Day 4 - 12th June 2006

Day 4
12 JUN 06 Monday evening

Onwards it is then. The further away from any town one is the more waves one gets from approaching drivers. Ranging from just a slight movement of the index finger off the top off the steering wheel to an enthusiastic wave. Ted, who has come along for the trip and sits right in front where he’s got a great view through the windscreen, would like to get in on the act. “I want to wave back! Can I wave too? Can I? ” Maybe there is a way of “remotely” helping him raise his paw in acknowledgement. A bit of fiddling and thinking and very soon a raised paw (assisted with a dowling rod and some blu-tac) solicits waves and begins to put smiles on many a face.

A funny comment from Chewie as we drive past another vast paddock where the sheep are all lined up in a single row: “See, they do follow each other – like sheep.”

Every so often, very often, there’s another view or texture to be captured. A walk down to a beach in Louth Bay leaves me mesmerized. Of course I’ve been to a pretty beach before, but just on the tip of the rocks that jut out of the sand is a number of sea birds. And an albatross glides gracefully across the sky and lands just a few feet away from me on the calm water.

No more than a quick stop at the “Deli” for milk and such. I had imagined Port Lincoln differently. Unfortunately the greed of the city has stretched even to here. The corner shops are disappearing and the big stores, with “lower” prices to attract more “customers” are taking over. The street side cafés are filled to the brim with “must be seen” trendies. The air is filled with fumes and the noises of industry. This is why we left Melbourne. This is not what we came to see. Not exactly a quiet fishing harbour. What’s the quickest way out of town? E

Day 4
12 JUN 06 Monday evening

29km south of Cowell, lies the small town of Arno Bay. Colourful signs entice the approaching traveler at regular intervals. A resident artist has been quite busy. Bases of street lights throughout the town have various animals painted on them in vivid colours and a stunning mural graces the side of one of the buildings in the main street.

By now, the landscape changes once more from the bleak endless, rather monotonous flat plains to that of rolling hills and farmland the further we travel south along the Eyre Peninsula coast. The road follows the coastline past Tumby Bay to Port Lincoln, our next destination.

On arrival to Port Lincoln, it becomes quite clear that it is a holiday destination. Guest houses, motels and seaside apartments sprinkled through the town. The main street sporting outdoor café’s with smartly dressed holiday makers enjoying cafe late’s flavoured with traffic fumes – just like Melbourne. Not quite the ‘outback’ holiday destination we were looking for.

Just 36 km beyond Port Lincoln, lies Coffin Bay. The difference between the two could not be more striking. Scattered bays and long sand dunes form the Coffin Bay National Park and we may just hang about for a few days and make it our home base whilst exploring the natural wonders of the Eyre Peninsula southernmost coastline. But that’s for tomorrow. O.