Coffin Bay NP, Avoid Bay SA, Emu, Kangaroo, Yangie Bay

By 1130pm last night the weather had turned nasty. We were thankful that we had heeded the strong wind warning and put our awning and chairs away. The wind blew up to 60knots and the rain came pouring down most of the night.

When we stuck our nose out the door in the morning it was grey, blowing and wet. Back to bed for an hour was the only sensible choice.

Eventually we got up and braved it by driving down the road to the Coffin Bay National Park, which is as bleak and miserable looking as any NP we have been in. One assumes that when the sun shines and the wind drops that the beaches and sand-hills can be quite pleasant, but not today.

Coffin Bay National Park, SA

On the way in we came across a kangaroo grazing in the middle of the road, and then down the road a bit, another. Neither seemed in any hurry to move so we approached cautiously and they eventually hopped it.

Coffin Bay National Park, SA

Coffin Bay National Park, SA

At the end of the road you come to Avoid Bay, aptly named as the photos will show

Avoid Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

Avoid Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

Avoid Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

Avoid Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

We stopped on the return to get some more snaps of the bay and the wild ocean

Avoid Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

Avoid Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

At the other end of the one sealed access road you come to the first of the camping areas, Yangie Bay, where i snapped a flight of ducks or some such. As we were leaving Judy saw a big emu with 4 little ones, so we grabbed a few shots of them

Yangie Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

Emu. Yangie Bay. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

On the short run back, we slowed right down as we could see something on the road up ahead. as we got closer it turned out to be a whole flock of Emu, at least 25 that I can count in the photo. We stopped and by the time I got to the side of the road they had disappeared into the scrub.

Emu. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

Emu. Coffin Bay National Park, SA

By the time we got back into town we decided to treat ourselves to lunch at the only cafe, only to find it quite busy and the person behind the bar suggesting that you can only come in if you have pre-booked. We went to the general store and bought a King George whiting and salad roll each and a bag of hot, greasy chips. These we took back to van and ate with relish while sipping on our very own coffee. We're packed and ready to get out of here first thing in the morning, maybe even by 8am.

Coffin Bay, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Makybe Diva

Coffin Bay SA April 3, 2015

Pulling out of the van park in Port Augusta and heading west, you immediately come to the big intersection where you have to choose: north or west, Darwin or Perth.

Where to? Port Augusta SA

Having done the Darwin option in both directions we opted for the West. Actually and of course, we was always going west, so it was onto the Eyre highway, another new road and unexplored territory to us. While we are going to go all the way to the west, we are taking the scenic route down the Eyre Peninsula, past Whyalla, Cowell, Tumby Bay, Port Lincoln and on to Coffin Bay

The road is busy as you would expect, it being Easter and all. The road is also quite hilly in a lot of places, undulating actually and comes with double white lines for long stretches at a time. We drove through Whyalla, which looks like a big industrial estate making great big things out of steel, which they also make from the raw products.

Somewhere south of Whyalla we had ‘an incident’. We were approaching the crest of one of the hills when my rearview mirror was filled with a large 4x4 towing a boat intent on overtaking us despite the double lines and having no forward vision past the crest. My immediate reaction was to check the road ahead which I could now see as I topped the crest and there, appearing out of the hidden gully between the crests was a car coming right at us. I pulled over as far as I could and kept the pace on in case the idiot being me wanted to go on with it, but luckily for all parties, they pulled back just in time. Not only was he unable to pass us but his day was properly ruined when the car coming the other way lit up its red and blue lights, turned around and chased him down. Too bad, one less idiot on the road.

We went into Cowell for a break and found the locals doing Devonshire Tea for $5 a head. How could one say no? Judy and I exchanged a knowing look when she ordered two servings and was asked by the nice girl,  ‘would you like scones with that?’

We were actually at Franklin Harbour, but its really part of Cowell. Only thing of interest was the pub and some gumtree flowers

Gumtree. Franklin Harbour SA

Pub. Franklin Harbour SA

Refreshed, we hit the road again and eventually made it into Port Lincoln, home of the most millionaires in Australia per capita, Dean Lucan the tuna fishing Olympic weightlifter and of course a nag called Makybe Diva

Port Lincoln SA

Port Lincoln SA

Makybe Diva. Port Lincoln SA

We sat and ate our sardine sandwiches and drank our diet coke overlooking the bay, which is quite beautiful except for the all dominating silos and conveyor belts.

Despite the GPS getting into a muddle we made it to Coffin Bay and took up our spot, the only one left in the park. Its fairly close living and of course the place is crawling with fishos and kids and dogs, all of whom obviously know each other, and probably come here every year. I wonder who didn't come this year and left our spot empty?

Anyhow, doesn't matter. had a poke around the tiny town, took some snaps of an emu or two and some other little yellow things, and ate an ice-cream while overlooking the town jetty and the local fishing boats before going back to our van for the day.

Bird. Coffin Bay SA

Emu. Coffin Bay SA

Boats at Town Wharf. Coffin Bay SA

 Coffin Bay SA