Whyalla Do

Sunday at the sports fields there was a women's softball carnival. Many people who read this won't know my past but I grew up playing softball every Saturday from when I was about 5 till I left to live in Sydney. James even played when we first met. He used to watch me play then work up the courage to come talk to me. We enjoyed our day watching all the matches and the grand final. It was a really nice to do something that felt familiar and comforting.  Early evening we went exploring town. To the lookouts and along the waterfront. We watched some guys kite surfing as the wind was howling along the waters edge.

Monday the car and trailer were booked in for a service. So up packed up and we dropped it off. They then told us it wouldn't be ready till late afternoon. So we wandered around the town, found the beach cafe and sat to enjoy the view. After a very long lunch we made our way back stopping in Harvey Norman to try out all the recliners and couches then back to the car. We sat for about an hour before the car was ready at 5pm. We were exhausted. We grabbed some supplies for an easy dinner then back to camp to set up again. As we headed out for a shower we stopped to pay our fees and got talking with a new neighbour who had pulled in. After James helped them out with some battery issues we stood chatting for a while. On our way back they invited us over for the evening to chat. Since it was the first nice weather night we had had in a very long time we took the chance. We met Roger and Josie. They have been travelling on and off for years. We had a nice night just having a good old chin wag. 

Tuesday we slept in a little after getting to bed late. We packed up inside the trailer but left it up so we could do the grocery shopping and load it in the fridge before moving camp. It was a HOT day and the food wouldn't survive the 2 hour trip to the next camp. We set off into town to pick up groceries and a few other things before loading up the fridge, packing down, hooking up and then back into town again. We needed a refill on our gas bottle. It was after getting it into the shop to be filled we discovered that they couldn't refill it as it was more then 10 years old. It in fact was 25 years old!!! So we then went and did a swap and go. It was well after 1pm so we grabbed some lunch and then hit the road. The trip to Kimba was only 160kms but it seemed to take a long long time. The car would get hot if we did much over 80kms per hour so we kept it cool and just chugged along. We found camp easy enough and had a shady spot to set up. The late afternoon into evening and night were spent sitting in the shade keeping cool. We had broken a shelf in the trailer so once it cooled off we fixed that up. Luckily there was a breeze blowing and for the first time we slept with the windows down and curtains open to keep cool all night.

It was hot by 7am and we got set packing away. For the coast we headed to find a sea breeze and a place to swim. We stopped by the big Galah which happens to be Australia's tallest icon and headed across to Arno Bay for morning tea. The wind was blowing us along so we got great fuel economy and arrived in Arno bay cool and relaxed. We headed then to check out a place for the night. Lipson Cove was first and well I will let the pictures tell you just how stunning this place was. $10 a night or $50 a week. If we knew there was a week of great weather we would stay here a week. We found a top little spot to set up. As we arrived our neighbours were just coming up from snorkelling and then we saw another couple heading in. I knew what we would be doing for the afternoon. We lathered up in tons of sun cream and headed for the water. The colours were amazing. We saw heaps of fish. We were sitting on the waters edge when we spotted a pod of dolphins coming across into the cove so a ran back up and put my goggles and snorkel back on and bolted back into the water to try and get close. With directions from James who was wading out also I got within 3-4meters of them. The most amazing thing for me was I could hear them communicating with each other. They moved into deeper water where it was much darker so I made my way back in. What an AMAZING thing to have been able to do. It made my day and will be something I won't forget.

We woke to the trailer rocking!!! Oh crap it's blowing an absolute gale and wait what's that oh now it's raining. :( there goes our plans for more snorkelling and catching up with dolphins. It rained on and off for the morning. We got out for a walk and then just relaxed reading and having a quiet day.  By 7pm the clouds were finally thinning and we had glimpses of blue sky. It didn't stop the wind though. It blew all through the night. 

Friday we woke and it was still windy no blowing a gale but no rain. We packed up and headed for Port Lincoln. It is a beautiful town with plenty to see and do. We were tourists for a bit, loaded up on fuel and water and did a load of washing before taking off into Lincoln National park. We ambled along looking at all the possible camping spots before picking on just right for us. After set up and a late lunch we strolled down to the beach. I decided it was time for another "new" experience and we set back to camp to pull out the fishing gear. After clumsily putting it together we went back across the beach and out onto the rocky outcrop to throw a line in. James took Zumi out for a play while I cast and cast and cast. I caught lots of sea weed but nothing else. It was far more pleasurable standing out in the wind then being at camp with the flies. After nearly 2 hours we headed back in. Our neighbours who also came out fishing caught 1 whiting but they had bait and i had only lours?? We didn't mind it was something new and I will try again maybe tomorrow afternoon. We had a BBQ and actually got to eat outside which was such a pleasure.

 Saturday we pottered about camp. We had a lazy start just reading and enjoying camp. James tinkered with Zumi and I did some cleaning. It was a beautiful day but still very windy and it had turned the beach into something not so inviting. Early evening the wind finally died down. We ventured out for a walk around camp then down to the beach. We walked out to the point in the water then onto a near by sand bank and back across it to the centre of the beach. We sat outside all evening and the clouds came over. Lightening flashed but soon cleared. In the early hours of the morning the thunder storm came across. It was loud. We hadn't had such a big thunder storm yet. Was different.