On Monday 2/4. the final event of the Australia 3/4 Day was at Curryjong Rivulet north east of Hobart via Sorrell.  As we drove past the airport there was a shuddering in the force as many Orienteers passing the road to Seven Mile Beach and the infamous Pittwater Dunes map remembered the last time we were here. It bucketed rain and blew a howling gale such that two controls along the beach became impossible to reach.

A much more pleasant venue to- day in a private adventure park and surrounding bush. Catering from the café included a sea food platter and the bar was open. The visible control on top of the scrambling nets of the obstacle course caused only momentary amusement as we were remembering April Fools day until a gaggle of finishers appeared and began to climb up and over. Fortunately it was only for the 21 Sledge.

Despite the trashy under foot conditions times were coming up as very quick. I had few problems early on and it was not until control 6 that I stopped, I was sure I was in the right spot, looking for a “special object.”  Earlier on I had seen a control at a toilet tent erected in the middle of nowhere to replace a “special object” that had been removed since the mapper finished his map.  It wasn’t  until Peter Dalwood and I saw some one punch a control hidden low in the grass that we found this metre long length of shade cloth over a 50cm high frame that we realised that the special object was a “Pheasant nesting box” clearly described on page 826 of the course planners notes that no one ever reads.

But soon it was done, all in safe with some good results for DROC. Both Helen Walpole and Ian Dias on the podium in their first major carnival, Pam very pleased with her last run and Simon not so pleased. It was my best of the four days and got me close to the top half in the overall and Peter Dalwood also close to where he hoped to be. Asha has also made the JWOC team to run for Australia so you all have to buy more limes and jams so we can give her some funding.

Macaroni Cheese with chicken for tea with the half bottle of Pinot that Pete D cant take back on the plane. We leave on the ferry tomorrow, plenty of room for half bottles and as I have plenty of broadband left there are plenty of photos with this blog.

There is also good news about Bob Moore. Scans cleared him of neck damaged and he was discharged that evening to his great relief as his daughter is on the nursing staff at the Hobart hospital and was expected to have become a bit bossy

Hope  you have all had a pheasant time reading of our adventures.

More soon.

Peter and Ilze.