We awoke to a dull overcast day but fortunately it was dry. As a result of driving through to Port Augusta we were about 3 hours in front of plan. We refuelled the motorhome and then headed into Port Augusta and restocked our supplies at Coles.
Port Augusta to our overnight stop was a two hour drive and prior to arriving at Quorn, “She” spotted smoke on the horizon which turned out to be a steam train (Pichi Richi Railway). We turned the motorhome around and headed back down the road to photograph the steam train as it passed through a rail crossing. After another trip back down the road, further photographs were taken. At this point we met another motorhome owner who passed comment about the repair done to one of the windows. His motorhome had the same windows and he believes from his experience that this type of window can leak if the securing screws become loose. Problem can be solved by using a sealer in addition to tightening the window screws.
We experienced a fair amount of rain during the trip from Port Augusta to Rawnsley Park Station. When we arrived at the turnoff to Rawnsley Park, we were greeted with a very wet and rough gravel road into the caravan park. Ten minutes later we were at the office of the caravan park and “Blue Snoopy” was now “Brown Snoopy” with virtually every panel covered in mud.
Whilst the rain had stopped, it was early in the afternoon and we decided to spend the afternoon relaxing with a game and a couple of drinks. There was no mobile phone coverage, and to the best of our knowledge, no television or internet and to make matters worse, the weather was setting in, our intention to fly over Wilpena Pound was grounded due to the weather and also the minor fact that the airstrip here was dirt and was exceptionally wet.
The time was also taken to tighten all the window screws so the afternoon would not be lost entirely. At this time, Due to the weather conditions and the likely impact on our plans for our stay in the Flinders Ranges, “He” considered leaving and moving on to where there would be more activities available.
We had a late dinner after meeting some other campers in the camp kitchen and we also decided to attempt to use the satellite dish to watch “Sea Patrol”. For reasons that we still cannot explain, “He” managed to locate the Optus satellite first go and we had a picture 10 seconds after turning on the receiver
As an American who has gotten hooked on Sea Patrol I have to say I just laugh at how non-American it is.
Of course it is non-American as it is made of, by and for Australians, so I wouldn’t expect or want it to be anything but Australian in mentality. And I do appreciate the realism that they approach how the Australian Navy actually does things.
But what I mean about laughing at how non-American the show is it like you have them go after some ship that they suspect is doing something like I don’t know drug running, running guns, illegal fishing or whatever and they yell out a warning for the ship to stop so it can be boarded. And, then if they are “really” serious they might fire some warning shots 20 meters or so in front of the ship but after that if the ship doesn’t slow down it’s like oh well we have tried, guess that’s all we can do.
Why would the people on the suspected ship be afraid of some warning shots if they know that the ship won’t take it to the next level? They would know it is a big bluff on the part of the Australian Navy
At least during the first season when they do board a ship the boarding party didn’t even carry firearms. I found that hilarious.
Again, I appreciate the realism in how they really respond but if it was the American Navy or Coast Guard we wouldn’t stop at “warning shots”.
I remember one show where they retreated from boarding an illegal fishing ship just because the crew was throwing stuff at them and pushing them away with sticks.
Trust me, try that with a US Coast Guard ship and you will get a boatload of bullets.
And it so often seems that to have drama in the show they have the Navy personnel do some of the dumbest of things. For example when they have civilians on board they give them the run of the ship without any supervision or at the very least don’t watch them as closely as they should.
I think I enjoy the show just because of the stupidity shown in it. Again, I am glad they do show how the Australian Navy really works, but their “stop or we will yell stop again” attitude just makes the show so damn funny.