7 Feb 2012 to 10 Feb 2012 – Shoalhaven Ski Park,NSW

This is a lovely spot.  Lots of unpowered sites, as well as the usual permanent Ski Park holiday and weekend places.  Perched right at the edge of the Shoalhaven River, we had a lovely view of all the happenings on the water.  Thankfully (more by good planning really), we weren’t in residence for a weekend so the noise levels were very low.  The loudest sound was the odd fisherman running up and down the river in his tinnie!  No problems at all.



We took the opportunity to go out to HMAS Albatross, which is the home of the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
HMAS Albatross is the largest operational Naval establishment and the Navy's only Air Station.  The primary task of HMAS Albatross is to support the three Naval Air Squadrons, which provide air support to the fleet.
HMAS Albatross is also home to the Fleet Air Arm Museum (formerly known as, and now incorporating, Australia's Museum of Flight). The museum is a high profile tourist attraction and a visit is highly recommended.
We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and, especially for Rick, the trip down memory (both good and bad) lane.

Friday 10 February was the date of the get-together for the 1963 intake of Junior Recruits at Huskisson.  The organisers (Ron and his efficient team) had chosen the location because this was also the location of the memorial for HMAS Voyager, when she sank in February 1964.  The JR group attended the memorial held that night, which was the 48th anniversary of the sinking.  Although not large, the memorial ceremony was very moving.  For those who don’t know or remember, during the night of 10 February 1964, Voyager and the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne collided off Jervis Bay, when the destroyer passed in front of the carrier during post-refit sea trials. Voyager was cut in two by the collision, sinking with the loss of 82 of the 314 people aboard.