Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 550 i Caravan World

MURPHY’S LAW You’re all set for the big trip, the latest accessories are fitted and everything is checked and serviced. so what could go wrongB Well, plenty$ We all know the importance of mechanical checks and carrying the right gear. But as CW blogger Mohn Mack reminds us in a recent post, in our preparation we naturally focus on things we think could break down, ie., mechanical, structural or electrical components, but often don't consider what could go wrong with us or how we can make things worse with our own lack of skills, experience or attention to detail. scenarios where knowledge and experience are the missing ingredients, such as medical emergencies or using potentially dangerous recovery gear, can rapidly turn bad and Mohn encourages everyone to consider the Îhuman…

“The new Norfolk is a one-of-a-kind caravan that exudes luxury and functionality – just what you need when heading up and down rough and tough roads” Retreat Caravans' new Norfolk certainly epitomises the company's motto= luxury in motion. Combining a sturdy but sleek exterior with a deluxe interior, the 6.;m +22ft 7in, tandem-axle offroader is a lovable brute, which I took to the outskirts of the Yarra Valley to test, after hitching up from the Luxury RVs dealership in Croydon, Vic. The Norfolk is a perfectly well-equipped caravan with a good standard specification in its base model right, but our highly-speced test van was fitted with an extensive list of options not included in the $92,000 base price – making this one well kitted-out luxury home on wheels. OFFROAD CRED…

“What I like about this little Expanda is that it demonstrates that a practical family layout can be achieved in a relatively small pop-top caravan” These days, many caravans tend to be large and very well-appointed, meaning they can are also be quite heavy and, often, pricey. But there’s also a good range of smaller RVs that are particularly well-suited to families on a tight budget. Take, for instance, the Jayco Expanda 14.44-4. It has a body length of just 4.56m (15ft) and a Tare weight of 1428kg, along with a load capacity of 322kg and, yet, it is designed for a family of four. sure, with those specifications it obviously doesn’t have a huge interior living area, but for families who prefer to spend their time outdoors anyway, it…

The heart of the Patriot electrics lies in the rear offside corner bin. There you find the two 180Ah lithium batteries and the Giant Power Integrated Power System (IPS). Rated at 2400W, the IPS comes with a multi-stage battery charger, solar panel regulator, pure sine wave inverter and (if fitted) an auto start feature for a generator. It’s a very technically sophisticated system but one that is almost essential for maintaining the expensive lithium batteries in peak condition. One of the features of the IPS is that it prioritises a particular power source, whether it is 240V mains, battery, generator or inverter. Software is available so that everything can be monitored from a laptop computer.…

Large van conversions are a bit of a compromise when it comes to motorhomes – a good compromise, I would like to add. They are versatile in the sense that they are a fully-equipped motorhome but they are also small enough to be used easily in urban areas. Another advantage with some designs is they can also be used as ‘people movers’. A good example of this is Horizon’s Banksia +2. The ‘+2’ in the title refers to the two passenger seats behind the driver’s cab. As I’m a bit of a Jaguar E-Type fan, I keep thinking of the Banksia as the ‘2+2’ model. Of course, I understand they aren’t quite in the same league. But I do tend to think of the Fiat Ducato as the ‘sports car’…

CAMP LAYOUT AND FIELD HYGIENE Setting up your campsite properly is integral for both comfort and hygiene. As a general guide, consider the following points: • Choose a campsite that is naturally well-drained. • Set your camp upwind, with the kitchen and fire downwind +or at least side-on, to blow away smoke, mosquitoes and other airborne vectors of disease. • To avoid waterlogging your camp, locate showers, water points and drainage downhill +or to one side, and ensure the water can drain away. • External toilets should be further downhill and downwind. Remember to locate them at least 50m from kitchens and potable water sources, 100m from the nearest well, bore hole, river, creek or dam, and at least 600mm deep. • Store food and garbage in sealed containers. Otherwise,…

CONSERVE WATER Add days to your stays off the grid with these water saving tips, which will also reduce the amount of waste water you need to store. An obvious start is to install water-saving showerheads and low-flow taps. Rn the road, capture the water that runs while you wait for the hot water to kick in to use for cooking, filling the kettle or to launder essentials in a hand-powered (and water-saving) washing machine, such as a WonderWash. Reconsider how (and how often) you shower. Cutting back on soap and shampoo means quicker showers, and your skin will love you if you ditch your daily shower for a cleansing swim in a lake or the sea (just don’t lather up with non fish-friendly sunscreen, insect repellents or body lotions…

AROUND CAMP The more you camp, the more you learn what works and what doesn’t. Here are some of my tips for making life easy around the campsite. When making a campfire, avoid using rocks around the edge of your fire. some rocks can crack or explode when heated. It is generally better to dig a hole or depression in the ground to set up your fire and, once you put out your fire with water, simply scrape the soil back over the area. Carry a squee}e bottle of water in your driver's door pocket. This water can be accessed quickly to put out a small fire from long grass or spinifex which might accumulate under your vehicle. In addition, it can be used to wash your hands or anything…

A shared interest Facebook group jumped out of the digital sphere and into the real world when members of the Retreat Caravans Family Group met up in real life for the first time recently. The group was started last year by Retreat Whitehaven owners Phil and Lyn Deaves, who wanted to connect with fellow Retreat owners. After first interacting with other owners via Facebook, Phil and Lyn thought a face-to-face get-together was in order and organised a weekend away at Kangaroo Valley, NSW, for members. Kangaroo Valley is mid-way between the southern Highlands and Nowra. It is not a large town but is very scenic. Its most memorable feature is the Hampden suspension bridge, with its four crenelated sandstone turrets, that crosses the Nangaroo River. I can also report that…

“The dramatic coastal scenery is full of contrasts – of beauty and awesome power, of delicate corals lying in rock pools and huge swells” Pounded by the relentless seas of the Indian Ocean, the Western Australian coastline has been carved and sculpted into some of the most rugged, picturesque and dangerous coastline found anywhere in the country. Death, hardship and tragedy have dogged this treacherous stretch for hundreds of years, dating back to the days of early Dutch explorers and traders who came to grief here as early as the 17th and 18th centuries. Unfortunate trade ships, mostly heading across the Indian Ocean in the prevailing westerly winds bound for Java, sometimes found themselves, due to poor navigation or sheer bad luck, slamming into the jagged reefs and rough coastline…

Buying a caravan is rarely a cheap experience and, for most of us, it is something we ponder deeply and enter into with a mixture of excitement, trepidation and caution. This said, it is sometimes surprising when you consider the sorts of things which can hook us to the purchase of a particular van. For Myrone and Glenys Brewer of Ballarat, Vic, the decision in 2013 to buy a new van began with a search for something with an ensuite – for the convenience of an added shower and toilet. It is an increasingly significant search criterion these days and there was plenty to choose from, but it was a cupboard which grabbed Glenys’ attention and resulted in them making a decision to purchase a Safari Delta 20 centre door.…

“All it took was one flight to see it in a completely different light” “Oi, Digby!” yelled Chooka Morris, over the noise of a bunch of quarrelsome Capalarbian dart players. It’s always the fellas from the next suburb who make the real noise down at the Mudflats Hotel, I've noticed. Our local blokes just have to shout a bit more to be heard over their bluster and blather. ÈHeard you went up in Wokka's plane$ What was that like? Bit posh for a mud grubber like you. Must’ve cost you a couple of pots of crabs, too!” Digby went all quiet and for a moment I thought he was almost looking reflective. Then he burped. Hmm, too many prawn sangas off the specials board once again. He never learns. “It…

Sadly, RV theft seems to be on the rise. These days, it’s not uncommon to see a post on social media titled ‘RV stolen’, ‘Reward for stolen caravan’ or ‘Have you seen this caravanB' Theft imparts a significant burden on owners, both financially and emotionally, so it pays to be extra vigilant with security. Here are a few ways to soften the blow and minimise the risk. INSURE YOUR RV AND CONTENTS Just like your home, your caravan needs full protection including contents cover. Should your van become the target of organised crime, no amount of anti-theft deterrent goodies will save your bacon – but good insurance will! Read the fine print carefully relating to contents cover, as there are limitations. Some policies simply don’t provide any cover, while others…

QLD – Jundah Located in the heart of western Queensland, Jundah is a true outback town. GETTING THERE Jundah is about 400km south of Winton or about 330km north of Eromanga. ATTRACTIONS The area is known for its opals as well as being the place to ‘get away from it all’ – literally! VISIT Nearby Welford National Park is characterised by red sand dunes dotted with spinifex scrub, with camping available on the shady banks of the Barcoo River. TOURIST INFORMATION Jundah Information Centre, Dickson St, Jundah, (07) 4658 6930, jundahinfo@barcoo.qld.gov.au QLD EVENT OF THE MONTH Jun 11: Sheep Shenanigans and Woolly Cup, Jundah. Think all things sheep: sheep racing complete with jockeys, cheese making, shearing demos, the Rousy’s Roundup, novelty events, billy cart racing with a difference, and art…

WHERE’S PHIL? Hi guys and gals, just received my latest Caravan World (CW549) and was reading Max’s editorial and glanced over to the index of various journalists, contributors, etc. (who ever does this?) and was extremely surprised not to see the name of your number one Tech Talk guru Philip Lord! I grabbed my previous month’s Caravan World magazine to check up and see if his name was mentioned there and, surprise, yes it was! I thought that maybe he had been resigned to sweeping duties but I discovered he had, in fact, done another excellent report on trailer brakes and brake controllers. Keep up the good work! Stuart Wragg Via email Hi Stuart – kudos for your attention to detail! Sorry for scaring you but we’re happy to report…

MIRROR, MIRROR I am towing an 18ft Elite Goulburn van behind a Ranger Wildtrak caravan and am delighted with both. I have a query regarding the legal requirement for towing mirrors if an adequate rearview camera is fitted to the van. I have spoken to the officers at my local police station, the local highway patrol and Vic Roads and none of them could provide a definitive answer on this. so if they don’t know, who do we ask? The various caravan forums seem equally confused. As I see it, the standard Ranger mirrors give me a great side view in the overtaking (right-hand) lane and the left-hand roadside verge, but absolutely nothing behind the van. The rearview camera gives me a perfect view of everything behind the van, so…

“In terms of standard features for price, this is one of the best specced pop-tops I’ve seen” It has been 25 years since Andrew Phillips purchased the Coronet brand from the late Ian Farren, who founded the business in Ballarat, Vic, in 1959. And as part of this year’s silver anniversary commemorations, Coronet released the all-new boutique FS3 series early this year - the first being a tandem-axle pop-top with rear ensuite. Coronet RV is now based in Bayswater, Vic, and spruiks the FS3 as a self-contained ‘studio apartment on adrenalin’, and you can see why. The 6.1m (20ft) van certainly appears to justify its slogan: ‘it’s a ticket to on-road freedom and beyond’. Coronet’s business manager Peter Wright emphasises that the FS3 Series is not simply a clone of…

“Buyers, it seems, make their choice based on AOR’s track record for quality construction and finish, proven offroad ability and excellent resale value” An extra 700mm might not seem like enough to change the character of a compact single-axle offroader, but it makes the world of difference when applied in just the right places in Australian Off Road’s (AOR) new Quantum Plus (Q+). Queensland-based offroad specialist AOR has taken the proven formula from its entry-level Quantum (Q) Series IV Super Camper pop-top, which took the prize in its category at the 2016 Camper Trailer of the Year awards, to come up with this excellent addition to its range. Hxtending the Q's fibreglass composite body and mounting it on the longer Matrix caravan chassis has opened up a range of possibilities…

“A more genteel genre of travellers have embraced campervans as a peaceful way of traversing the continent” I must admit that, in the past, I was under the misconception that campervans were solely the domain of human relics from the ‘Age of Aquarius' and2or bron}ed Aussies on surfing safaris. But we now live in a more modern age of enlightenment and, subsequently, a more genteel genre of travellers have embraced campervans as a peaceful way of traversing the continent. And if I still had any lingering false impressions, Achtung Camper's social Butterfly van conversion certainly put them to rest. Mind you, it looks like it wouldn’t be out of place in Byron Bay, or Snapper Rocks! Based in Geelong, Vic, Achtung Camper is owned by Ronny Probandt and Tania Differding,…

“Although the van’s body might be small, the large tent and fold-out ends create a huge amount of internal space” As its name suggests, Jawa Offroad Camper Trailers supplies a range of offroad campers, but it has, more recently, moved into the caravan market with its rising roof Mirage JC14 hybrid. The Mirage is called a ‘semioffroad’ model – capable of hitting the dirt, but not suitable for deeper river crossings due to the gas vents in the door. Like the rest of the Jawa range, the basics, such as the chassis and body, are built in China to Mawa's specifications but much of the assembly work is done at the company’s Sunshine Coast premises. Rising roof vans have many benefits but are particularly great for families who want a…

MONITORING ENGINE FLUIDS Even with new vehicles, a daily check of engine fluids - oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering and transmission fluid +if you've got an auto, - is always a good idea. Hverything works harder when you're towing, especially once you're off the sealed roads. Go it in the morning while everything's cool and don't forget to have a look underneath to see if there are any visible leaks from diffs or gearboxes or whatever - often visible as a dark stain on the ground. Travelling off the grid is about cutting the odds on problems developing well before they get a chance$ SHOCK ABSORBER AND SUSPENSION CHECKS Most mamor suspension breakages grow out of shock absorbers losing their dampening ability and letting everything else belt itself to…

REWARD FOR EFFORT Nowadays, you don’t have to settle for tinned or pre-packaged food, you can conjure up something special as the sun sets. When the day has been long and everything is full of dust, a great meal and a cold beverage is just what you need to keep the spirits up. Looking back, some of our trip highlights include the meal at the end of the day – like the curry in Lightning Ridge, NSW, or the seafood feast in Karumba, Qld. Just make sure you clean everything up as you go – you’ll thank yourself the next morning. And if you put your efforts into great food and conversation around the campfire, you won't even miss your TV! EXPERIENCE COUNTS Outback driving requires a high level of…

CAMPSITE LOGISTICS When it comes to staying off the grid for longer, not all campsites are created equal. What do I mean by that? Well, have a think about it; a campsite with plenty of shade and a cool breeze during the warmer months will cut your water consumption right down. Plus, I don’t have to explain the benefits of having a fresh water source at your doorstep, do I? Having a local fishing hole nearby can help keep food on the table and, while we’re on the topic, you'll find saltwater estuaries have a smorgasbord of variety compared to inland areas, if you know what to look for. When you’re checking your map out, look for somewhere that’s got plenty of natural attractions to keep you occupied on the…

Travellers touring Australia have numerous options available when it comes to accommodation. Free bush camps, basic facilities at national parks or a powered site at a caravan park – take your pick. It really depends on whether you’re willing to rough it or prefer some home comforts. There’s certainly no shortage of caravan parks in this vast country. From the spectacular mountain peaks in Tasmania to the World Heritage-listed rainforest of tropical Queensland, you won’t have any trouble locating a caravan park to spend the night. If you’re intending to travel around regularly or go away for an extended period, it pays to do your homework and check out the different benefits certain caravan parks offer if you sign up for a membership. To help you out, I’ve done some…

“Kings Canyon is an oasis in a harsh environment, providing refuge from the hostile elements among the waterholes and shady gorges” The Northern Territory is blessed with many natural wonders and geological marvels, but few of them match Kings Canyon for sheer jaw-dropping splendour. The canyon is the central feature and prime attraction of the Watarrka National Park (NP), 330km south-west of Alice Springs, cleaving a buttressed outlier of the rugged George Gill Range in a massive gorge bounded by sheer cliffs up to 300m high. On either side of the canyon, the plateau has been sculpted by the elements into a maze of beehive domes of burnished red sandstone, interspersed with rock hollows, and carved by gorges whose cool, shady depths nurture lush vegetation along chains of perennial waterholes.…

“Around every corner is another picture-postcard bay with white sandy beaches and beautiful aquamarine water lapping the shore” While it may have been the crashing to earth of NASA’s Skylab back in July 1979 that put Esperance on the world map, many visitors from around Australia and, indeed, around the globe, are now discovering what locals have known for years – there is much more to this isolated corner of Western Australia than a couple of hundred pieces of old space junk scattered across the countryside. Located 720km south-east of Perth and some 920km from the SA/WA border, Esperance used to be one of Australia’s best-kept secrets. But clearly the secret is out, with tourists now coming in their thousands each year. And with its magnificent white beaches, offshore islands,…

I love birds – most of the time. I love it when I see a huge flock wheeling across the sky and swerving as one as if they are connected by radio to their leader. I love the sound of birdsong greeting the dawn or as they wing their way home after a busy day. I like the carolling of magpies that visit my patch looking for tucker and I can even tolerate the raucous cawing of ravens +often misidentified as crows,. However, I do draw the line at the +actual, crows that pinch our chook eggs. Thankfully, one of those things you hang in doorways to keep out flies seems to have stopped them for the time being. But my biggest dislike is for birds that treat \emmy2 as…

Skillet oven cornbread Cornbread is always better when baked in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, as the skillet gives the cornbread those classic crusty edges. However, this recipe also works well when using your skillet for the first time, as heating the butter in the skillet in your oven will also season your skillet. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes (or a little less) The following quantities will serve two Handy Hint 1: Use a small skillet if cooking for two. A smaller skillet should easily fit into your oven (including the handle). Handy Hint 2: You can use tinned corn kernels (drained), fresh corn kernels or frozen corn kernels (thawed) in this recipe. Handy Hint 3: For a salty kick, you could substitute finely chopped cooked bacon…

Lynn Bain Lynn has been writing for CW since the late 49;0s, and has been writing for a range of outdoor maga}ines for over 28 years. she is now semi-retired but still enmoys writing, particularly about food, which is one of her passions. Lynn enmoys the challenge of creating good food out of nothing. she comes from a science background which helps her in the kitchen, particularly with understanding how ingredients work together and the importance of food hygiene when camping. There is nothing she likes more than travelling with her husband and cooking in the great outdoors. she loves fishing and is a real hunter-gatherer. she really enmoys working in the RV industry, and enmoys meeting people out on the road and talking to them and comparing stories. Where’s…

The Coronet’s 12V heat exchanger floor heater was a ‘hot’ topic during the review. Located under the bed (at feet level), the one-outlet Swift unit is lightweight, quite compact, and doesn’t rely on another fuel, such as gas or diesel. The heating system runs from the onboard hot water service in much the same way as a car’s engine heats water and pumps this into the interior heater/demister. The hot water service (240V/LP gas) must be on to operate the unit. The actual heater box includes a 12V fan and the thermostat is wall-mounted and easy to use. Hot water doesn’t flow through the unit if the thermostat is in the OFF position, therefore avoiding additional residual heat in the van. Not only can you ‘feel the heat’ in the…

“Everything – from the hybrid alloy/steel chassis to the technology of the electrics – demonstrates Sunland’s desire for a better built and lighter weight caravan” Queensland-based Sunland Caravans is known for its well-appointed range of offroad caravans but, up until late last year, none of the models included a slide-out. That has now changed with the addition of an SEL-X complete with an offside slide-out to the Patriot range. Sunland took out top honours in CW’s 2015 Best Aussie Vans event with its top-of-the-range Patriot SEL-X offroader, so regular readers will recognise the similarities in this latest SEL-X Slide-Out. Patriot caravans generally feature a front bedroom (with either a double or two single beds), a full-width rear bathroom and a mid-area kitchen and dinette. While this layout has been retained…

“The Sorento was very stable when towing, not even flinching with a change in direction or when we experienced cross-winds” The SUV segment has taken a major slice of the market and many show good tow-tug potential. The new, third-generation Kia Sorento, introduced in 2015, appears to be one of them, although there’s a catch, as I will explain. The Sorento arrived with the promise of improved ride and handling and less noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Kia says that NVH reduction was achieved with new transmission tunnel soundproofing material, a 29 per cent thicker dashboard soundproofing panel and larger engine and transmission mounts. For the engine, a new diesel particulate filter +GSI, cover and an acoustic shield integrated into the engine’s timing chain cover cut down engine noise. Kia…

DRESS FOR SUCCESS I find nothing more relaxing than being in a free camping environment - seemingly light years from the hustle and bustle of city life. But unless you're prepared with appropriate attire for all occasions, what is supposed to be a relaxing trip away from it all can quickly become an unpleasant experience. I recall spending a wintry week on the outskirts of Alpine National Sark, Vic, in Arctic winds, with monsoonal-like rains to boot. Xnfortunately, I'd left the wet-weather gear at home, including my rubber boots - a mistake you will only make once. subsequently, a pair of soaked sandshoes didn't cut the mustard when I actually needed galoshes. Nowadays, I go into camping Îclimate control', and adapt my clothing and footwear according to the weather and…

SWITCH TO LED An electrical item that has moved forward in great strides in terms of better, more efficient lighting and reduced costs is LED lighting. It’s a great way to reduce battery current draw when you’re off the grid, but still have effective illumination. Just about all RVs manufactured these days have full LED lighting, but what about older rigsB The good news is that they too can benefit from LEDs. It’s now possible to purchase LHG fittings that replace older incandescent globes and, in some cases, halogen fittings. If that isn’t available, then changing the entire light fitting shouldn't be too difficult. Another advantage of LHG fittings is that, in addition to downlight2reading light fittings, LHG strip lighting can be used in any number of places to light…

KEEP POWER USAGE DOWN If you are planning to spend a lot of time off-grid, it pays to consider how much power your rig will need, and to choose energy efficient fittings and appliances. In previous vans, we have used solar panels or a generator, but when we had our present van built 48 years ago we adopted the KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid) principle to minimise power usage. This means we are freed from the need to carry solar panels or a generator. We have fluoro lights, each one with three ;W tubes, and you can choose to use one, two or three tubes +LHG lights weren't available then$,, a marine foot pump for water +saves both power and water, and have installed an LHG outside light. Multiple 42V…

If the walls of these ancient quarries could talk, they would probably tell of the seemingly super-human feats of endurance by those who mined them, with nothing more than their hands and primitive digging sticks to extract their treasures. It seems this highly-prized ochre, mined in a number of different sites across Australia by early Australian Aborigines, could well represent some of the world's first mining activity in one of humanity's earliest known trading systems. Some of the earliest archaeological evidence of ochre use in Australia comes from Lake Mungo in western New South Wales, where the body of a man (Mungo Man) coated in red ochre was found. He is believed to have died around 40,000 years ago. Ochre is integral to Aboriginal Dreamtime legends – stories of creation…

“We made our way to the town’s only hotel, the Iron Clad, to deal with a thirst generated by an autumn day that was already 33°C at 11.30am” ‘Warmest welcome from Australia’s hottest town’, declared the sign on the outskirts as we entered Marble Bar, WA, on one of the smoothest unsealed roads we had seen in weeks. We knew instinctively that we would like this place. Marble Bar was a ‘Tidy Town’ in 2003 and it is clear the local community take great pride in its civic appearance – bitumen seals all its roads from kerb to kerb; a nature strip runs down the centre of the main street with grass that is watered nightly and mowed weekly; a children’s playground occupies a sizeable chunk of the memorial park…

“Four-and-a-half thousand caravanners can’t be wrong – put this place on your itinerary if you are in the area” I have a well-documented interest in heritage hotels, so how could I have missed one less than 25km from home? We read about the 130th birthday celebrations of the General Gordon Hotel in the Mackay Daily Mercury, and we just had to go to investigate. It was built in the same period as my great-grandparents’ hotel, further north on the Atherton Tableland, and it is wonderful that it is still operating and on its original site out in the cane fields near Mackay, Qld. SUGAR TOWN In 4;;4, the Colonial sugar Refinery bought 8000 acres at Homebush, Qld, in the fertile Pioneer River Valley to grow sugar cane, and over the…

I’m not long back from a brief trip to New Zealand where I was visiting the Motorhome, Caravan and Outdoor Supershow in Auckland. Notice the word order of the show title – motorhomes not only get a mention but are first in line$ In NZ, motorhomes have about 60 or 70 per cent of the overall market share, something Australian motorhome manufacturers can only dream about. Visiting the NZ shows is something I do a couple of times a year to catch up on the NZ RV scene and to also get a feel for what’s going on in Europe. To clarify on that last point, the NZ motorhome and caravan market has changed greatly over the last five years and the list of Huropean imports is impressive, to say…

Location New York, NY, USA Gear Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 400, f11, 1/320th second Composition The urban landscape offers many ways to explore how we exist in the world – from interesting shapes and shadows, to silhouettes (where the subject blocks the light), and sunsets and sunrises. Here, the monotones of the urban environment provide a great textural background for the shadows. Handy hint When walking around, notice how shadows fall and move. Here, the shadows are the subject of the image rather than a secondary reflection. Photographic fact Silhouettes have a fixed shape that mimics the object blocking the light whereas a shadow’s dark area or shape is produced by a body or object coming between rays of light and a surface. Shadows are not fixed in shape…

Fishing is meant to be a pleasurable pastime. Is it a sport? Is it a lifestyle? Is it a hobby? Is it an excuse to escape the rat race? Or is it much more serious than all that? The answer lies within the individual. Fishing can be as simple as threading a worm on a gentle mountain stream, or offshore mayhem with life and death tussles on big seas, battling the denizens of the deep. It’s all too easy to forget simple pleasures, making them intolerably complicated with the massive array of tricks, gadgets and technology that we are often sucked into believing we need to make our lives complete. I have always fished. I have my father to thank for introducing me to one of my life’s enduring pleasures.…