Waking to new sounds: January 2011

Coffin Bay

12th to 15th November, 2010

The National Park in Coffin Bay has amazing and crazy surf beaches. Set after set of huge aqua and white waves, rolling in relentlessly and tirelessly. Unfortunately for us, the weather wasn't that great. Lots of drizzle and it was cold, too cold for swimming.

We had a go at fishing at Golden Island and Gunyah Beach, with no luck - so much for all the salmon!

There was an abundance of roos and emus with their chicks at our camp. Also heaps of blue wrens and stacks of bees.

Woke to the sounds of human silence.

James helping Wayne put more air in the tyres after having been on the beach

Coffin Bay

Gunyah Beach

Sandhills of Gunyah

Besides a few tufts of grass, it felt like being in the middle of the Sahara

We caught no fish here, not through lack of trying

But the kids had fun on their raft

Just have to get it to the water

Hmmm, how are we going to do this??

Maybe if I cuddle Darcy and Eamon, Blake and James will do all the hard work!

Getting there - they did eventually launch it

Yangie Bay, our campsite

One of the beaches at Coffin Bay

Why do kids love hanging round toilets so much?

Getting dinner ready. See how cold it is, November and we are in trackies!

James and one of the salmon our generous neighbour gave us.

A friendly visitor

Sharinga Beach to Coffin Bay

12th November, 2010

After a slow morning, we said goodbye to our new friends and planned to get to Coffin Bay by nightfall. With not much sightseeing on our route, we were in Coffin Bay by mid arvo. A small coastal town with oyster farming and fishing its main industries. A couple of general stores, a PO, butcher, pub and a couple of places to eat, there isn't much else, paradise. We checked out the lookout at Conservation Reserve before heading to the National Park to set up camp. We found a secluded spot at Yangie Bay set up and and were soon treated to a dinner of salmon, after our neighbour, Gary had caught a glut of them. He thought we could help out in demolishing them. Righto then! Yumm!

Amber and Caitlyn

Spectacular sunset at Sharinga Beach

Part of the Woolshed Cave

Woolshed Cave

Wayne checking for something?

Near Talia Caves

Are you crazy woman?

Blake maximising the acoustics by cracking his whip in the Woolshed Cave

Talia Caves area

Murphy's Haystacks

Port Kenny

Venus Bay

Elliston
11th November, 2010

Another big day of sightseeing. We began finding Murphy's Haystacks, these interesting rock formations on private property in the middle of wheat country. The kids had fun sliding down the "tsunami" and playing hide and seek amongst them. We drove through Port Kenny and stopped in at Venus Bay, a beautiful beachside port. Next stop Talia Caves which showed us more rugged and stunning coastline, lots of unstable cliffs (whoops the pics for Talia Caves are on the next entry) and interesting caves to explore. We stopped in at Elliston for some lunch, checked out the old jetty and head out along SA's Great Ocean Rd. The coastline viewing was another treat, enhanced by the incredible sculptures along the way. Having completed a day of sensory overload, we found a great campspot at Sharinga Beach. The boys did a bit of late arvo fishing and we flopped into bed exhausted after seeing a spectacular sunset just before it started to rain.

View from the lookout at Baird Bay, campground below.

These tiny snails were everywhere here

With our friends Caitlyn and Tyler on the windmill track where we got lost

Murphy's Haystacks

More snails, tiny ones on the timber post

The same haystacks

And again.....

Venus Bay, beautiful spot

Keep dreaming James

Had to get a pic of this one

And this one

Local flora

Sculptures by the Sea, Elliston

And more

And more ....

Baird Bay

11th November, 2010

Getting used to the change in time zone, we slept in till 8am and then headed down towards Streaky Bay. It's a pretty and quiet spot with all the conveniences of a township. From there we headed down to Point Labatt to check out the permanent sealion colony. Amazing to see these huge and not-so-huge animals in their natural environment. The scenery around was a patchwork of golden wheat farms buffing up against the ruggedness of the open sea. We met Deb, Max, Kaitlyn and Tyler and set up camp with them, the kids happy to have some new playmates.

Streaky Bay

Point Labatt

Sealions at Point Labatt

What a life!

Point Labatt

Haslam Jetty

10th November, 2010

After driving longer than we thought to find a good camp for the night, we loved the serenity of Haslam Jetty and the oysters as big as a saucer for $5 a dozen were an extra special treat.