Luvapuzzle

Easter 2023

Leaving home at 1130 seems to be what we can manage without too much stress.

The odometer turned over to 222222 at about Two Wells, just after we turned off of the Port Wakefield road and headed towards our planned lunch spot at Balaklava.

We were trying to drive on roads we hadn’t taken before. We are not sure, but think that we actually mirrored at least part of the route we took another time, heading the opposite way.

We arrived in Koolunga and decided a toilet break was in order, so headed for Bunyip Park, a very pleasant little RV park in town with some decent trees and even a shower in the single toilet building!

Then on the grey top to Red Hill, where we did a brief town tour before following the highway north for a few km.

We turned to the west on another dirt road and headed across to the old school and church site at Clements Gap via the wind farm. The giant turbines were casting giant shadows in the bright sunlight on the blonde paddocks of stubble.

We remembered being here before and checked out potential camping spots for the future. The area behind the old school site is now an official RV park ( no facilities) but the scrub beyond that off of block fed road has some nice track running back in there which might be more sheltered and private for an overnight stay.

On a whim we decided to venture out to port Davis where the Broughton River is about 100m wide as it heads to the sea, with mangroves around on either side. We had a quick walk on the very short metal jetty but there was no sign of boats despite two trailers pulled up near the boat ramp. We even got treated to a rainbow.

We had a quick stop at the Pirie camping shop to fill one of our gas bottles before heading for Peter and Belinda’s place. This is where we are stopping tonight-complete with a lamb meal for Mandy Thursday at the church.

It’s not just about the destination but about the journey too. 18/2/23

We are keen to see our loved ones but have so enjoyed the relaxed life of the fisher, camper and traveller.

On our last morning we woke up to the sounds of the little birds in our lovely spot away from everyone and enjoyed a quick breakfast and cuppa before heading on up the track on Weir Rd. The track became rougher and eventually we came to a farm gate stretched across it. We decided to continue on, so opened and closed it hoping that we were not trespassing.

Soon we came over the crest of a hill to find a farm house below with farmer in the yard watching us come. He didn’t seem concerned as we drove past and the track improved greatly once we were past his gate. At the junction with the road ahead there was another very similar gate and a road sign pointing down the road so we figure what we did was ok.

Now we were on Scenic Highway and it was scenic. We had great views across bush land and cropping land rolling away on both sides of the road. A lovely bit of driving on a wide smooth (Brattenised?)road.

The Scenic Highway met the Lincoln Highway about 66km from Whyalla. We stopped in Whyalla for fuel before continuing on.

The next stop was the Arid Lands Botanic Garden just outside Port Augusta. Here we enjoyed a Banjo meal each (tuna pattie flavoured with bush seasonings and served with salad) and Trevor tried a sample pack of icecream (4 bush flavours). Lemon Myrtle was best by far.

We took a bit of a stroll on the paths, enjoying the information about the plants and glimpses of birds. They had a lovely group of babblers.

The day was hot so we didn’t stay as long as we might have otherwise. We stopped at the lookout on the way out to look at the view across the water to the city of Port Augusta, the wind farm in the distance and the beautiful lower Flinders Ranges framing the edges of the vista.

We were really lucky to have a bearded dragon cross the road in front of us and give us a good long time to take a photo and enjoy the view.

We stopped in Owen for a quick cuppa and catch-up with Rodney before making tracks towards home once again.

Now we are making a beeline for home as dinner time approaches. We are going to force our unwashed-for-2-days bodies upon our dear Jasmine and Ben tonight because it is Jasmine’s birthday so she needs hugs. Unfortunately by the time we arrive Sophia will probably be in bed. 🥲

That’s it for this adventure.

Cummins towards home 17/2/23

Trevor went off on bus round with Vinnie. The round goes out to the North West of Cummins and is about 100km total-mostly on dirt. The kids all had swimming sports day.

Then we all sat around eating scrumptious breakfast, drinking tea and putting off the moment of leaving. Nat picked some fresh veg for us to take with us from her garden and Barbie loaded us up with jam, preserves, fruit leather and fresh pears.

As we went to finish loading we realised we had a tyre with very little pressure. Vinnie pumped it up, we took a few photos of us together to aid the memory

and the tyre was down a bit again! So it was off to the local tyre place for a quick repair. While I took photos of the local loos they found a side wall nick that was fixable and a bent rim, probably from a rock along a track. We were relieved it was fixable as it was a nearly new tyre.

Handbag made by Barbie from tiles from Melba and Don’s home at St Kilda.

Finally we were actually on the road at about 11 am. We were driving on a road called Bratten Way and we googled to find out who Bratten was. He was a local overseer of works for the Tumby Bay Council and invented the process of road building named Brattenising. If you would like to read more go to the link below.

https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/technology/industry/display/51816-bratten-plough-memorial-#:~:text=Bratten%2C%20overseer%20of%20works%20in,done%20is%20now%20titled%20’Brattenising.

We read that there was a monument to Bratten in Tumby Bay and decided to find it and lunch there. We found an excellent bakery ( Trev says it was a beautiful Kitchener bun) and then headed for the foreshore.

We were unable to walk the jetty due to it being closed. We got into a conversation with a local gent who was touching up some of the local foreshore with paint. He encouraged us to take “The M3” which turned out to be a local foreshore walking track with mosaics featuring local creatures and lots of local information. We spent ages strolling along, reading, photographing and learning and then strolled back again along the beach. What a fantastic little project!

There were 12 of these beautiful plaques inserted in the path

Eventually we headed out of town but it wasn’t long before we were heading off of the main road again and following a sign to a shipwreck trail. Sadly the trail seemed fairly impossible to follow, but we did find some old signs and learnt a bit about local shipping in the old days- including a chute that they rigged to drop bags of grain down from the cliff top into a small boat, which was then rowed to a larger boat anchored further out.

We parked at Point Gibbon and went for a walk across the Sandhills to see if we could see any fur seals. We decided this would not be our choice for a camping area. Lots of vans close to each other in allocated sites.

We drove along the coast road from Port Gibbon to Cowell checking out a number of camp sites and beaches on the way. Most looked windy. Some looked crowded. We passed through Cowell and kept on going.

Just outside of town was a sign to Ulbana Weir tourist drive and we decided to follow the signs. Eventually we found a weir with a little dam behind it and pulled up with a view of the water to finally boil the billy.

As we sat and listened to the birds we decided that we had come far enough today (a whole 212 or so km) so we searched for the “camping spot” (not where wiki has the coordinates) and pulled in to camp in a flat area beside a couple of old ruined chimneys and a few trees.

Here we pulled together a satisfying dinner from leftovers, back up provisions and newly acquired garden pickings before finishing off a cryptic crossword (only the second one for the whole trip) and heading for bed.

Coffins to Cummins 16/2/23.

Coffins Bay to Cummins is actually a 40 min drive according to Google maps but we actually spent 2 1/2 hours getting out of the park (leaving camp at 1045) and then another 4 hours to check out some local spots on the way to Cummins (arriving around 5:30pm).

Our packing up was quick (as usual) giving us time to help out others with more to do.

We had 3 packs of fresh fish in our fridge extra to take home and will eat that later and remember this trip fondly as we do so

The tide was further out on the way back, giving more space for driving, and after a week of warm weather the sand was softer.

This caused Bob, at the front, to get stuck in a particularly soft bit at one point, but this was relatively quickly resolved with maxtraks and some good driving.

Much better situation than for the young couple with two tyres rolled off of the rims plus a broken jack handle who were waiting for a retrieval vehicle to come out from Coffins at the cost of $500!

We stopped to pump up tyres and have lunch at the excellent cafe in Coffins- next to the Liberty service station and IGA. Try their falafel wrap. Yum. Trev wandered across to the hall to see if Barbie might still be there on library duty, but we had arrived too late. He did pick up a free mystery valentines book gift (a blind date with a book) wrapped in brown paper. He took the chocolate heart stuck on the front. I got the rest. One of Barbie’s many bright ideas to promote reading and use of the library.

We said goodbye to our fellow travellers, who were heading for Cowell for their overnight stop. They were going via Cummins too due to a big fire on the outskirts of Port Lincoln which needed to be avoided.

We dawdled around Coffin Bay and then had a cuppa looking out over Kellidie Bay.

We could see the people out tasting oysters on the Oyster HQ tour they were sitting wearing waders with feet in the water as we drove past.

We tootled around on the backroads to the Kellidie Peninsula and took the rough track to the end there, where we could look across the water to the township of Coffin Bay and Rabbit Island.

Then we tracked across to Mount Dutton Bay where the old cafe in the Woolshed is. It was closed. (only open Fri, Sat and Sun). Then a bit further around to Farm Beach (past the old tractor graveyard) where we pulled off of the firm boat ramp to allow access for another vehicle and came close to needing our own retrieval.

We travelled across to Cummins via the old Nyroca Scout Camp and the back roads. We received the usual warm family welcome from Vinnie and Barbie, with a lovely meal, and a pleasant walk around the local area (their nightly walk) thrown in. We even stopped to use the exercise equipment on the school oval and caught up with Haley, who was locking up the local basketball stadium.

Trev and Vinnie shared a spa in the back yard

while Barbie and Erica had a good natter inside and were treated to a live performance of a few of Nat‘s songs (written by her as well as performed by her to the accompaniment of her guitar).

The last day of fishing. 15/2/23

We headed for the rocks 🪨 one last time this morning. we don’t need the fish for tea tonight, so we agreed to only keep the big ones.

Bob, our mentor, instructor and encourager was also, once again the scaler and filleted for our little group of four. Alan and Rob looked after their own.

We had plenty of fun in the catching, with many Tommys, Mullet and smaller whiting thrown back and still keeping 4 whiting , 2 salmon , 1 Tommy and 3 or 4 Mullet. Alan and Rob got 3 salmon too. Tonight we will eat curry again, made with some of the salmon. I might double the rice to go with it compared to the other night.

We returned to camp for a late lunch and spent the afternoon relaxing and starting the preparations to leave. The kayaks came up from the beach.

I took the opportunity to write a little rhyme since I had been reading some bush verse. You are about to be subjected to it so be afraid….

FISHING EXPEDITION

The fisherman, dressed in his oldest clothes
strolls along the shore. 
A big white bucket and hopeful face
He’ll catch his dinner and more. 

He makes his way to his favourite rocks, 
Sets up all his gear. 
“Today will be the day” he thinks
“Those fish have much to fear”

The fish are going about their lives
The kids are off to school. 
The adults are doing their daily chores
Out along near “The Pool”

The line is cast and splash it lands. 
Quick as a flash they come. 
“Come on boys-you know your jobs
There’s plenty to be done.“

“Remove the food and put it away. 
Now place that seaweed on. 
If there’s time we will build a tangle too,
To confound him later on.“

A gentle tug is felt above. 
It’s time to wind it in. 
The bait is gone! And there’s weed on here
Instead of a flaming fin! 

And my line is all a tangled mess. 
“How on earth????” I ask. 
“To get that back in a useful state
Will be an hour’s task!”

Life goes on beneath the waves. 
The young ones splash and play.
The silver schools of twirling life
Swim on their happy way. 

The fisherman packs his gear away
And stows his tangled line. 
He trudges back along the beach. 
“I’ll get a beauty…. NEXT TIME!!

Sometimes it just seems like the fish have a better plan than the fishermen.

As we walked back along the beach today we could see a father emu and 4 smaller ones at the edge of the beach further along. Was he teaching them the difference between salt and fresh water? There must be another poem in that I think…

The beach is still looking beautiful and beckoning us on a warm day.

I must add that the rhyme was well received by fellow campers and the curry was awesome. Now we are heading off to bed for our last night camping out here for the moment.

Perfect Day for Valentines Day 14/2/23

The wind had dropped and we had perfect still water as we walked along the beach towards our favourite rock fishing spot.

As we headed on to the rocks Trev spied a hooded plover pair. We saw another one on the shore as we walked back a few hours later, laden down with such a good catch that we pulled up stumps before the bait ran out. If we catch nothing tomorrow we will still eat fish for tea.

Find the hooded plover and the sooty oyster catchers

All the others had also had a good haul so we are very well supplied indeed. Of course we didn’t realise how they were doing at the time as they were fishing from different positions and not sharing our fish bucket.

The rocks are beautiful even when the fish aren’t biting

The still water gave us a chance to admire two different types of Ray in the shallow water and also a small shark of some kind who cruised past.

After a late lunch Trev and I took Mike’s kayaks out for a little paddle too. The water was still pretty clear and wind low when we set out, but it picked up a bit while we were out on the water.

The rest of the afternoon was spent lazing, reading and chatting. Rob went for a couple of swims. Many fish were scaled and filleted.

It is warm enough today to be actively seeking the shade as we anticipate our fish feast for dinner. This was followed by pancakes and a small amount of fruitcake that remained.

As well as the hooded plovers we identified silver eyes and striated pardalotes today.

Only 2 sleeps now till we have to leave. We are already talking about when we can come back.

Mullalong 13/2/23

Due to the SE wind near the campsite four of us decided to head across the point to Mullalong beach where the wind should be in a kinder direction.

We took the rocky track across there (about 5km) and stood at the top of the hill looking down on the beautiful beach, full of hope. I think this must be the way fishermen feel eternally.

We slid down the sand hill to the beach. Coming back up was much harder work.

The shells were interesting with some variety.

There looked to be a rip section just past the rocks so Mike and Erica headed down there to try for salmon. Trev and Bob stayed on the beach pretty much where we came down and fished into a weed free spot there.

It was hard work trudging up and down the very soft sand of the beach, continually casting and winding in and rebaiting. The waves were very strong and it was hard to feel the nibbles due to the wave action. Unfortunately a couple of fish made a late escape (lessening our final total) after an accidental bucket spill into waves!

We returned to hear that Alan had got an excellent haul from our usual spot here and Rob had also caught a few from the beach right in front of the campsite! ….at least we will eat fish again tonight. 🐟🐠

Lunch was at just after 3 pm when we made it back to the campsite. Erica was lucky to get a quick scenic tour to Point Sir Isaac and to see the beautiful Seasick Bay for herself and a few rock parrots there.

Since the wind was blowing strongly we didn’t go back out to fish later as we had planned, but amused ourselves with chatting, music, sleeping and reading until tea time when we enjoyed a curry (containing the 1.5kg flathead caught by Rob earlier) with rice and naan bread. More wine was an essential addition.

More music followed (and more chat) before we turned in for the night at about 9:30pm.

A S/E wind and Seasick Bay 12/2/23

We were the last up by a mile again, but the others don’t seem to hold it against us and there certainly seems to be no frantic hurry to get out there. We sat and ate a leisurely bacon and egg breakfast and had a cuppa before getting ready for the walk to the point.

The takings didn’t end up too bad- I think there were 14 fish in all again today- but the distribution of the catching was quite uneven- causing some frustration. The fish were taking lots of bait but refusing to be caught most of the time. Poor Bob had greatly reduced fishing time due to working out the problems caused by others.

After lunch it was decided that this was not a great position to fish, so the boys took off to Seasick Bay to try their luck there after sorting out a flat battery with our little power bank/jump starter gadget. Mike also had to pump up a tyre. No luck was to be had with the fishing. It was a pretty spot though.

Erica had a lazy afternoon trying to sleep, reading and nosing around in the bush a bit.

We had a little session of “ Camp Mechanics” with Trevor solving the shorting problems which were blowing the fuses on Bob’s solar panels and Mike fixing his camp chair with a ratchet strap.

Tea of stir-fried veg and fresh fish was very successful and followed by (sadly) the last of the cheesecake with berries. What will we do tomorrow night without Bev’s lovely food? Digestion of tea was assisted by some red supplied by Mike.

Cowell to The Pool 10/2/23

It was good to have a shower in the morning. We were on the road by just after 8 but the others were heading for the roadhouse for breakfast.

We drove on to Arno Bay where we enjoyed another jetty walk and were again impressed by a foreshore with a huge shelter shed, great playground and park facilities.

Then it was on to a mangrove walk on the outskirts of town. We enjoyed watching all the little crabs scuttling for cover and disappearing into their holes.

Unfortunately the mangrove walk took longer than anticipated as we had to retrace our steps due to a closed section. The water was lovely and clear and moving very fast.

We got stuck behind slow traffic and were pushing against a head wind and were the last to arrive in Port Lincoln but the first to leave after a very quick shop.

We had some more slow driving to get to Coffin Bay stuck behind slow drivers but still had time to add some fuel before the others arrived. After a lunch stop we headed out to the park

15km into the park we stopped to let down our tyres and the fun driving began. Soft sand alternating with corrugations and rough rock surfaces with lots of large holes and sharp protrusions. Tricky driving. The sides of the road are quite lush after a good rainfall through the year.

It was 50 km in to our campsite and took almost 2 hours of hard driving. The tide was the highest seen here and we were lucky to make it along the beach section.

We managed to get in a bit of fishing after setting up camp, but with the high tide we couldn’t walk around to the usual spot. We did catch a few of legal size but not enough for a meal before calling it a day and heading back to camp to dine on Bev’s delicious zucchini slice with salad and fruit cake.

An excellent start to the fishing and camping.

View from next to our campsite. Fishing spot on rocks in distance.

Fishing , Wading and Paddling. 11/2/23

We woke to the noises of our fellow campers, already up and about and noisy. Trev was feeling ready to go, but I was stubbornly trying to cling to my sleep.

Eventually I conceded defeat and got up. 5 out of 6 headed for the rocky point (the usual fishing spot) but had to wade part of the way to get there.

The fishing was pretty good, with 14 caught (mostly King George Whiting)- enough for dinner tonight.

The afternoon was not so successful. The 2 who paddled came in with 4 gar and 1 Whiting. ( from 1 fisher). Those who waded( up to groin level) back to the rocks got very wet but came back with only 3 Whiting ( from 1 fisher) and 1 large flathead.

By the time we returned we were all pretty tired out and ready for tea. Bob cooked up the fish (yum) , we whipped up a salad from combined resources, and then finished up with delightful cheesecake (thanks Bev) and raspberries. A delicious and fitting finish to a fine meal as the sun set

The temperature was rapidly dropping as we piled on the layers, did the dishes and were treated to some music from Bob.

The water was calm and there was very little wind. The continuing background noise of bees and blowflies continued till the sun went. Then the mozzies took over.