was enough to 'kick start' me, so I left for my next planned stop - the Croppies Point side of Waterhouse Point, where we had anchored on our last Tasmanian Circumnavigation and we had an excellent feed of flathead and squid.
There was a 6 km stretch of bone rattling washboard road to Waterhouse Point Reserve, and THEN signs saying the roads were unsuitable for any but 4WD, so I turned around & headed back over the same 6km of washboard road. I decided to drive to Launceston.
The van went well, some rattles to be sorted, I don't know if it is the road or it has some sort of vibration inherent - on smooth roads it is fine. The seat is a bit funny, with a 'list to port' so will need to be looked at. Also, the coolant indicator came on so I added some water & fixed it. It is not an indicator I was familiar with, so I stopped & looked it up in the manual. On the run home from Launceston the van ran much smoother than when starting out, so the few days running were a tonic. A few things to sort out on the pre-departure service.
