This morning at Dicky Beach CP was cold, I had to wear tracky pants and top while packing up, but by departure time, it was back to shorts and tee shirt again.

I woke Marg about 6:30am, and after packing up, we left Dicky Beach just on 9am. The drive to the Gold Coast was good, there were no traffic holdups and that new Gateway Bridge is bloody impressive. We stopped at the Yatala Service Centre and I was so pissed with myself, while driving through the service centre, I misjudged a corner and the front right wheel of the fiver clipped the concrete guttering. End result was a big bang, the tyre blew and it appears that I may have stuffed the rim as well.
I was so f***ing well pissed off with myself.
Anyway, I changed the wheel and we arrived at Broadwater Touris Park without any further drama. As we booked in, we extended our stay from 7 weeks to 7 weeks 4 days, now leaving on Sat 25th Sep.

Luke rode down on his new motorbike Kawasaki 600 rocket to see us, while we were setting up camp. It was great to see him, even though, we did see him last Friday, as he is currently on holidays. By mid afternoon, we were both relaxing on our lounges in the sun, reading. Can life get any better??? I doubt it.

Tomorrow, nothing is planned.

No photos for today.

I awoke about 6:30am, and finally got up about 7:30 ish. After seeing how beautiful the weather was, I decided that it was time to break out my trusty steed and go riding. I was dressed and left camp shortly after. Along the bikepath heading towards Surfers, as I was about to cross the bridge over the Nerang river, I noticed there was a bird nest up the top of a pole, it appears that it is a sea eagle's nest. As I rode under it, I noticed that one of the birds were standing on the nest about 100 feet above the ground, I thought that I will take a photo when I return, but you guessed it, upon my return the birds were nowhere to be seen. ohh well, I have over 7 weeks to capture these birds. My new mission.
Anyway, I continued along the bikepath, stopping at the Southport Yacht Club, there were heaps of yachts there, that had competed in the Sydney to Gold Coast Yacht Race which ended last weekend. I then continued on my way to the end of the Gold Coast seaway.
Marg and I visited Australia Fair Shopping Centre for some shopping and we also voted in person for the 21st August election. During the afternoon, I was laying on my lounge reading my book. Life is tough!!!

Around 5:30pm, we drove over to Jay and Luke's home to wish Jay, a Happy Birthday.

I awoke about 6:30am, and sneak out of bed and dressed into my cycling gear and tried to leave the fiver without waking Marg, it didn't work. Anyway, after breakky, I rode off to the Seaway, first thing I noticed was, it was bloody cold, I was wearing a short sleeve and a long sleeve jersey, but the chill still got through. First stop was the osprey's nest, I noticed that one of the parents were home and attending to something. I still don't know if there are any chicks, I assume that there is by all the activity. I stopped on the bridge and took some photos, well stopped on the bikepath on the bridge. Next stop was the end of the spit and the ocean was like a mill pond with a nice 2-3ft shore break and a slight ocean swell. Check out the photos, it was just so beautiful and lovely, sitting on the seaway and watching the water. I watched a few boats come in and go out the seaway. There was a single surf skier who paddled out the seaway and headed south towards Surfers. I watched a boat approach from a speck on the horizon to passing me in the seaway. On the way back, I checked out Seaworld and my highlight was both ospreys were in the nest.

The rest of the day was spent visiting car dealers trying to find a suitable car for the boys, to use as a station runabout. I am still looking and will be happy when we find a suitable car.

Tomorrow, visiting car dealers for something different.

I awoke about 6:30am, and snuck out of bed and dressed into my cycling gear and tried to leave the fiver without waking Marg, it didn't work. One day I may succeed. This is starting to be my normal morning routine, having breakky, then riding off to the Seaway, I wore my spray jacket to ward off the breeze. When I returned from my ride, I dropped Marg at the casino, then I went to look at a car but was told that it had been sold. Bugger. So after visiting a number of car yards, I found a commodore that appears suitable. Jay and I took it for a drive and there are a few things to be rectified and then it should be ours. We will know sometime next week. I eventually picked Marg up from the casino at 1:40pm and we then stopped at Australia Fair, for a late lunch and then back to camp, I finished my book "The Brethren by John Grisham", it was great as usual. I think that I will be in bed early tonight, as I am buggered after a busy day visiting car yards.

Tomorrow, I plan to do sweet FA.

I am in a routine now, wake up about 6:30am, try and sneak out of bed without waking Marg and get dressed into my cycling gear, have breakky and then unchain my heart, sorry, unchain my bike, without waking the caravan park.

My route is from the Caravan Park south along the bikepath to the Gold Coast Bridge over the Nerang River, say good morning to the Ospreys, see if there is any different action, maybe a glimpse of a baby. I will keep looking, it's a bit hard when their nest is about 100 feet above the ground. Anyway I digress, strange that, over the bridge turn left ride past the Southport Yacht Club and Marina, check out any interesting boats that I haven't seen before. Left the bikepath and ride along Seaworld Drive, past Mariner's Cove, Fisherman's Wharf, Hog's Breath cafe, the Sheraton Mirage Resort, Marina Mirage, Parlazzo Versace onto the Sea World Resort and finally arriving at the Gold Coast Seaway about 9.5kms from camp. It's a great ride, very scenic with heaps of distractions. It usually takes approx 1 hour to do the 19kms return trip.
When I got back, Marg was vacuuming the fiver and as she was well and truly in the mood for vacuuming, she then did the inside of the mighty Navara.

Tomorrow, we plan to do sweet FA.

I am in a routine now, slept in until 7:30am, try and sneak out of bed without waking Marg and get dressed into my cycling gear, have breakky and then unchain my bike, without waking the caravan park. Didn't work, Marg was awake before I left watching Weekend Sunrise in bed.

I rode my normal route along bikepath and roads to the seaway. Today, while sitting at the end of the seaway, I noticed a larger than normal boat approaching from the south. As it got closer I recognised it, as the Restaurant boat that has been moored beside Shed 9 opposite the NAB Docklands, for many years. I don't think it has ever left dock, while I was at Docklnads. There were some friends or rels of the crew out on the end of the seaway and they told me that the boat left Docklands on Tuesday and it arrived at the seaway at 8:15am, not a bad time for that distance. They also said that it will work out of Southport as a restaurant type boat. So there you go, never a dull moment.
Picture this, light breeze, sunny with no clouds, so after I finished my ride, Marg and I walked along the sand to Australia Fair, to buy our ingredients for tonight's dinner. While standing in the queue at Woollies, Luke rang to say that he was at our camp, so he came and picked us up, he and Jodie stayed for an hour or so, but only wanted to ask Marg how to cook something or other. When they left, I am on the laptop,updating our website and Marg is outside looking for sapphires in some of her bags of wash. We also rang Keith and Lucy, who we met last year at Mount Isa and who live on the Gold Coast, they were home and are popping in this afternoon.

Tomorrow, we plan to do sweet FA.

I am in a routine now, slept in until 7:30am, try and sneak out of bed without waking Marg and get dressed into my cycling gear, have breakky and then unchain my bike, without waking the caravan park. Didn't work, Marg was awake before I left watching Sunrise in bed.

I rode my normal route along bikepath and roads to the seaway. Today, I rode into the Gold Coast Fishing Co-Op, fresh King prawns for $28 a kilo, we will buy some soon, so Marg can make her ;world famous' prawn cocktail. They are absolutely yumma.
Back at camp, after I showered and we cleaned up the fiver, we then drove to Helensvale Shopping Centre to buy some vitamins at GNC, we had lunch at Michel's Paterisse and then walked around the shopping centre and checked it out. We did come across the Mt Tamborine Fudge shop, big mistake, 6 pieces of fudge later, we left Helensvale.
During the afternoon, we walked along the beach up to the pier opposite Australia Fair, then the clouds came and the temperature started to drop.

Tomorrow, we plan to do sweet FA.

I am in a routine now, slept in until 7:30am. It rained all night and this morning, so the fearless cyclist, rolled over and went back to sleep. Ohh, did I tell you that I am a fair weather cyclist.

Last night about 10:30 while I was trying to get to sleep, the wind came up strong enough, that I had to get up and wind the awning in. What a pain, as I was outside, it started to rain, so I got damp. It was a very mild night only a single blanket and no sleeping bag.

This morning, Marg and I went to Australia Fair shopping centre about 10:30am to waste some time, so we walked around and window shopped and finally had some lunch. Back at camp, we watched some episodes of The Mentalist while van bound by the rain outside. Marg has been cooking a casserole all afternoon and the smell is yumma.

Tomorrow, we plan to do sweet FA.