The time had come to head back to Gold Coast where the Masters Games were to be held on Coomera Lake. The caravan park is in chaos due to upgrade work, dusty-hot (21 deg. already when you wake up).
We headed off to the lake about 8:30 and a joyous reunion with my Dragons Abreast friends, settled our pink chairs under a blazing blue sky to watch the dragon boat races. My friends were incorporated in a team which was called Derwent Storm, another dragon boat club which also calls Lindisfarne Bay home, and a fast team they were too, providing some exciting racing.
On the Saturday there was to be a “Flowers on the Water Ceremony” and I was overjoyed to hear that I could take part in it. But, not only that, as I was walking toward the marshalling area before the preceding race, in my Tasmanian uniform and holding my paddle, the Dragons Abreast Gold Coast Team invited me to join them in the race as they were short of 1 paddler.
Wow I GOT TO HAVE A PADDLE as well ! They won that race also, though I decline to take any credit !
Another great thing was that we were able to catch up with Chris and John again briefly.
On the Sunday there was a breakfast at Kurrawa Surf Lifesaving Club, very pink of course, more pink flowers and also very tasty, beginning with a big bowl of fruit salad mmmm, eggs bacon, sausage, toast. After that we farewelled our friends and went our own way.
The next morning we had a 4 hour journey to where we were booked at Sommerville Valley Tourist Park, situated beside the Storm King Dam, 10k from Stanthorpe, 5k from Aloomba Lavender Farm where the concert was to be held on 27th Nov.