Well I woke a little tired after all that wine (and a little beer) yesterday but it was up bright and early as always to head off on another Bush Tucker Tour, this one involved Canoes and Caves. Now never having really been in either I was a little dubious, and as you all know I am not that keen on getting into the water, even though I love looking at it! So it was off to meet my lift at the top of the drive. As I didnt want to move Colin (I had got him nicely set up) the company offered to get someone to pick me up on the way through, as they had to go past. This person was to be Helen. And Helen, as I found out yesterday, is the owner of the company! And she wasnt on her way into work, she was taking her kids to school! She was a lovely lady and so were her kids and we had a great chat on the way to town!
With a return pick ip time arranged (bless you Helen!) I waited for our guide to arrive. There was also s lady there, Breta, from Switzerland who was travelling and she had done the canoe yesterday and was now waiting for a lift to the beach for a second go on her own! Lets just say she was a silver surfer!
Gordon the guide arrived and we went off the Prevelly Beach to meet the rest and get started. There was 7 of us, 8 including Gordon, and we divided into 2 canoes (thankfully I managed to get the canoe with Gordon in, thank god) and off we set up the Margaret River . It was great fun, the other group were shocking at steering their canoe and seemed to go better backwards! We had a few stops on the way and Gordon let us try some bush tucker (leaves and plants used for hundreds of years) and then it was time for lunch. What was amazing was that this area had a major bush fire at the end of November and the damage to the surrounding area and some homes was inreal, you can see in some of the pictures and the one that looks like a sand dune was actuallt one of the most densly wooded areas. There is some amazing regrowth already but one thing that cannot be salvaged are the homes that were lost. The pics are of a mansion worth 23million and the house next to it was the original house that was built here in in 18 someting when the Bussle's of Busselton settled here (you are getting history today) It is so sad to see as the original house had all the archives and pictures of that time.
After lunch and a swim (I paddled!) it was time to go into the small caves that are there. Really spooky but such fun! Then came the challenge - now was the time to crawl through one of the tunnels!! Eek! But in for a penny and all that, only one of us didnt, and we literally had to crawl and pull outselves along on our elbows! Great fun!
More swinning to clean off the muck and then back to the canoes for a race to the finish. Needles to say after some scullduggery we won!! Yay!! Bottle of plonk for a prize then back to town to wait for Helen.
When she got there we had to do several little detours, she gave me a guided tour of where the fires began (set by the government to promote regrowth believe it or not. Got that wrong), stopped at the venison farm so she could get her tea then back to the campsite forcan icecream with her and her daughter! Great lady with a fab company!
After washing the cave dust off me it was time to bbq so steak was the meal of the day, enjoyed with more wine, a gorgeous sunset and the company of a great family from Brisbane!
Then off to bed after planning my route for the next coupla days. Got to leave this great place in the morning but more of this great region to see!
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