Camping at Spencer Park...

...a short camping adventure...

Karen and I went camping over the Labour Day holiday...we went out to Spencer Park and set up our tent and stayed for a night. It was meant to be for two nights but it rained quite a bit and we decided to pull pin and go after the first day.

The tent set up at Spencer Park

We set up our tent (a three man Coleman tent) in the camping area and then proceeded to go for a walk on nearby Spencer Beach. We walked down the beach towards the Brooklands Spit and walked back on the trail that runs down the back of the dunes. 

Walking on Brookland's Spit

...we went across the dunes to get to the track...

Brooklands Lagoon, Spencer Park

We sorted dinner when we got back...I cooked pasta with tomato sauce and parmegan cheese. After dinner the rain which had been threatening for the whole day started to fall. It was relatively dry for the first couple of hours but the rain set in and it was falling rapidly by the evening. We tucked our selves up in the tent and listened to drunken singing till late in the night. It was a team of rugby players staying at the nearby camp and they sang to about 9.30...

The tent set up and prepared for rain

We woke up the next morning and after getting a shower, having a cup of coffee and preparing breakfast (hot dogs and a packet of hash browns) we sat around and thought what to do. We had survived the first night thinking it would cease raining over night but it was very wet in the morning. As it was so close to Christchurch and seeing as how it was still raining we packed up our gear and went home. 

We had a nice cup of tea

Tent set up with inside detail

It was a much shorter time spent at Spencer Park than wanted but it was a useful exercise to see what we needed. We have decided to buy a larger tent...we are looking at one with sufficient space to sit inside and wide enough to stay away from the sides. We are thinking a Kathmandu Retreat 150 as there were several at the park and it gives you a space to live and keep out of the rain.  Or that is our thinking about it...

Kathmandu Retreat 150 tent

Another view of the Retreat 150

We had a blast despite the rain and could have stayed for another night but it was too wet. So a short time spent camping but it gives us the direction for the future and a way forward. Post my trip to the Milford we will be camping over the week ends at places such at the Orton Bradley Estate, Mt Herbert and Okain's Bay...look out for that.