Vleesbaai trip report: 19-21 March 2011

Hello  once again to all the members who could and who could’nt join us on the Vleesbaai  trip.

First all I would like to say that the trip just fab, a absolute great group,  all very funny and nice people.

Now let’s get started, we all met as planned on time, some even at the cost of having to leave the coffee que without  their coffee to make the departure dead line at 6 am from the Engen One Stop N1.( Thanks to the dedication and commitment from Salome’ now only half a wake but present with out her coffee) or shoes.

Quick drivers briefing for new and the old, radio check and we were off.   It took a while before the radio valves warmed up and the banter began (Thanks  Troy for managing to rent a radio and keeping in touch with mad crew).

5 vehicles left the N1 RV  point and 6^th (candy man) joined the convoy at Rawsonville having left from Paarl. We continued   to Montagu on the  R62 for our breakfast “pad kos” stop just after the tunnel coming into Montigue  to bypass the stop/go  

inconvenience’s on the N2  and those in need of a body break or who didn’t have any pad kos made a short and precise stop in Robertson to  make themselves comfortable and joined the group having  breakie under the trees on the RHS after the short rock  tunnel entering Montagu.

Right all awake, gut and bladders restocked we departed  for Barrydale and took the turn off to Tradouw Pass down towards Heidelberg , Some were in the pass we stopped for photo session at a beautiful seated and wooded picnic area that had a waterfall cascading through the rocks and thick vegetation, just to pragtig for words. With all this beauty around us the group spirits started to bond,(that’s not from the bottle to the gut juices) and the  excitement was all around and lekker.  We then proceeded onto Heidelberg and on to the dreaded N1 to embrace the “stop/go”  where  we  were  held up for about 20 minutes( not at gun point, just park and wait in the sun, about the same feeling)  This back route is well sign posted and worth  the nominal extra Kilometers.

Once through the various “stop/go’s” we called in at Albertinia for all the usual dinge.(extra this and extra that, final fuel etc) and I must say the Albertinia Butcher is a must, Baie lekker wors manne at only R42/kg, the weekend was just too short to try the lamb chops that I had bought because the Croc and Mark caught  fresh cob/samon/kabeljou and this was braaied fresh from the sea to the coals,, oooh so lekker lekker.  Having done several fishing trips before, this is a rarely occurs, as we seldom catch anything and we were  quite  un prepared for the catch of the day to be our supper,  but the forces and the ever so bright and happy Solame’ who just about has everything in the Fortuner/supermarket came to the rescue with limes to top off the fresh, ooh so  fresh vis ( by now I recon there would be one guy who  would be licking his chops for that vis, sorry Gunner, I just had to get that in and excuse the pun,  maybe next time you might be able to join us.)

Well that was some detour on the trip report and I will get back on track soon,   I was just dying  to share the  fishing info for the obvious reason (we never catch anything, until we took the wives along.)

Back to the trip, bought what was left in Albertinia and headed for the lovely and quite coastal village of Vleesbaai where we met our host Chrisilda, who took us to our own camping spot which was very private and with all modern conveniences, somewhat rural, but all very clean, working and neat. Our travelling time was spot on as we arrived at exactly the pre determined arrival time even with the stop/start delays. The enthusiastic campers started to set up camp while one or two tried to source alternative brick tent accommodation.(no names please) With the possibility of been labelled a woosy a tent miraculously appeared popped up right next to the Fortuner/supermarket, how about that. All I can say, the magic is still out there.

Now that the defensive campsite was set up in a perfect larger, larger/vino began to flow  and you can say the spirits where finally united in the right body compartments.

As planned, the remaining afternoon was designated as free time to do whatever you like and so Charlie, Mark, Croc and Trevor went off to try their hand at fishing and was pleasantly surprised,  everybody  joined in and  made the trip to the beach to support the eager fishermen.  Even though the water, tide and weather were perfect, we only caught no edible fish like sand sharks which we returned to the sea to secure our bounty at a later time.

Later on Saturday about 6-30pm the camp fire was lit and the gathering of the souls commenced, with  the gourmet chefs hard at work eagerly to please one another  over the coals, mean while the whisky and other beverages just disappeared into happiness. Manne I am serious, this is exzackery how it happened, supper done and tomorrows  trail discussed we all had an early night, say +- 10pm nighty nighty.

Sunday arrives with a stunning day, coffee and quick breakie we where off to the dunes to meet Riekie  our  guide, all signed in, rules etc and Riekie took us all off into the dunes. After about half way through and happy to leave us to our own devices he left us at the 4x4 play ground to have some fun. We were not with out incidence, poor old Tarzan, once again had his tyre pop on the rim or maybe a slow/fast puncture. Our guide in his LC Bakkie had plenty of air supply to remedy the problem and we were off again and then something most unusual to the surprise of everybody, a yell comes over the radio “did you guys go left or right I am lost” and that was after our brief to concentrate, stay close together and no drinking and driving.( The author was offered a bribe not to print the culprits name, who would have the heart to do that).

After plenty of  bends, up’s  and downs in the sand and bush we finally arrived at the beach right on the sea to relax and have a picnic lunch, also a small bevie(dop) which was not for the reward of what we had completed but to get some courage for what lay ahead to get out and home. Manne, this was a dune, a moorsa dune .  Of course lunch was very short lived as the adrenaline was pumping to break this dune’s  back, and so one Fortuner was let free to mount the monster, juslike manne that Fortuner took off like wind hont and made it easily with rear diff loc and again without diffloc (very impressed with the little car, um vehicle, ag man I will say it “Toyota Fortuner” dam good vehicle) and now comes some more impressive news the Cherokee flew up as well. Croc”s disco was almost at the top when the landy dug in (you travel about 250-300 metres to get to the top) as I stopped and looked back and the thought of reversing all that way back, a yell from the ones who had made it “lets tow in up , he is so close” and at that, the disco roared into life and completed the task at hand.(I silently thanked the old dicsco for not letting the team down) On brave Charlies 2 nd attempt there was a loud mechanical bang and it was all over for the soldier as he had to limp home after minor surgery  under medical/ mechanical attention until major surgery can be afforded(new or recon front diff)eina R$R$. A very big thank you to Riekie for all the  help

and assistance, oil, Pratley putty etc.

All was not lost after completing/concouring the Vleesbaai Dunes we headed home to reconcile and debrief  on our do’s and don’t”s for future experience, a quick dop, collect fishing gear and we off to the beach. Some went fishing (results of the fishing was the lekker kabeljou we caught) and some went visiting and others just clutched out at camp, lekker man.  

This brings the trip to its conclusion, Sunday night we had once again a lekker full moon and a perfict camp fire done by the woman, what more can and man wish for( Ja,I know you manne might want one more wish, we will save that for next time). The convoy members  had some different plans of which way we should go home, Its  a relatively  free and democratic country until you travel with Yours Truely, He goes back the planed route. So each to his own and without arguments we all got home safely, even the mal Charlie in 2 wheel drive and hole in the front of the diff that looks like a 5’0 browning hit it.

Yours  and out Croc.

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