Double Island Point Christmas Party 09

For Grant and Kim Rogers and their daughters Shay and Alana and also Dave Gibson their camping weekend started on the Tuesday before. They were both in their lifted RS Turbo Lib wagons. It was Grant and Kim’s first trip after fitting a new Jap import engine. So when everybody else started to arrive on Friday and Saturday they were well and truly set up with their campers and shelters. One of the first crew to arrive on Friday was Sunshine Coast members Owen and Renee Johnson in their well setup L 89 wagon fitted with a lift kit, a neat stainless steel snorkel and a full length alloy roof rack that Owen all made. Big John Mckenna in his Rodeo with the Tray On camper fitted was one of the next to arrive about lunch time he had travelled up the inland track the Cooloola Way. Trip Leaders Bryan and Bec Neilsen, lifted RS Turbo wagon towing their new off road camper and Darren Woods in his lifted Impreza wagon and David Martin in his Buggy were the next to arrive they had travelled in on the freshwater track. Next to arrive later in the evening was team vomitron Rik and Lisa Close and their three kids, lifted Lib RX wagon. They had travelled up the beach towing their off road camper. Rik said they took their time, being dark and it was about four hours after high tide and the beach was still narrow and rough. They had a short delay on the track into Freshwater the camp spot as there were some bogged cars in the way. After everybody had set up we spent a relaxing night sitting and chatting at Grant and Kim’s camp. One of the topics of conversation was watching Kim cook some giant lamb shanks on the bbq that Fred Flintstone would be proud of.

Our plans for Saturday was to do the scavenger hunt that Bryan and Bec had organised, with most of the inland tracks still closed due to the recent bushfires we were restricted to the beach. They had put some thought into it and made it pretty hard we had find things like pipy shells and an S shaped piece of driftwood, take a photo of a National Parks Ranger and a boat on the water. Before we set off Steve and Rachel Curry arrived for the day in Steve’s new 98 diesel Hilux dual cab, they had travelled in on the freshwater track. First we headed south down to the Kings Bore track turn off, where we meet up with Rod Viertel in his newly lifted Outback H6, with Dave Gibson built strut top blocks. Then we headed north to the Rainbow beach side of Double Island Point for a swim in the calm logoon. We were told you can still drive on the beach to Rainbow dead on low tide. The beach is narrow and you have to weave your way around some of the fallen trees. Also with the soft dry sand on all the beach access tracks all sorts of vehicles were getting bogged, Daz went to the rescue of a LandRover Defender who could not select low range.

We arrived back at camp for lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. It was a bit of a change from driving the inland tracks for most of the day. That night back at Grant and Kim’s again, Bryan and Bec did the points tally for the scavenger hunt. It was a close thing the winners were team V the Closes, it came down to who had the most best piece of S shaped drift wood. Second was Owen and Renee, third was Daz Woods, all the winners received Suncoast Classic rally shirts. The Christmas hamper winners were Owen and Renee, they said they were surprised as they never seem to win anything. Later in the night the glow sticks came out and Dave Gibson managed to get covered in the stuff, you could say he glowed in the dark.

Sunday dawned fine and clear, the weather report said there was a wind warning from DIP to Coolangatta, which helped keep the temperature down a bit. We went out for a short drive on the beach and another swim. Back at camp with low tide around 11.30 am everybody decided to pack up. The northern crew set off into Rainbow Beach for lunch, so did the Rogers and Dave Gibson they still had another day to go as they were leaving on Monday. Team V and David Martin decided to travel down the beach, it was well past low tide but going was good. Big John travelled back home via the Cooloola Way again. With everybody on their way home, another successful DIP trip drew to a close.

Thanks to everybody for coming and to Bryan and Bec for doing all the organising.