Well, that was unexpected.
Like the Great Ocean Road, this started with inauspicious beginnings.
The plan was to take a week to 10 days to travel around the coast before starting on the Eyre Highway at Ceduna, and suss out the best places on the Eyre Peninsula.
So, first stop Fitzgerald Bay just north of Whyalla at the top of the Spencer Gulf
But when I got there the wind was phenomenal. So much so that I didn’t fancy putting up the roof top tent. I had a quick dip in the still stunning water and retired to Whyalla to a cabin in the caravan park. Oh well, at least I got to watch the tennis in relative peace.
From there I headed down the coast, but everywhere I stopped it was still very windy. Tumby Bay was the first place it eased off a little but was still not pleasant. I stopped for a really good coffee at the Bakery, a walk along the beach, and a bubbly at the pub. I mean, it’s only fair to contribute to the local economy.
Then it was on to lunch and wine tasting at Boston Bay winery just outside Port Lincoln, where I discovered my new favourite wine – Boston Bay Reisling. It is sublime! Their pizza was also great, as was sitting there at the window just looking at the view.
From there to Port Lincoln to set up camp.
Day 2 and I’ve already completed the east coast of the peninsula. Oh well, that’ll just give me more time in WA I guess.
Hahahahaha. More famous last words.
Port Lincoln was completely unexpected. I spent a week exploring Port Lincoln itself and the Lincoln National Park just south of it. The national park was stunning. Great hikes, 4wding, remote white sandy beaches, and perfect weather.
And, of course, swimming with sea lions from Port Lincoln.
I was considering cage diving with great white sharks. Sharks really are my phobia – along with heights. I thought immersion therapy might be good, but just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Swimming with sea lions felt like a much better, more fun, option.
And it was.
I was so excited I couldn’t sleep the night before. It lived up to the hype. It was amazing. I know why sea lions are called the puppies of the sea. They were friendly, swimming right up to us, playful, and just overall amazing.
My only complaint would be that wetsuits are very buoyant so everytime I tried to dive and play I just popped up like a yoyo, or a champagne cork.
After a week there it was time to head up the west coast. I figured another few days and I’d be in Ceduna, ready to head across the Nullabor.
This is where the famous last words come in.
It took me 3 weeks to get from Port Lincoln to Ceduna. I’m not going to go into detail of every stop, but apart from Port Lincoln, here are some of the highlights:
Coffin Bay
Just north of Port Lincoln. I got stung by a bee in Coffin Bay National Park, which, as I’m allergic, put a bit of a damper on things. That said, there’s great 4wding in the national park, but the hikes aren’t that great. The morning before I got stung I’d done some driving, got stuck in soft sand while trying to rescue somebody else, discovered my ex had broken my recovery equipment, and had to be rescued by a very nice young couple. It was lots of fun.I had to go in to Coffin Bay itself to get antihistamines for the bee sting, and had a great time there. The sunset cruise around the bay was beautiful.
Beach hopping
There are so many beautiful beaches along the coast that it’s difficult to pick the best one. I can’t even remember the names of all the beaches I camped at. Greenly, Sheringa, Frenchman’s, Venus Bay, Hall beach, and others. Sometimes I only drove for half an hour before setting up at another beach. Take your pick. They’re all stunning.
Many people had recommended Perlubi Beach, where you can camp right on the beach itself, so of course I went. When I arrived it was absolutely stunning. Soft white sand, crystal clear water. But the next day the wind blew up and it just became very uncomfortable. So much so that I couldn’t even sit on the leeward side of my car, and hid out in my roof top tent. I had everything on the windward side closed up tight, but I still got sand in everything! It settled down again the next day.
Baird Bay
There’s nothing much in Baird Bay itself, but it’s where I went swimming with sea lions again, AND WITH DOLPHINS!
Again – I was so excited I couldn’t sleep the night before. SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS!!
Swimming with sea lions was a completely different experience from Port Lincoln. Neither better nor worse, just different. The water was a lot shallower, meaning buoyancy wasn’t as big a problem. And there were more sea lions in the water. They were just as playful and fun.
Then we went out into deeper water to swim with the dolphins.
Did that live up to the hype? Yes, and no.
I was a bit wary of the dolphins because I have heard that they can get vicious. And we were in deeper water where there’s always a possibility of sharks. Great white sharks.
But to get into that water, and see the dolphins up close, swimming right underneath you, was indescribable. When you put your head in the water you can hear them talking to each other. They really do make a clicking sound.
BUT, I never really felt like I was swimming WITH them. The dolphins swam in circles around our group, and sometimes swam through the middle. I felt more like I was being rounded up by them. I’ve watched sharks and dolphins rounding up schools of fish for dinner, and that’s what I felt like they were doing.
It was an amazing experience and I don’t regret doing it at all, but I never really felt relaxed with the dolphins.
Streaky Bay
I camped outside Streaky Bay at Tractor Beach. There’s some good 4wding around there, and some great places to stop into and check out – beaches, rockpools, caves. Streaky Bay itself has a great pub and a bar/café/restaurant right on the beach.
So what was the best experience for me? It would have to be swimming with sea lions. That was amazing. Both times. I would do it again without a moments hesitation.
And the people I have met. So many wonderful, interesting people. Some of whom will remain friends. I’ve had some great afternoons/evenings with them and will remember them for a long time. They have really made it an experience to remember. The people you meet are one of the best things about travelling.
So now, it’s on to the Nullabor and Western Australia. I’ve already arranged to catch up with a few people along the way.
