Tuesday 18th October
Last night, relaxing around the fire, with full tummies I spotted a 'shooting star', alias satellite. The boys didn't believe me, where, I can't see it they claimed. No sooner had I pointed it out, when I saw another one. Blow me down I just sat down again when there was another one. Within minutes chauffeur's eyes acclimatised and he spotted one. Michael, determined not to be outdone, started concentrating and sure enough within 5 minutes we had seen 5! All going in similar directions, west to east, varying slightly on the northward track. A nice morning and we had more tracks to explore on the southern part of the peninsula. Pottering around we got to Spectacular Beach. It certainly was, and even though nothing attached itself to chauffeur's lure we could hardly be disappointed. Was getting a bit worried as we hadn't seen our hitchiker for a day or so – please don't let him be floating upside down in our water tank. We can't help ourselves checking out our water bottles when we refill them for any 'floaties' and checking the taste for 'extra' flavours! Eventually we had to press on and leave the beach. Whilst lunching I heard cries from chauffeur – he could see Kermit's feet. We all charged round to the side and chauffeur managed to get a piece of wire in behind our little buddie and encouraged him to jump out. Once safely on my hand Michael declared him to be a baby Cane Toad!! Hmmm, must google that one and see what they look like. Anyway, Coffin Bay, didn't have any rivers so we thought we had better keep him with us for a tad longer, so he was lovingly given some of his familiar water and put in our foot bucket. Checked out a few more beaches and enviously watched a few other keen fishermen and we decided to set up camp behind some dunes. Chauffeur did manage to lure us a nice feed so at least he didn't have to sulk.
Wednesday 19th October
Up and on the road early as we weren't really in a 'legal' spot. Headed back into the delightful little village of Coffin Bay itself and had morno's beside the jetty. Talking to a 'local' she confirmed it is a sleepy little village of about 300 for most of the year until the summer when it swells to about 3000. Up the road about 150 Kms to Elliston with the hope of a nice fish lunch. What a disappointment. No where to buy seafood other than in the pub. So we ordered a seafood platter and after a bit of discussion decided it wasn't worth eating and politely told the kitchen that it was one of the worst bits of fish we had eaten. They did the right thing and gave us our money back. If I had a business, I would want to know. Over the road to the bakery and it wasn't much better. Another slog up the road and we camped at Tractor Beach (Camp 6 bush camp). Beach very weedy (with old rusted wreck of a tractor at side of track) and more flies than our camp last year with Glen at Murchison. Now Glen would probably find that hard to believe (that there could be more flies). Not only that there were very thirsty bees. So dinner was a bit of a race – didn't feel like sharing. Found a scorpion under my chair. It rained quite heavily during the night.
Thursday 20th October
Packed up a wet camper, can't complain, don't have to do it very often. Streaky Bay for morno's. It was a record day – only 39Km covered. Nice little town – tick of approval from me as it had an op shop so I could do my charity bit for the town. Found some great shorts on the kids rack. Checked into the CP right on the beach and as we pulled up fish were jumping out of the water. Chauffeur jumped out of the car and got rigged up. I set up Djan and busied myself with the domestics. Half of WA is here – chatted to a Nannup lady in the laundry. Conversed with a couple from Dudley Park later on – is there anyone left over in the West? We walked the kilometer along the foreshore into town to check out the pub that had come with high recommendations from Trevor. We were impressed to find that 2 beers and a glass of wine in happy hour came to $11. Made sure we got another round in before we went through to the bistro. Did well there as well, sharing a plate of 3 fillets of whiting (we didn't need to return this lot to the kitchen). The salad bar and hot vegetables caused me a problem through – pigged out and literally waddled back to camp. Don't know how chauffeur and Michael managed to squeeze in a serve of Sticky Date Put as well. Found myself listening to a new bird call during the night. Most unusual to hear birds at night, and this one kept going all night. Forgot to mention, Michael had emailed a friend who knew about 'birds' and told him about chauffeur 's Vol-au-vent bird. He emailed back with an identical recording – it is called a Peaceful Dove - you know what – it is not peaceful at 4:30am!!
Friday 21st October
Decided we should have a coffee in the bakery before we left town. They had the largest lamingtons I had ever seen! Lady in there asked me if I was English as I sounded like the Queen!!!!! Chauffeur suggested Michael check out the local 'electronics' shop, to see if he could upgrade his radio from 40 to 80 stations. The grumpy old man in there soon warmed up when he realised he had a captive audience and he proceeded to tell 'my lads' all the details of the lightening strike the town's mast had received a few weeks ago – we had heard about it on the radio. I pottered back up to the op shop to see if the little silicone dish was still there. Yep, it was mine (think it might be the perfect size to make my sun dried tomatoe and cashew pate) and I trotted back down the road to rescue the boys. Up the road on the seafood trail still to Smoky Bay. Found the oyster sheds and purchased a couple of dozen fresh from the baskets, just beached that morning. Got set up at a picnic table, poured out some wine and turned round to look for chauffeur. No where to be found. Well there was this black hulk stood next to us – it was chauffeur covered in a blanket of the biggest mozzies I have ever seen – they must have emigrated from Mandurah – and grown on the way. Picked every thing up and trapsed over the road onto the beach. Our only threat there were 3 pelicans! The boys knuckled down to some serious shucking, the 'master' giving Michael a lesson. In no time I had the bread sliced, buttered, lemon cut and we were hoeing in – the pelicans eyeing us hungrily – they had no chance. Being gluttons we continued on to Ceduna. Found a CP right behind the local pub ( seafood restaurant) and made the best of the happy hour again whilst chatting to a very nice kiwi couple who kept chauffeur company whilst the rugby was on the big screen. Food again delicious. Whilst supping some of Michael's Penfold's Port in Djan (the boys on the chairs and me perched up on the bed) checked out the forecast for the next few days. Not good at all – storms and rain for the next few days. So be it.
Saturday 22nd October
Not exactly sun shining but no rain, and not cold so we pressed on to Fowler's Bay. Bit of an ordinary drive through farmland. The odd tiny little one room stone church dotted around. Got down to Fowlers and enquired (as you do) at the kiosk. The kiosk lady also sounded like the Queen and was very helpful. Yes, the fishing was good, her 'boys' had just caught a good feed, so with instructions to stay 'high' on the beach – as the flat stuff is not so hard (lots of seaweed underneath) we were off. Decided to short cut over the dunes (just to keep Michael happy). It sure did – he thought they were wonderful. I concentrated on my Sudoko – some of the angles didn't agree with me, even though it was very picturesque. The beach scored high on the WOW factor although there was haze on the horizon. Soon spotted some young lads with those rod things in their hands and we proceeded to watch them reel in a very good sized salmon. That was it, chauffeur was out of the car and the race was on to get rigged up. I set about organising some lunch. Unfortunately the 'new' braided line chauffeur bought (on special at Anaconda) maybe is not so good. On casting out his new lure the line snapped – don't think this was the first time. Seem to remember a few grumbles about the seaguls stealing his bate, and losing his only lure when he had walked a mile from the car. By the time he was set up again the tide had changed and nothing was biting. In the meantime Michael and gone for a sticky beak further along the beach to check out our camping spot. Didn't take long before he radioed me saying there was a vehicle and trailer bogged up to the axles. He was going in to help. After much digging and laying down the maxtrax he radioed to say he was coming back to borrow ours. I went off to inform chauffeur of the events. We were just about to call back to say we would come down to help as well, when Michael told us they were out and he was continuing. We followed shortly ,for 6km until beach ran out and we turned into the dunes and chose a reasonably close campsite (so that chauffeur could walk his rods down to the surf:) The mist really closed in to a pea souper, quite eerie, but we were alone and it was very peaceful. The fishing was not successful, but the entertainment from the seals was good – it is obviously a great game for them to steal the bait. Fortunately they didn't get hooked. Skies getting darker.
Sunday 23rd October
Quite heavy rain during the night. Chauffeur had a good skid in the mud whilst trotting off to find a bush. Managed to decamp before the skies opened. After all the bad forecasts we were still waiting for the storms. So we were off across the Nullarbor. Still plenty of trees – weather threatening here and there. Called in to the Head of Australian Bight. Quite a special place, cliffs to the West and sand dunes to the East. Two southern right whales played with their calves just below the viewing platforms. The wind threatened to lift me off my feet as I struggled to make lunch. With the quarantine checkpoint coming up at the border I was gobbling up our fruit and veges, no way was I going to get anything taken off me and the thought of camping there whilst we ate everything didn't appeal either. Our Camps 6 book has been such a great help and we had 'earmarked' a couple of places to pull up for the night away from the Eyre Highway. The first one proved satisfactory and although there were already a couple of vans there, there was plenty of space. Had a good chat with the 'neighbours' chauffeur discreetly enquiring if they had satellite (Rugby final on). Funnily enough they voted the Streaky Bay Bakery the best lamington makers (the large ones I had spied). Unfortunately they didn't have satellite but we didn't go without entertainment. The forecast storms were on the horizon. OMG – I thought those black rolling storm clouds on the Hollywood movies were 'engineered'. Guess what, they look just like that in real life. Ominous is an understatement. We raced around packing up the kitchen and getting 'battened down' (as my dear dad would have said). Fortunately I had already cooked up all the veges that we couldn't eat tomorrow, and got them ready to freeze. These black demonic clouds rolled over the top of us, all the boys madly photographing, big ooohs and aaahs – I heard the caravaners laughing and joking “we're all going to die”!! It wouldn't have been difficult to be scared, perched up on the cliff with the wind gusting around. At one point I went to check on Michael and found him sitting at the top of the steps of his roof topper holding on the the fly. Wasn't long before the lightening started and then we were really impressed. Chauffeur tucked himself up in the car watching the show and listening to the All Blacks narrowly beat the French. I was content to tuck up under the doona with my new book.
Monday 24th October
Wind, it hadn't stopped. If it did, it was only momentarily, then I would hear Michael's fly flapping and 2 seconds later it would buffet us around. Although our Djan seems to hold up really well, it is still noisy and I don't think any of us got much sleep. By the time we got up, someone had to, the pee pot was full, Michael had already decamped and was sitting in the cab of his Triton. I had a rather unleisurely coffee, whilst packing up and we managed to get on the move before any major rain hit us again. We pulled in at most of the photographic stops, but unfortunately the low light conditions weren't the best. Just before the quarantine border I chopped up the last of the salad for lunch – wasn't hungry enough to eat just yet, so put it in a snap lock with the intention to eat it at the border if I wasn't allowed to bring it through. I was lucky the 'inspector' said it was fine – Michael had his unpeeled – unprepped salad taken away! Stopped at the Mundrabilla Roady for a Coldy, but we were too cold, so pressed on. By the time we got to Madura we had warmed up enough. The manager was obviously a local and had quite a bit of info about the tracks and caves, so Cocklebiddy cave is on the agenda for tomorrow after Eyre Bird Sanctuary. Found a little clearing off the track down to the Bird Sanctuary for the night. Chauffeur decanting some fuel from the auxillary. The prices over the Nullabor are close to $2 a litre.
Tuesday 25th October
After all the morning chores completed, we set off for the Ayre Bird Observatory. Twelve Kms from the Ob all says said to de-air, etc etc. Having done so we also obeyed the 'engage low, steep descent'. Wouldn't have been classed steep by our club, didn't even worry me, the bush was nice and the track very comfortable. Greeted 9 km at the end of the track by Derek and Sue, the volunteers. What an interesting place. For a $10 vehicle entry it was worth every cent. That included coffee/tea and cake (I even got fruit in lieu – that will always impress me). The observatory was the original telegraph station and Derek proceeded to give us such an informative tour of the place plus extra historical information we were delighted. The dunny (complete with There's a dugite in the dunny down in Eyre poem on the wall) was the cleanest I have ever had to use – couldn't find the dugite though. After a thorough tour of their museum, library and lots of local passing on of all the flora/fauna – what the volunteers do (they are also the local meteorological station as well) we had to press on. Took the track down to the beach, complete with ship wreck, but found the beach far too weedy to proceed to turned back and headed back to Cocklebiddy. What a great name that is. There was a cave we had to explore. Find it we did, explore it we didn't. Well not too far. It is one of those scare underwater/diving type of caves. It had been explored for over 6km (underwater!!!) how crazy is that. There had been a movie filmed there. Michael climbed down quite aways, but fortunately it was one of those rare occasions when chauffeur obeyed me and 'stayed put'. It had been quite a day. After lots of relatively boring road it was rather nice. Spent the evening camped not far off the road – along the longest straightest stretch of road down under. We were timing how long it took from when you could first see the glow of headlights down the road until when the truck passed you. It was minutes – if they were travelling at 100km/hr that would have been about 23 km. Ho hum, the things you do camping in the outback. Forecast pretty dismal. A very cold windy night and some heavy rain.
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