2014 Club Weekend Away at Kingston SE

The annual club pilgrimage for 2014 was to the picturesque South East town of Kingston, where the club took up residence in the local caravan park for the weekend.

At the first rollcall on the evening of Friday 7 March eighteen of us fronted up in Don Brooks’ cabin to outline our plans for the weekend. 13 club members, two wives, and three guests made up the happy band of adventurers.

Club Members:

Donald Francis and Andrea Brooks
Robert Dettman and Rachel Dettman
Ross and Renee Holme
Ron Jackson and Marie Jackson
Paul O’Leary
Ross Pollock
Mark Ryan
Barbara and Keith Seidel
Peter Tiller
Aldo Trissi

Guests

Graham and Enid (have attend numerous weekends away with the club) as guests of Don and Andrea Brooks
David Thompson (has travelled from Melbourne to attend the last three weekends) as a guest of Paul O’Leary

After some healthy debate one contingent were headed for the Granites next morning, while six more adventurous spirits elected to try their luck at the nearby town of Robe. As ever a comprehensive map of possible photographic opportunities was provided for all and sundry to use or ignore at their peril.

The yearly port competition got underway first night this year with Graham obviously too good for the club members in this category winning the event. The evening broke up early as we all need our sleep before a busy (and for the more adventurous disgustingly early) day on the Saturday.

The Robe crew (the three who got up really early) were greeted with an overcast sky and no decent light for the sunrise expected. Photos ensured none the less and just as we were about to give up in disgust, salvation arrived in the form of Peter Tiller who bought about five minutes of great light with him to take his photos (the rest of us just took happy snaps around him).

Two more members in the form of Ross Pollock and Mark Ryan were lurking around the marina, with Ross up to his usual tricks of asking everyone if he could take their photograph. Some interesting shots will ensue I am sure.

Breakfast followed where five of us repaired to the Provodore for breakfast. Ross looking particularly happy with his selection.

A casual stroll around Robe provided a number of photographic opportunities even though the sun was rising and the light was less than benevolent.

Other members were out and about taking serious photos

or just pottering around

All in all a good day with members drifting back into the caravan park for a brief rest prior to venturing out for some sunset shots prior to the traditional get together in the local pub (in this case the Royal Coach Hotel) where both the food and drink menus were tested out by all attendees.

At this stage a few more adventurous spirits (pardon the pun) repaired to the local cemetery for some more experimental work. Not however before one Aldo Trissi was spotted by the local constabulary and pulled over for a breath analyser. We are not sure still whether he passed the test or talked his way out of it by explaining the relative merit of ISO 100 at F2.8 to ISO 3200 at F22 to convince the gendarmes he was sober. The less adventurous once again convened in Don’s cabin.

Day 2 started out in the same vein, early start for some; not so early for others.

Members spread out up and down the coast looking for the killer shot.