Step 38 Tumby Bay - Port Lincoln 60 km’s

Thursday 10th Feb

Got Skype call this morning from El before leaving and between us we managed to book our accomodation in Liverpool for the couple of nights when we first arrive as well as flights from Portugal to Dublin, so the European trip is starting to take shape now.

Back on this phase of the trip it was a quick 60 km drive into Port Lincoln. Eventually got into the Info Centre after (what seemed) a very long time trying to get parked in the Woolies car park. I am blaming the locals, it was nearly as bad as Chaddie at Christmas ! Picked up another load of brochures and booked in for a boat tour tomorrow that takes in the fishing marina, tuna farm and canals. Sounds good, but is only tentative at this stage pending the weather and a couple more bookings. We noticed that the Info Centre seemed to have a higher than expected concentration of American folk, this was explained later by the presence of a rather large cruise ship docked in the harbour. Apparently the first visit, not sure if that was just for this boat or the first time any cruise ship has docked here, but the local shopkeepers seemed pretty happy.

Then, for us,  it was off to one of the continuing highlights of the trip, supermarket shopping. Tried to stock up a bit in preparation for the more remote areas coming up as we cross the Nullarbor. Finished off the shopping expedition with a trip to Austar fish wholesalers. Now that really was a highlight. Seafood heaven. Ended up picking up some prawns (beheaded and shelled) for tonight and snapper for Di & Kingfish for Steve for tomorrow.

Checked into the Top Tourist Park, another Vicki & Herb recommendation. Sensational outlook over the jetty and water. Site could do with a bit of grass but the outlook more than makes up for that (and I am not talking about the 4 European backpackers just across from us. Well let’s say that  I’m not anyway).

View from MM

Settled in with a bit of a walk along the Parnkalla cliff top walk and a swim. Having been down towards the beach on my own earlier I had noticed a sign that to be honest didn’t make swimming sound all that inviting.

But having been for a walk and given it was really hot we decided we really needed to cool off. I had intended to mention the sign to Di, but I got distracted by a photo opportunity and quite innocently draped my towel on the nearest resting place

“Di, stop” I whispered shouted quite loudly.  

Fortuitously we both survived our refreshing and invigorating swim and we settled in with Wine O’clock. Another productive planning session sees us mapped out for the next few days so we were able to sit back and enjoy our prawns with chilli sauce and rice for tea.

Saturday 11th February

Bong

    Silence

Bong

Bong

    Silence 

Bong

   Check the time - 5:00 am

Can’t be Big Ben, we haven’t got to London yet

Bong

Is it something falling on the roof?

Bong

Oh yeah, we left the fly screen hanging on the outside of MM when we went to bed last night. That would be the fishing weights we attached to weigh the curtain down, blowing in the (quite strong now) breeze and banging on the side of the van. Oh well I was getting up in 4 hours anyway, may as well go out and bring the flyscreen in now. What was that lesson about “no matter how still it is when you go to bed, always wind in the awning” it appears the appendix is “and bring in the flyscreen curtain”

Awaking at 8:30, refreshed, from the second part of my nights sleep,  Kendra from the info centre rang at 9:00 to say our boat  tour had been cancelled. The wind has really got up now so it’s not going ahead. Bit disappointing.

9:10 Cheryl from the info centre rang to say our boat  tour had been cancelled because the wind has really got up now. Even more  disappointing the second time around. 9:11 Cheryl from the Info Centre berates Kendra for telling Cheryl in the middle of our conversation, and not before, that Kendra had already called us with the news.

  

As well as the wind its a bit overcast and quite cool, not at all what we expected for this part of the trip at this time of the year. We were worried about it being too hot to be honest. Took the opportunity to catch up on a bit of mail. Even folded the bed up and put the table up, it’s really quite roomy in here when you do that. Still getting great views out of the windows (of the bay and jetty, not the backpackers).