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Elephant Cove, Denmark, Western Australia.

Friday, April 4, 2014

How We Camp.

Our camp set-up down at Hamlin Bay was simply having the bed in the back of the ute and setting up cooking facilities outside.  We didn't take the tent or too much gear.


We take 1 big table and it never seems to take long before it is covered in stuff.  I need to work out a system where it is easy to keep things put away and clean.  We use a two burner gas stove and the crate we transport the gas bottle in doubles as a step for me so I can reach the fridge which is kept in the back, at the end of the bed.  We have a metal toolbox where we keep the plates, pots, cutlery, tea, coffee, some food.  We have a small camping stove that takes butane? cylinders that is kept in the car with a smoko box for when we are away from the camp area.


 Notice the blue ladder he made for me.  There are some days that I cannot climb up and into the back of this and the ladder makes getting in and out so easy.  And safer!  Well as easy and safe as climbing this while at the same time lifting and squirming under the canvas can be.

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 He has put in 2 water tanks under the tray, each holding 80 litres, 1 each side.  In theory 1 is supposed to be only rain water but I can never remember which one so it doesn't really matter anymore.  If we ever travel where clean water is a problem I will need to mark which is which.

After husband put the frame and canvas back on at home we put the bedframe that he made ages ago in.  We took the mattress and quilt instead of the swag as I like being rugged up and he likes being unrugged
We have a mozzie net that fits over the bed
There is room under the bed for all the boxes, chairs, fishing gear...And if you look close you can see the portapotti down the back.  It comes in handy when there are no public toilets around and for the middle of the night when it is dark and scarey outside and I'm busting.  I have made a curtain that goes on the frame connected to the main frame and pulls around for a bit of visual privacy.
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My concern with this set-up is what do we do if it rains.  So far we have been lucky but we came close this trip to getting wet.  I think a big tarp over the car and table area would work but husband isn't so sure that is the best way to go.  Does anyone here camp from the back of their ute?  What do you do to keep dry?

5 comments:

  1. Hi Barb, I like your setup. We haven't camped for a long time now, but as added insurance over our tent, hubby would erect a big tarp which covered the tent and a nice sizeable outside area. He put extra holes along the sides to take the extra tent poles for more strength in case of wind. Nothing worse than getting rained on, or blown around! Hope you both come up with a solution. Happy camping :D)

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  2. ... extra holes (grommets) along the sides of the tarp :D)

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  3. Hi Barb
    is it your husband does not want the have to peg everything down with the tarp
    here is my suggestion hope I can explain it properly
    weld a u shape bracket wide enough to hold an adjustable tent pole
    with the threaded end and wing nut
    then get a tarp the size you want to fit over the original tent
    then if its going to rain throw the tarp over and adjust poles to suit
    only an idea that I had so no pegs into the ground

    Robert

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  4. Hi Susan, Robert. thanks for commenting. I do think it's the whole setting up taking down thing but really I can't see any other way to stay dry. I will show him these comments, thanks.

    Barb.

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