Last night saw a slight change in sleeping arrangements with Trev and I relocating to the sofa bed in the lounge room leaving Dave and Rose in the bunk beds – a better night’s sleep for all!!

We had a big day planned hoping to tour the southwest area of the island and as we left, Klaus avoided a real tragedy with the use of his oversized spanner – his tow hitch had almost rattled loose so he had to tighten the dual nuts to resecure it – again he acted swiftly before Branch could get a look in!!!!

Seal Bay was the first destination of the day – a whole bay and beach area dedicated to a colony of Australian sea lions. Female Australian sea lions always return to their place of birth which is why this area is a permanent home for the colony.

The gestational period of the sea lions is 18 months, and the pups are born up in the sandy hollows or rocky outcrops away from the beach.

The sea lions spend 2-3 days out to sea at a time hunting for food up to 100kms south of KI and then return and spend 2-3 days recuperating and sleeping on the beach and in the dunes as they are exhausted from the continual swimming and feeding. There are around 1000 permanent resident sea lions at Seal Bay in KI.

We did a beach tour and were able to get up close and personal with these beautiful creatures!

The views up and down the coast from the lookout were spectacular!

On leaving Seal Bay we drove out onto the main sealed highway and, lo and behold, a rock flew up and chipped the Pearl’s windscreen – Dave was NOT impressed as it brought back memories of the last trips cracked windscreen…Rosie was swift to start googling stone chip windscreen repairers and at the next stop Branch got out to inspect…

We arrived at the famous Vivonne Bay – apparently great for surfing and sure enough there was a wave or two. The beach was again beautiful but the beauty was somewhat marred by the large amount of seaweed covering the silky white sand.

Gordie and Trev stayed for a surf while we went to get come coffee and lunch – we had great burgers at the Vivonne Bay General Store Take-away.

Time was marching on and so we grabbed takeaway burgers for Trev and Gordie and went back to pick them up.

Rosie made a doggy friend on the beach while we waited for Gordie to exit the water.

It took a while to pry Gordie out of the surf, but Kerry eventually succeeded, and we were back on the road towards Flinders Chase National Park and the Remarkable Rocks.

It was about 50mins drive to the Remarkable Rocks, but it was worth it – they were simply spectacular – pictures tell the story below….

The rocks are domed inselbergs (“islands of rock”) – protrusions of eroded granite formed over a lengthy time period. Sea spray enters crevices of rock, then drying and the salt expands producing cracking, as well as wind and rain weathering the rocks, producing the unusual formations.

Next stop was the Admiral’s Arch near Cape du Couedic Lighthouse.

We walked down the boardwalk looking at the wild remote coastal area on the southwestern tip of KI and marvelling at the rugged beauty of it. The area teems with wildlife – 85% of South Australia’s marine flora and fauna are found nowhere else in the world. Out on the edge of the continental shelf here are huge submarine canyons bigger than the Grand Canyon. They are channels for the currents that bring up cold nutrient rich water that wells up from the deep-sea floor, which attracts marine life in large numbers.

Below the cliffs was a colony of New Zealand fur seals frolicking in the rock pools. They are larger and darker than the Australian sea lions we had seen earlier. We could see a rockpool with pink water – apparently the water turns this colour when concentrated seal poo mixes with saltwater!

Around the corner at the base of the cliff was the Admiral’s Arch – a natural rock arch formed under the cliff – a very unexpected sight as we got to the bottom of the winding staircase. The wild seas and wind had eroded the hole over many years to become a spectacular archway.

On the way back up we noticed in such a remote place an AED!! Amazingly it was inside the box – probably a great place to have one!!

By this time it was quite late in the day, and we had an hour and a half drive back to Emu Bay so we decided to give Cape Borda Lighthouse a miss and make a beeline for home….

Back at Emu Bay, Klaus saw an echidna just strolling across the park – it was completely unperturbed by the human interest….

The day had been very full, taking in the natural wonders of God’s creation found on KI.

After an interesting night’s sleep that saw Rosie end up on the lounge with the duet of Dave and Trev’s snoring making sleeping difficult, everyone had a light brekkie and got ready for our first full day on the island. The plan was to see the northwest area which included lunch at the Enchanted Fig Tree which we had pre-booked.

Rosie was so excited that the place we were staying had a hair drier she lost no time in getting ready – having said that, Kerry and Beryl took advantage of the facility as well!

We drove out in a westerly direction and soon were on dirt roads passing through sheep farms, forestry and rolling hills. The island did look a bit dry with some empty lakes, and the evidence of the 2020 bushfires which devastated the island was still obvious.

The Princess aka the Pearl/ the Girl was revelling in the fact that she was in the lead – which meant no dust – all dust being directed behind her – the position she was traditionally used to travelling in.

Our first destination was Stokes Bay – a potential surfing area so Gordie and Trev were hopeful. We had all dressed in our finest for the 1215pm Gastronomo lunch at the Enchanted Fig Tree but Trev and Gordie had worn boardshorts in the hope of a quick pre-lunch surf.

We arrived at what was marked on the map as Stokes Beach to be confronted by a rocky beach with no waves – nothing like the pics on the internet.

Fortunately, there was a sign that indicated there was a beach area to our right – Trev went and inspected and sure enough there was a small track through some large rocks that lead to a beautiful beach…

The surf was a bit small however, but we enjoyed a walk along the beach, a paddle, and some photo ops.

The beach again had fine white sand and some interesting rock formations at either end.

Trev sustained another crab attack captured on film – looked a bit sus….

As the girls walked back through the crack in the rocks it was very reminiscent of “Picnic at Hanging Rock” – disappearing amongst the rocks never to be seen again.

Our next destination was Snelling Beach, which was the next possible surfing location, so we continued on. It also happened to be the location of the Enchanted Fig Tree.

The Enchanted Fig Tree is a 120-year-old fig tree planted as a food source for the first settlers of KI. The tree’s huge canopy and gnarled limbs have grown in such a way as to create natural “rooms” which have been turned into a unique dining experience location near Snelling Beach. Our booking was for 1230 but we were asked to be there by 1215 sharp, so we were keen to keep an eye on the time so as not to miss any of this unique experience.

Snelling beach was stunning – turquoise blue water, white sand but again the swell was small.

There was a group of vintage Combies lined up on the beach itself – Gordie of course was drawn straight to them and had a great chat – they were a group doing a fundraiser for KI bushfire recovery and the family that had lost 2 members during the fires.

After dragging Gordie away, we left the beach and went across to the Enchanted Fig Tree – slightly early so we had a look around the grounds at the old shearers shed…and Gordie and Trev did the quick-change routine to fit in with the dress code…

We walked down to the large fig tree and were greeted by a waitress who welcomed us with a refreshing cocktail of KI gin, fig syrup, peppercorn leaves and other delights as well as a fig canape.

The obligatory group photo at the entrance to the fig tree and we were then ushered in by our waitress to our table inside the fig tree canopy.

Thankfully it was a beautiful day. The sunlight filtered in through the large translucent green leaves, small birds flittered amongst the branches – one even leaving a little message on Klaus’s forearm. The tree was heavy with fruit and there were figs on the ground.

The tables were set in amongst different areas of the tree – it was semiprivate, relaxing and we were able to hear each other talk – unlike most restaurants that are so noisy. Background music floated through the air and fairy lights shone subtly among the branches – truly an enchanting experience.

The dining experience lasted over 3 hrs – and prior to the courses starting, Gordie was tempted to eat a fig he was so hungry!! He picked up a fig off the “floor” near our table, broke it open and ate it…. Who knows what will happen after ingesting a fig that was more than likely licked by a possum (or worse) …time will tell…

The set menu was amazing – 2 starters, an entrée, main and dessert all beautify prepared, presented, and tasty beyond belief! Fresh local produce was used, and it was difficult to select which part was the best – but possibly the dessert was the piece-de-resistance – Berry Bombe Alaska with a berry ice-cream centre, chocolate coating then covered with a soft meringue topped off with a berry compote and fig coulis – magnificent! Trev and Gordie couldn’t help themselves – it was great down to the last lick!!

Kerry had noticed that there were a lot of ripe figs near the toilets and so surreptitiously she and Gordon went to the loo (several times) and gleaned a fig or two….

Klaus wisely spoke to the waitress, leading the conversation around to the fact that there were a lot of ripe figs, to which the waitress replied, “take as many as you want”!!! Honesty works well and so then everyone helped themselves to a few figs to take home.

We left the restaurant after having such an enjoyable experience and returned to the beach to check for waves – the swell was now smaller, so we decided to head for home and a swim at Emu Bay instead.

On the way home we saw a magnificant wedge tailed eagleand managed to snap a pic…

After such an indulgent lunch we opted for cheese, fruit, and bikkies for dinner….

Trev and I opted for the sofa bed that night in the hope of a better night’s sleep for all!!

It was time to leave Rapid Bay and make the journey to Kangaroo Island. We were leaving our caravans at the caravan park at Cape Jervis where the ferry for KI leaves.

As we drove toward Cape Jervis, the sky over KI looked threatening and the wind had picked up, so we were anticipating a rough ride across the Backstairs Passage – the strait that divides KI from the mainland.

The caravan park at Cape Jervis was happy to store two of our cars and our 4 vans for the 6 nights we would be on KI. Klaus and Beryl opted for the luxury storage package which came with power and an ensuite – true Australian dunny style!

The rest of the crew were assigned the povo pack in the back stalls….

After packing our gear into both cars (which went smoother and took less time than we anticipated) we then drove down to the Ferry Terminal arriving just over 2 hrs early. The ferry before ours was just finishing loading up so we went into the terminal café and ordered coffee. While we were waiting for the coffee Trev went to check us all in – and was told that they had 2 cancellations so if we were able to get on board right then and there, we could go on the 1230 ferry instead of waiting til 3PM – bonus!

We quickly jumped on board – Dave and Klaus drove their cars on, and we were off to KI. Those who had not managed to get food in the terminal went to the onboard café to grab some sustenance. It was noticed that there were some unusual characters on board that day – Kerry remembered that the Fringe Festival was on this week in KI.

The ride over to Kangaroo Island was a bit rough – after finishing our food we went upstairs to the outside desk for a better view – the deck was rocking and rolling but Rosie still managed to work her way over to the only dog on board for a quick pat…. Unusual characters were also still on view upstairs!!

The sun came out and KI was clearly in view – we were all excited for what the next few days would bring!

Kangaroo Island is about the size of Bali and is home to just over 4700 people. It is a very fertile island with many freshwater creeks and lagoons and rolling pastures. Many species of native wildlife including koalas, echidnas and of course kangaroos make KI their home. The koala population was very large prior to the bushfires in 2020 – and is free of chlamydia which plagues the mainland population.

There is also a lot of marine life including penguins, Australian sea lions and New Zealand fur seals as well as a myriad of fish and sharks.

We disembarked the ferry and drove out from Penneshaw towards Emu Bay the place for our first 3 nights. On the way we went through roadworks – they are putting in a water pipeline as a permanent solution to the islands water supply as currently they rely mostly on tank water.

Calling in to Kingscote quickly for groceries, Dave took the opportunity for a few quick zzzzz’s.

We arrived at our home for the next 3 days “Seas the Day” a great house with wonderful views over Emu Bay.

The bay itself was large with a long-curved beach of white sand and again more beautiful blue water – and (wonder of wonders) a JETTY and boat ramp….

The house itself was spacious and comfortably furnished. Klaus and Beryl were allocated the main bedroom with ensuite out of respect….

Gordie and Kerry got the other double bed and due to the fact we were “family” Trev, myself, Rose and Dave shared the kids room with 2 double bunks….

After a salubrious dinner of spag bol we all relaxed and enjoyed the home comforts of TV, Wifi and good conversation. Everyone retired for the night hoping for a good night’s sleep.

After a windy night we woke to a beautiful sunny day – which was great as we had planned to drive to Deep Creek Conservation Park and go to Blowhole Beach where there may have been some surf.

Entering the Park, we hit dirt roads and came to the turnoff to Blowhole Beach – a steep descent on dirt roads – with a warning at the start…

The Ranger handled the descent well and the views were spectacular.

Blowhole Beach was smaller than expected but beautiful nevertheless… some of us made the final walk down to the beach for a swim.

Unfortunately, the surf was small, but the water again was clean and clear, and we enjoyed the swim…. apart from the sand crab that grabbed Trev’s big toe and drew blood!

Rosie was enjoying a walk on the beach – Klaus was doing his paparazzi thing, but Rose was not impressed – seems she only works the camera for Dave….

After exploring the beach, we made the trek back up the hill… the Weiss Landcruiser making quick work of the steep ascent!

The surrounding farmland with velvety hills rolling down towards the beach were picturesque. Grass trees were dotted everywhere – the species here is large, rounded with very tall and thick flowering spikes…

We stopped at the top of the hill to take in the awesome view.  A mob of kangaroos were resting in the shade. Kangaroo Island could be seen in the distance.

We drove on to the Trig Campground where the walk to Deep Creek Waterfall started. Klaus noticed that his aerial was missing – it was connected securely when we were at Blowhole Beach – Branch appeared out of nowhere and it was determined after some discussion that it was stolen while parked in the carpark at Blowhole Beach.

Before starting the walk, we had some lunch in the shade then headed up to start the walk.

Trev deciphered the description of the walk as “easy” to the group (check out the actual description in the photo below!!)

The walk started out easy, but it was quite a warm day with very little breeze. As we got into the walk the track became a little rocky and uneven and we started to descend into the valley. After walking for about 30 mins, we met another couple coming back who informed us that the waterfall was still about 15mins away…. But the track was very challenging ahead with steep steps so Kerry decided to stop and wait – Gordie decided to stay with Kerry so Trev gave them our car keys so they could go back to the car.

Dave and Rose were machines racing ahead, while Trev, Beryl and Klaus brought up the rear. The walk did get very steep, but we finally made it to the bottom…and the creek and waterfall. The waterfall only had a trickle of water running over it into a deep dark pool. The rockface was unusual with a large white limestone rock protruding out the middle of the waterfall surrounded by black rock. The falls would have been great if there had been rain.

What goes down must come back up…and so we started the long haul up the track in the heat – Dave again leading the pack. Trev held back and gave Beryl inspiration and moral support….it took us 2 hrs plus to get back but we all finally made it. A great butt and thighs workout some may say!! Trev then revealed what was actually written on the sign…. Some people may have been ready to strangle him after the harrowing experience however on reflection it was a good walk to have done.

We headed back for Rapid Bay and some well deserved rest… some of us went down to the front and had a swim in the bay – very refreshing while others put their feet up.

Trev tried his hand at Jamie Oliver outdoor cooking for dinner….

The almost full moon made an interesting appearance over the hill – our last night in Rapid Bay.

Another beautiful day dawned at Rapid Bay and Gordie thought he would break out the ring of fire for breakfast – fortunately experience makes for wiser decisions as he has a custom-made board to sit it on now to prevent any fire damage to the table below.

After brekkie it was revealed that the “Watergate” scandal in the Hunters Lotus was finally coming to a resolution – it had been going on for days as Gordie struggled to fill his water tanks without wasting water…. the attempt by McGyver to pour it on using a spout from the jerry was also unsuccessful…. Branch was happy to look on…but the final solution was the good ole bucket and outdoor shower hose and pump which filled the tanks like a treat without any backflow. Everyone cheered as this meant we would not hear any more about the water woes of the Lotus…

As the day was beautiful, we planned to head north to a few different beaches…. first stop Second Valley where we had heard the snorkelling was good. We arrived at Second Valley and yet again another jetty – South Australia is jetty capital of the world.

The area is known for the Weedy Sea Dragon and we were keen to see it in its natural habitat. Trev and I grabbed our snorkelling gear and jumped in from the beach while the others went for a walk around the rocks.

The water was a good temperature and very clear.

As we swam over towards the jetty the seabed was pretty with fine white sand and a huge variety of underwater plants as well as colourful fish.

We snorkelled for quite a lengthy time but unfortunately did not see any sea dragons. Trev found a lure that he kept for Klaus. Gordie hopped in for a swim then and a bit of a snorkel.

After we had finished, we decided to head on further…. Klaus was on the ball but ended up having to wait patiently at the car while Gordie was still sorting himself out… a common scene…

The next stop was the lookout where the HMAS Hobart memorial was. The warship was deliberately scuttled a few KMs off the coast here after it had completed its service and was now an artificial reef and well-known dive site.

Driving into Normanville we reached the beach and guess what?? ANOTHER jetty…. and beautiful beach for a swim. Everyone was pretty hungry by now so we went back to the local café and grabbed some lunch…Trev could not resist a trip to the bakery and came out with a “Kitchener” bun.

After lunch Trev and I headed down to the beach for a swim while the others went to look at the shops in the village. The water was again clear – a beautiful blue colour and looked very inviting. We swam out to the pontoon and climbed out – and noticed Klaus and Gordie had arrived and were swimming out to meet us.

Normanville was a lovely location and once we swam back to the beach we decided to stay and relax for a while. The others arrived and we spent some time sitting on the beach – it got so hot that we found some shade under the jetty…

It was time to leave but Dave decided to quickly fill up his jerry can of water as security – from the beach shower!!! Seems he needed some insurance on water usage due to Rosie and the shower????

Back at camp and Branch was out again – this time assisting Trev with the persistent left blinker issue – which remained an issue – no resolution ….

After a lovely day the wind became increasingly gusty…. during the night Trev and I got up and put down our awning…. just as well because later that night the wind created havoc tearing gazebos and collapsing tents….fortunately we were all OK.

After an eventful evening everyone had a slow start to the day. The sun was shining – not a cloud in the sky – a real contrast from the day before thankfully. Wayne the caretaker came around and collected our fees…and asked us to make our wagon train a bit tighter as he had a busy weekend coming up so we moved the Weiss and Wells vans before we went out for the day.

We decided to make the most of the sunny day and head out to the surf beaches of Parsons Head and Waitpinga in the hope of Trev and Gordie getting a surf.

Arriving at Parsons Beach we were greeted with a breathtaking vista of golden beach, clear turquoise waters and waves (albeit small!). A carpark discussion with the lone local female surfer there revealed that the surf was not expected to pick up any time soon so we decided to drive around to Waitpinga for a swim and a surf.

Waitpinga was also very beautiful but much longer – and the waves were no better. Trev and Gordie had a paddle anyway and I went in for a swim. The water was so clear and the temperature was no colder than at home – very refreshing and enjoyable as the day was hot with very little breeze.

Flocks of seagulls kept doing laps of the beach and a lone fisho was further down the beach – we had the whole area pretty much to ourselves.

Trev went in for a final swim and the scene looked reminiscent of a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock movie ” The Birds”!!

Eventually a few other people arrived and so we left and drove on to meet the others at Victor Harbour.

We managed to find them eating lunch at the Castaway Café near the jetty at Victor Harbour.

After some food and beverages we walked out along the jetty to Granite Island where there is a penguin colony.

A quick walk around to take in the sights and some pics – beautiful views over the harbour and rocky islands – there was even a rock that looked like Mr Magoo!

The penguins return to the island at dusk and head into their nests – we were not planning to stay that long so we walked back across the jetty.

Trev and I went out to the Bluff lookout and Rosetta Head – the views across to Victor Harbour and down the coast were beautiful…..

On return to camp, Branch was in full swing as he had missed all the action during the day… Watergate was still underway at the Hunter’s Lotus….

McGyver was assisting Rosie with her hinges and Dave was up a ladder trying to silicone the van leak… he was nearly the next casualty until Trev came out and assisted with Branch looking on…. A very precarious situation!

A late walk on the beach at Rapid Bay to investigate what looked like a cave at the end proved fruitless – there was one section that looked like an entry to a cave but it was too high to get to. The day ended well with no serious injuries or incidents!

The sun rose over Will’s Beach Shack as we packed up and attempted to leave early.

Gordie decided to try out his awesome pumping system to top up his water tanks from the jerry can…. loud exclamations were heard across the campground as a fountain erupted out of the inlet valve spraying water everywhere. It seems the valves are so tight and efficient that it was not easy for the pump system to push through them – Branch was still snoozing while all this unfolded….

After a quick prayer by Klaus for safe travels, we were on the road and not too far down the highway Kerry noticed what she thought was a wobbly TV antenna on the Loveday van… a potential Branch moment from Gordie’s perspective however a quick inspection showed that it was all OK – just a “normal” wobble.

As we continued on Trev suddenly recollected Dave saying the evening before that he had a quarter of a tank of fuel so felt no need to fill up when we did as it would do about 200kms…. A quick radio check to the Wells by Trev uncovered, as Rosie put it, that the fuel gauge was on the “last stick” (about 1/8 tank left) … an even quicker check by Clare on the fuel app revealed that it was about 40 km to the next fuel – Dave then revealed that they had 21km left in the tank!!!!

So, we pulled over almost immediately in a convenient gravel pit in Coorong National Park – Branch had been riding on the front of the Pearl like a hood ornament so maybe the extra weight had sucked more fuel????

Anyway, Trev drove off with 2 empty jerry cans and Dave in the hope the nearest service station was open and had diesel – the next servo after that was 75km away….

While we were all waiting, the Bottomless Barista got out his generator and fired it up to make us all a decent coffee…. after a few hiccups with the generator not coping with the draw of power from the barista’s up-market machine we were in business…Kerry replaced the BB as the machine responded well to her gentle touch….Klaus ensuring he was supervising the production…. Until a park ranger drove up and “kindly” reminded us we were in a national park and generators were not permitted. Klaus in his best official voice explained the situation and the ranger let us continue.

It was not too long before Trev and Dave returned with the fuel, Branch kindly assisting the re-fuelling of the Pearl.

We got underway again and Dave made it to the Meningie Service Station to fully fuel up. We drove past some interesting scenery in Coorong NP – salt pans, lakes including a pink lake, sand dunes and scrub – a real wetland area.

Through Meningie and past Lake Albert, we turned off to Wellington and waited to catch the vehicular ferry across the Murray into Wellington itself.

More beautiful old SA buildings lined the banks and were scattered across the farmland as we drove south toward Victor Harbour. The land was increasingly fertile with vineyards, cattle and sheep farming making a change from the more arid area between Coorong and Wellington.

Pulling into Victor Harbour, Branch noted a couple of issues with the Hunter’s Lotus…. Seems a pole had jumped out and damaged the side on the way out of Will’s Beach Shack unbeknown to him…. Also, a drawer had flown out and made a slight mess – not sure how it happened but Branch was on to it…

Anyway, we had a quick lunch at a bakery in town and then continued to Rapid Bay. By this time, it was starting to rain, and the area was increasingly hilly with windy roads…Klaus almost lost the Weiss Lotus on the hill driving down to Rapid Bay but gained control at the last moment. The view looking toward Rapid Bay would have been spectacular if it had not been for the rain and mist.

Wayne, the caretaker at Rapid Bay Campground, instructed us over the phone to park in a grassy spot in a wagon train configuration. The campground looked great despite the weather and the bay was beautiful with high hills on either end and a long jetty at the south end.

We parked and started setting up when a cry came from Dave as he opened the van – a “Branch Moment” had occurred in the Wells Snowy – Branch came flying over to be greeted with the view of the entire pantry contents all over the floor and in the stairwell… the slide out pantry had slid out indeed creating havoc inside the van. We had not been over any rough roads, so it was a mystery as to how it flew open…maybe the same troll that had entered the Hunter van earlier and dislodged their drawer. Anyway, the pantry mechanism was trashed so McGyver came to the rescue once everyone was set up and disassembled it. A repair job once we return home to reinstate some new shelving and door was the final solution.

The afternoon was spent in repair mode with Gordie needing assistance from several others to sort out the drawer runners that needed fixing but he finally had success.

Klaus and Beryl were relaxing in their van – no repairs needed there – but it came to light later that they had a freezer door fly open and some contents on the floor – no mess or damage…must have swung open on that last bend when Klaus nearly lost it!!! Branch had missed this one – but was determined to keep a closer eye on the Weiss clan.

Sunset arrived as the rain stopped and a spectacular rainbow appeared down the north end of the beach – which brought out all the cameras. The water was a beautiful aqua blue which contrasted with the pink and orange sky…

We had dinner and Rose went to wash up – she suddenly reappeared clutching her hand – she had dropped the stovetop down on her finger (very heavy!) and it had cut her finger deeply and bruised the nail – extremely painful. Into the Loveday van and out came the first aid kit…Rosie was regretting wearing her white shorts which now had a lot of red on them – even though she was in pain she managed to make a joke of the shorts and was very brave. On closer inspection it was deemed the cut would need some stitches, so we Googled the nearest hospital – back at Victor Harbour a 40min drive – so after some Steristrips and a pressure bandage Trev drove Rose and Dave to the ED. We all cleaned up and waited around for news.

The hospital was great – after 4 stitches and instructions on how to care for the wound they were on their way back to camp. Branch was waiting to provide some much-needed comfort to Rosie – he had kept a low profile earlier as he does not cope well with too much bodily fluids but now the bleeding was under control he was back on deck.

After a very eventful day everyone including Branch were grateful to crawl into bed…

The sun rose over the camp and the sea was misty – the day was so different from yesterday – blue skies and a light breeze!

We packed up and headed west along the coast aiming to have lunch around the Beachport area.

First stop was Southend Beach – the end of an extremely long stretch of beach. It was again white sand with turquoise water and obviously a great fishing place.

We continued on then to Beachport stopping at Surf Beach where finally there was a wave albeit a bit small. Gordie and Trev decided to stay and have the first surf of the trip while we all went on into Beachport itself for a coffee and a look around.

Beachport has a very long jetty extending way out into the bay so we walked the length after a coffee at the café just across the road from the jetty.

Beachport had some lovely old buildings – all in the style that seems very characteristic of South Australian buildings with large edge blocks on the corners.

Trev and Gordie arrived back from their surf and grabbed a takeaway coffee and we drove on to Salmon Hole a beautiful swimming location on the other side of town.

Trev and I went in for a swim – the water was cold but very refreshing and crystal clear. The scenery around was breathtaking with sand dunes, azure water, rocky outcrops and bushland.

We decided to have lunch nearby at the Pool of Siloam – a great place to park but the pool looked a bit murky. A local bloke came past and was going in for a dip – all was revealed when he told us that he was going in for his daily treatment for his skin!! Apparently the water in the lake was 7 times saltier than the sea and very good for your skin….

Driving on then towards Kingston our destination for the night, we stopped at Robe for a look but there was not much to see so went on to Pinks Beach, another long beach that was a popular spot for driving 4WDs – seems most beaches here are used as alternate roadways. The water here was warmer than Salmon Hole as it was a huge shallow bay – and Rosie was hoping it would be much the same at the place we were staying….

Arriving in Kingston we drove through the Will’s Beach Shack – a “free camp” ground on Will’s beachfront property. On our arrival we were greeted by a very friendly Will who directed us to our site location- and gave us some good advice as to where to eat in town.

A quick set up and we headed straight for the beachfront and a swim. The water was warm but very shallow for a long way out – still great though to get into the sea for a refreshing swim! No surf here….but a great outdoor shower!!

Kerry had been very observant and noticed that the Wells had lost something else from their caravan wheel – a dust cover…Branch found it amusing as it was just the right size for him to hop in to….hopefully nothing else falls off the wheels!!

The Crown Hotel Bistro in Kingstown was the place to eat according to Will as the fish and chip shop allegedly had given him diarrhoea – better to eat where the locals do so we drove back in to the pub. Kingston is the home of the Big Lobster – love those big Aussie icons – so we were hoping for some great seafood.

The meals were great – the most tender squid I have ever eaten and Gordon and Kerry really enjoyed their Coffin Bay Oyster entrée!

Back to camp for coffee and chocolate…and a good nights sleep.

The dawn broke over Mt Gambier and we awoke to the creaking sound of the Wells awning being packed up – Rose and Dave were up early and way ahead of us all in the pack up game.

Leaving Mt Gambier, we headed south to take a look at Picanninnie Ponds – a location recommended to Kerry by Dave T. The ponds are a well-known dive and snorkel site as the water is crystal clear and it has underwater limestone caverns. The visibility is said to often exceed 40m. Unfortunately, the day was overcast and cold with an icy breeze. The ponds were really beautiful, and the water was very clear – the depth at the pontoon was 5.9M.

Parking was tight with Klaus getting the gun spot and Trev taking one for the team with a real lean on the van!

Rose and Kerry worked the camera, but Trev took the honours (must run in the family!!)

We drove into Port MacDonnell past a coast that looked pretty rough and uninviting – lots of seaweed on the beach giving it a unique odour.

Close to Port Mac there was an alleged penguin colony – which seemed to have long gone however there were some large local penguins on display!

After a coffee at Port Mac we continued on along the coast towards Shelly Beach.

Cape Northumberland is the most southern point of South Australia, so we took an obligatory group pic and had a walk.

Klaus and Beryl were feeling very romantic…..

The coastline is beautiful but rugged with obvious reefs out from the shore – no wonder the coast has a long history of multiple shipwrecks.

Camel Rock sat between two rocky outcrops and the water surrounding the rocks was crystal clear.

The destination for the night was Cape Banks Lighthouse campground in Canunda National Park – a “free” camp area. The road in was unsealed – our first offroad drive this trip – dusty limestone road (the Pearl was thankful it was not the red dust!!)

On arrival at the camp a couple of the sites were quite tight – Gordie had the drive through site, but he was not impressed and so Klaus offered to share his site with the Hunters…. our site was so tight as our van was the smallest – but we nabbed the Hunter’s site and as it turned out it was the gun spot with the best shelter from the Antarctic gale that was blowing. As we drove past the Wells site a large black snake slithered into the bush, so we were on snake alert.

After lunch we went for a walk up to the lighthouse – painted orange – very distinctive and then went down to the beach. There was a small seal colony on the rocks at the point and so we walked out to take some pics.

Klaus got so exciting with the wildlife photo-op he did not notice the limestone pothole among the seaweed and suddenly face-planted into the mound of seaweed on the beach. He gave us all a real shock and Trev helped him up – the spiky seaweed had left a real impression as had the limestone with some bark taken off a knee or 2… fortunately the damage did not appear too great – and Klaus had managed to save his camera…

The beach was littered with many varieties of multicoloured seaweeds and finally the sun made an appearance which brightened up the view with the turquoise blue water and white sand making a great contrast.

You could drive on the beach, but we decided to walk along instead – getting windblown all the way. There were a lot of interesting insects around – Gordie made friends with some March flies on the beach that would not leave him alone… and there were a few bull-joes (large black ants with a VERY mean bite) inhabiting the area….not to mention ladybugs and centipedes…and the Hunters had a visit from a spider in their van…

On our return from the walk, we enjoyed happy hour in the protected Loveday camp, then had dinner in the vans out of the incessant wind. It looked very stormy, and thunder was heard in the distance however fortunately the storm circled around us.

The sunset over the sea was beautiful and made for some great pics – including the orange lighthouse. We settled in for the night to the sound of the ocean – always a good way to go off to sleep!

The day started again with a chorus of corellas which woke us all and got us up relatively early. Trev was very thankful for the healthy pancakes I cooked..and the green juice!

As it was Sunday we had our own “church service” at the vans and started a series on Titus listening to a sermon on the first part of chapter one by Simon Manchester – a great way to begin the day.

We then left the campsite and drove for 22 mins to the Tantanoola Cave, our first stop for the day. The cave had been discovered in the 1930’s by the son of a local farmer on whose land it was. He had been chasing rabbits with his ferret which went down what he thought was a rabbit hole but did not return. The teenager threw a couple of rocks inside and heard loud noises – he then crawled in and discovered the amazing cave below. The family started charging for cave tours about 2 weeks after that!

National Parks bought the area later on and have cared for it to ensure it is well preserved. We entered the cave (with our COVID masks on of course!) and it was the most beautiful cave we had ever seen – with the most formations packed into the one cave….spectacular!

The tour lasted for half an hour with plenty of photo opportunities.

Once back outside we did the short cliff walk above the cave which gave us a great panoramic view of the local area. The cave guide had told Klaus that the pine forests around the area were owned by Kimberley Clark – and used for making toilet paper (a COVID lockdown essential!!) No shortage around here!

There was another sinkhole next to the cave area as well…and then we returned to the front where Klaus found what he thought was a quandong tree and decided to take some closeup pics….Rosie mentioned to Dave that Klaus was taking pics of a Condom Tree…Dave was very confused by this understandably so but we set him straight….and it actually was not a quandong – it was a Kangaroo Apple!

We then drove on for 40 mins past Penola back to the Coonawarra wine area to a winery recommended to us by the caravan park owner – Brand’s Laira Winery.

It was a beautiful winery with the oldest vines in the district planted in 1893 by Captain Henry Stentiford the first owner of the vineyard. Eric Brand took over the vineyard in 1952.

The grounds were well kept and manicured with beautiful rose gardens among the vines.

We entered into the cellar door area and enjoyed a fantastic Ploughman’s lunch and wine tasting. Kerry and Dave were in their element!

After lunch and purchasing a few bottle we toured the old cellar full of a huge collection of old wines, ports and a motley collection of other beverages including a Darwin Stubby!

Driving home we stopped for a coffee at Sorrento’s then back to the caravans for dinner….and a visit by Branch to assist McGyver with the ongoing issue of the left blinker on the Loveday van….will it be fixed is the question??