Camping has long been one of our happy family activities and our enthusiasm for this was renewed after our exciting time in Yellowstone Park, America. On our return home we converted our van to provide extra comforts in consideration for the years added, with both grandchildren being enthusiastic overseers and helpers. Excitement rose as we made our plans for their first camping experience. As an introduction to this holiday style - Camping 101 - and, catering to their love of the beach, we decided to go up the highway for about an hour to our favourite local beach on the Sunshine Coast, Dicky Beach.
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| Dicky Beach, Caloundra |
Dicky Beach is popular with families because of the alternative water for the littlies to play as well as the skate park, barbecues, Surf Club and Lifesaver Patrols as well as shower facitities. The Surf Club here was named Queensland's best Surf Life Saving club in 2009. There are other beaches nearby which was useful once a few years ago when we had to exit the water because a shark was spotted!
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| Our campsite set up |
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| Camper Van comforts |
Once we were set up we headed to the beach.
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| Dicky Beach, Caloundra |
Dicky Beach is named after an iron ship, SS Dicky, which ran aground in a storm in 1893. Apparently it was refloated but turned around and again became stuck in the sand and the decision was made to leave it there.
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| SS Dicky shipwreck, Caloundra |
We had had some days of high winds so the surf was still quite strong and sometimes dumpy.
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| Picking a wave to ride |
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| That was fun! |
Fearlessly heading out to the big waves the youngestone looks for a wave assisted by Mum.
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| There's a wave coming! |
Holding on tight, he rides right up the beach! Again and again!
Not so lucky with the next wave which is a dumper. Dad races to the rescue but undeterred he gets up and heads back out for another one.
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| A Dumper Wave |
After a while and being dumped twice the red "rescue board" is handed over to someone else to ride and he heads to calmer waters.
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| Wave Rider champion! |
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| Calmer waters |
It was great to see all of the family have fun riding the waves!
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| Wave riding, Dicky Beach, C |
On another day we went into Caloundra town to Kings Beach. This is a very much larger beach and is always crowded with swimmers. This is the main part of the holiday town of Caloundra with many high rise apartments, resturant and cafes and shops catering to seaside holidaymakers.
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| Kings Beach, Caloundra |
Kings Beach also has a lovely pool on the foreshore - a great place to simply relax afrer fun riding the waves on the beautiful beach.
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| Pool at Kings Beach, Caloundra |
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| Play fountain, Kings Beach, Caloundra |
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| Bungy Trampoline, Kings Beach |
Our short beach camping trip was so much fun that the children are trying to negotiate their way into another trip as soon as possible. The family camping tradition has been passed on !
