We spent our Christmas with Neville and Karen in Ayr. Ayr is where Sarah lived when she was an exchange student in 1988. Neville and Karen hosted a little BBQ at their house and Sarah was able to catch up with some old friends and their families.

Getting in Neville's boat going out to Cape Upstart.

Arriving at the beach.

Maverick and Jackson on the beach in front of Neville & Karen's beach hut.

Neville pulling the boat out with a tractor. The huts are backed against Cape Upstart National Park and they are not accessible by roads. it's common for the property owners to leave a tractor to launch or pull their boats.

We climbed up the rocks by the beach. Didn't quite get as high as we wanted to, though...

The kids spent most of their time snorkeling and swimming around the beach. It's stinger season here so long sleeves and panty hose in the water!

Maverick getting a ride from Ty.

Mason in Karen's diving suit holding a tiny crab he found in the rocks.

View of the beautiful sunset from the front deck.

Maverick loves being with Jackson.

Neville and boys brought back crabs for dinner.

Karen showing Maverick and Mason the anatomy of a crab.

Neville and the boys also brought back some Trevally fish. Paul caught a small Barracuda, and they let it go because it was only about 14". Neville is showing the boys how to gut a fish.

What do we need for a Christmas tree at a beach hut in Australia? A bucket of sand.

Add a tree branch.

Paint the branch gold and decorate with shells and coral. We enjoyed our tree.

The boys get their first fishing lures from Neville and Karen

A small shark was accidentally killed in one of the crab pots.

Black Cockatoos on the Ayr golf course.

Picking some delicious mangoes.

Dinner at the local tavern with Karen and Neville.