March 21, 1986

Catherine Hill Bay Day Trip

Perhaps I should explain a few things.

Firstly, I normally take my own vehicle on club trips. Unfortunately, some fool in a half-car (2WD) decided to customise my front end last month, so CB2801 was taking a short holiday at the panel beaters. It would be there for a week, and it had to be this week, to be back in time for the Easter Jamboree. So it was No Car.

Secondly, this silly daylight savings business of moving clocks forward or backwards or upside-down or something, was a bit too confusing and so I didn't get time to get any lunch together before I left, and I couldn't talk mum into doing it for me. So it was No Food.

Finally, the Education Department, who supposedly pay me, didn't. So it was No Money.

Get the picture? No car, no food, no money.

Now if anyone ever passes comment on the Hilux drivers that you need a Suzuki to be in the Suzuki club, just laugh at them… I've proved you don't even need a car at all!

Anyway, thanks to the gracious offer of David Brooks and his son Derryn, I found myself a lift up the coast to Catherine Hill Bay. And just to push my luck, I even took my surfboard. We got to the meeting place right on time to find Darryl and Cheryl, The Twins and a friend, and Kevin, Gail and Rodney. I'm really glad that McDonalds was shut because had it been open I would have been SO hungry!

We waited for a while for all the people who said they were going to turn up but of course didn't, and then it was time to hit the road, Jack.

We arrived at Catherine Hill Bay and drove around to check the place out. Derryn thought it was great; he was jumping around excitedly in the back seat (or maybe that was just the standard Sierra suspension?). David drove really well and I think he was just kidding when he said he hadn't done much 4WDing.

Anyhow, we checked out the caves and had a surf and had a drive. (I even got to drive the twins' cars - so far so good!) Then ee stopped for lunch. OK, this is where you start to feel a bit guilty when people start offering you lunch… their lunch! Unfortunately, although I felt guilty, I also felt hungry, and hungry won.

After a further drive, I ended up driving Darryl's car, which was very nice of him to let me. Maybe I won't embarrass him by mentioning how he almost got stuck at the bottom of a quite steep hill.

I also won't bother telling everyone what a nice place it is, or about the great sea caves, or what Sally said about the nudists on the beach (suffice to say that it was worth a good "whipping"!) And I won't tell about the great ice cream at the Oak shop on the way back, or what Cheryl looks like in a cossie. (No, I just made that up!)

I won't tell you any of that, because if people were really interested in what happened on club trips, they'd go on the bloody things. Let's just say that it was an enjoyable day for all those who went.

Thanks again to everyone who lent me cars, food and money for an ice cream. There's always a spare seat in my Sierra.

Chris Betcher
March 1986