Christmas 2021 Jane and Ants

Witchelina, BIG sky country

 

Here we are at Witchelina, 900 kms North of Kangaroo Island, for the Christmas New Year period. Hot weather, miles from the nearest people and 80 kms to the outback town of Marree.  We have quite an amazing and busy year behind us.

Jane enrolled in a full time art diploma at Adelaide College of the Arts so spent about 35 weeks in Adelaide and got to know the Sealink ferry/bus people pretty well. Stayed in Adelaide Monday to Friday with friends Michael and Jill (it now feels like a second home, they are the best hosts ever). Jane is still enrolled so leaving the possibility of continuing in the future (maybe) part-time but for now she will try and "consolidate her learning". A few examples of some of the things tried are shown below.

Jane's Mixed Media artwork "Mind the Gap"shoeing three of six Portraits of commuters on the Outer Harbour train line Jane was using to get to Adelaide College of the Arts. Jane won first prize in a recent Kangaroo Island Art Society Exhibition for this work.

A hand painted etching of Jane's with the title "Hooded Plovers and Cars don't mix"

Jane's final jewellery presentation, the Seagrass series, 3 silver rings.

That didn't seem to stop us doing plenty of extra curricular activities.

Dragon Boating at American River on the island

We continued to be campground hosts with stops on the River Murray (Katarapko park), the Fleurieu Peninsular (Deep Creek CP) and in September Port Lincoln NP. Very varied experiences and worthwhile to help our Parks system.

Ants and Kimberley at Deep Creek

Did I mention we bought a new boat. One wet day in January this boat just turned up on our computer and so quick drive post lockdown to Melbourne and we owned "Karrpa", a 40 year old NZ built sloop in excellent condition. She is a great sailing boat and when engineless for 200 miles on the way home with Ants and Russell on board (small problem with an exhaust valve ending up in the cylinder!) proved easy to sail in light and fresh winds. Since then Ants has sailed KI Adelaide a couple of times and done a week with Kerry to the Banks group and South Neptune Is. We sold "Skye", the SS 30 in just a few days but "Le Bateau" the Atlantic crossing centreboarder is still languishing in Trinidad with no end in sight.

Karrpa

A big event this year was becoming RMs (Rotational Managers) for the Nature Foundation. We were in the right spot, asked the right questions ( and presumably gave the right answers) and after the interview were offered our position. Basically about 13 couples share the management role of 2 outback properties all year in 1 or 2 week rotations. So we will spend about 8 weeks throughout the year being caretakers of these very large properties set aside to conserve/preserve the outback of South Australia. We love the country, the ethos behind it, and being able to help preserve some of our State's environment.

Fence repairing at Hiltaba, Jane liked using the staple gun!

Hiltaba Station

When back home on KI we are still involved in KIBug (bike user group), Dragon boating, the walking club, a book club and an occasional film club gathering. Don't forget our garden and grass control and our dear chooks.

Witchelina 20 mile Hill

To round off the year and relax after Jane's college finished we went with Kimberley to Canunda National Park for a few days in the SE of SA. A very different park of dunes, sand and limestone sandwiched between the Southern Ocean and long fresh water lakes. New territory for all of us and great fun.

Canunda NP

Ants and Kimberley. Semaphore Jetty sunset walk

Mambray Creek NP BBQ dinner on the way north

Josh and his girlfriend Hollie have been stuck in Melbourne most of the year but should be in Adelaide for Christmas. Hopefully we can catch up on the way back to KI just after New Year. Travelling to or from Melbourne has been problematic (or not possible) most of the time.

We also decided we could possibly get a better car for our camping/travelling so are in the process of buying a VW Amarok single cab ute and will build our own lightweight slide on camper. Maybe it is just a project to keeps Ants busy, but that is a good thing.

So next year at home sometimes with Jane following up her art, some sailing, kayaking and walking planned and more trips as RMs. Looking forward to catching up with some of you and talking about something other than Cxxxx19 !!

Early Morning walking the hills in Hiltaba looking for Yellow Footed Rock Wallabies