Port Lincoln 21- 26 February 2007

Left Coffin Bay and its beautiful inlets to the fish and the fishermen! After a quick drive to Port Lincoln, we settled into the local caravan park for morning tea. Washing attended to and left blowing in the wind overlooking a great view, while we explored town. This is a pleasant, convenient, sized town with a very attractive and protected waterfront among lots of shops that overlook the grassed foreshore. Lots of very expensive homes, owned by wealthy fishermen, sit on the cliffs overlooking the water. There is a Marina and lots of interesting restaurants. “Adelaidians” (just made up that term until we find out the right word!) fly here for the weekend, as its 40 mins by plane! There is also a new ferry up the peninsular a bit, as an alternative to the long haul up and down each side of the gulf to get to Adelaide. Bought a few provisions and found the op shops! We are enjoying them because they are one of the few things that are always different and full of old ladies that know lots of things about the town, as well as being a great source of cheap home-made jam that we are addicted to - sorry IXL!
Spent much of the next day exploring other aspects of the town and around early evening, headed out to meet the CMCA’s SA Co-ordinator, Ross. Peter in particular, has become very interested in the organisation and enjoys being involved in management issues. Ross had indicated it would be fine to stay on his property that night so we took him up on the offer. We were surprised to find the property in the middle of a major development being done by Ross and were the first motorhome to drive on the skeleton new road bull dozed out last week! It was dusty, up and down but well worth the view from the top of the hills. The sheep entertained us and the little wrens on the gravel intrigued us. Ross and Chris were very hospitable and for many reasons 4 days later we are still here!
After our first night at Ross and Chris’ we took our car to explore the Lincoln National Park. It was wonderful with lovely little beaches beckoning us in. We had a lovely swim and lunch at one of them as the temperature rose to 32degs. Along the way we saw numerous emus close by and saw a clutch of 4 chicks on the road. At one beach there was a lovely young NSW couple and two kids at the beginning of a 32 week Oz trip. The lady was very excited and wished we had been there a moment before to see an adult emu walking the beach with 10 chicks following! She was right! We did wish we had seen them though our imagination could put it all together! We moved on as clouds threatened and were shocked to watch the car thermometer plunge from 32o to 18o in about an hour. End of thoughts of anymore swimming! So we came back into town and visited a wood craft workshop which displayed exceptional talented work. The owner was responsible for some pieces in Parliament House! Bought some more fish (the biggest fishing fleet in Australia is here in Port Lincoln!)
Spent much of the next three days with Ross analysing our electrical problems as he has much expertise in the electrics! No simple diagnosis but some progress.
In the late afternoon Ross had Peter as his rouseabout to help feed the 250 sheep. It was a scream to see Peter hurtling down the road with half of the sheep following the truck, thinking he had the food - Peter jumping out at the gate, shooing them back a bit, opening the gate, driving through and slamming the gate quickly in their faces as they contemplated following him. Only one escapee who thought better of her escape and quickly dived in before the gate slammed! If only!
The hills, the wind and the distant water views are so much like Kiama EXCEPT the grass is near non existent and is really just pale yellow straw and dust! Ross and Chris say that, in winter, it is very lush and green. The photos they showed us proved that and they said that this summer was exceptionally dry. We are supposedly getting the wrong impression!
Stayed on for yet another day whilst Ross and Peter installed a new regulator that will hopefully give us more accurate information to work with! We are a bit blown away by their hospitality and hope we can offer them something in Kiama on their future travels. As the days passed here the countryside has seeped into our psyche.