Family Camp 2012

The family camp this year was full of fun. The deluxe cabins of Birubi Beach Holiday Park lived up to their description and met the standard one might anticipate to get. The venue, without doubt, was well chosen. My last visit to Anna Bay was back in 1998 when pippies were still abundantly found when we dug our fingers into the sand. We were choosy about the size and could take 50 shells away without flouting the law. With the shrinking number of everything save for human beings, pippies are on the brink of extinction otherwise end up in the gourmet’s stomach. Culinary feat being simple or subtle has no bearing at all about their palatable flavor.

It was the first time I had ridden on the 4WD tramping the sand dunes. Though not as exciting as I envisaged, it was still very enjoyable. The driver cum tour guide explained to us about the wildlife habitat while the bus shuddered and staggered to climb the sky pointing slope in full strength. The Tin City was suddenly in sight. The remnants of the 1930 Depression where the poor migrated there to rely on the mercy of nature was still there resisting insurmountably, following the trait of the ancient mariners. The ramshackle tin houses were primitive and yet self-contained. One day, when nature takes its course, everything will be buried underneath and becomes part of history. The climax of the tour was sand boarding. You could play as many times as you liked if you were not freaking out or tired out climbing the slope to the top to enjoy another slip from above. Cascade of descending boards accompanied by screams or swallowed fear of derailment poured down the sand slope in a mixture of joy and excitement. In split seconds, the bottom was there and the fear just dissipated the moment the board came to a halt. The excitement had overridden the residual fear and once again another climb and another dip, another scary slip.

Tomaree Head Lookout is an attraction in the surround. The summit is only 160 metres high and the climbing of the steps of steel did not meet with disappointment. Aussie Bob’s Fish and Chips was a good gourmet choice even gastronome with a Chinese stomach would not protest.

The fig farm at 3631 Nelson Bay Road was a nice experience even for non-fig lovers. After all figs picking is a rare event in Sydney. Figs are in season now. I was unfortunately left with few choices after our pioneer infantry group rampantly attacked the ripened ones. The half-ripened ones did not escape their plight either.

The oyster farms on Tilligerry Peninsula were such a disappointment. I was deprived the opportunity of tasting any of their oysters. It was the Aussie style of enjoying life rather than doing business to optimize the profit in the money grabbing era. They were closed for business even in the early afternoon on any day. I could only revisit Holberts and gulped down a couple of tens with aroma lingering in my mouth moments afterwards. Suffice it to say the price was not particular cheap but they were fresh and yummy. Holberts always reliably provides oysters all year round.

I was amazed to see the breeding of barramundi in the big bath tubs instead of fish ponds. Fish farming is now an industry purging nature like the baby barramundis’ purging process to manipulate the taste of the meat. While eating the fish with pleasure, the thought of how they are bred is displeasure.

Our memory of the three-day-trip will soon subside into fragmentized episodic memories of yet another event organized by Peter Look who at no time will be tired of nurturing us with merry making activities.

Summer comes and goes.
Peter looks after our soul,
Family Camp is a yearly event,
Come you can, no lament.