008 & 009 - Lincoln National Park

Every now and then a really special day comes through your life. And I know I’m going to (hopefully) be blessed with many in the next year or so, but it’s nice to “break the duck” and have a really special day. Or should that be days.

Yesterday and this morning we spent a beautiful time out in the Lincoln National Park, a truly magical part of the this amazing country. If you read no further just take this as the take away:

Before you cark it, get there.

Simple as that.

To get the full picture of the adventure let’s start at… the start. Always a good spot I suppose.

As we planned (or didn’t plan…) this trip we decided that so many places we wanted to go were simply to hard to get to for The Big Green Lizard, as awesome as she is. And we have no intention of battering and bruising her by taking her places she simply isn’t designed for. So what to do…

The answer was what we call “satellite” trips. We saved some of our payload for a couple of small tents, which, teamed up with some food and essentials thrown on the roof of The Rock Truck, allow us to get, pretty much anywhere and let us experience the hard to get there.

So a night out truly camping (caravanning isn’t camping in my opinion… glamping definitely) in the Lincoln NP was planned to test out our satellite plans with an ability to go to the shops before and afterwards for ammendments.

James and I had picked up 5 yoga mats at Kmart the day before, which I’m sure raised a few eyebrows with the lady at the self checkout, but we’ve learnt to smile and move on. The yoga mats were an idea I got when doing a workout session with my mate Aaron after work. The mat he had was remarkably soft and light and I said “I reckon I could sleep on one of those”. Last night I did. More on that later though.

Armed with a loaded truck, we took off to the NP and I relished the chance to do a bit of driving without our big reptile friend hanging off the towball.

The Truck giving the Lizard a kiss goodbye before heading off

Our destination for the night was Memory Cove, a spot I spied in my research as just one of those out of the way places, reachable only by 4WD and still in pristine condition.

A welcome sign befitting of such a place

But firstly it was a pit stop at Stamford Hill for a trek to the Matthew Flinders memorial. This was the point when the explorer Flinders came ashore to use the peak to find freshwater in 1802. I can’t imagine the difficultly he and his crew had navigating through the area looking at the scrub, particularly towards the peak. I certainly wasn’t taking our nicely laid out path for granted!

The view from the top was spectacular to say the least. A full view of the NP and across to Port Lincoln was had, and we could even make The Big Green Lizard sitting in the caravan park (probably sulking).

A great little walk and one recommended to do if you are in the area. Get a good idea of the size of the park, as well as the different bodies of water around.

The beach at the foot of Stamford Hill. I don't imagine many things have changed in a quite a few centuries.

Evie reading up about Matthew Flinders landing in the area and what was around at the time.

Sam I think realising just how big this place is....

The view from the top. Should perhaps have taken a landscape shot, but this captures the essence. Beaches, bush and scrub, water and islands. An amazing place.

Me trying to be clever taking a picture of B taking a picture, only to find out...

...she's taking a picture of me taking a picture of her!

So on to the much awaited Memory Cove.

We trekked back the 15km to the turn off, with the sign showing 35km to Memory Cove, all on dirt road. The road was initially pretty good but then turned rough, so we ‘aired down’ to really get into the spirit. We then pressed on, finding another sign saying “Memory Cove, 19km, allow 1hr”. Awesome… I knew this was going to be fun!

"The long and dusty road..."

Might be a tad high for where we are going...

Oh how wrong I was. About 1km from that we were met with a locked gate.

You are freakin’ kidding me. With no choice we had to turn around, we trudged back to where we had reception and B called the Information Centre where we had bought our Park Permits and camping passes.

“Oh I’m so sorry. The girl who served you was supposed to give you a key. Would you like to come back and get it.”

Given the time of the day, that simply wasn’t an option and I reckon she knew it. Or at least didn’t know we didn’t have three young kids in the back.

 Not their most enthusiastic faces when told we were going back the way we came..

B managed to arrange another campsite at a place down the road called September Beach. And here in lies the message and the takeaway for in this trip.

There is always something good to come out of bad experiences. There was no doubt I was fuming. And incredibly disappointed. I had earmarked this as one of the places I really wanted to go, and knowing the logistics of our trip, knew that the chance was gone. No one spoke in the car for a good 10min as I think everyone knew Dad was “in one of those angry, sulky, silent” moods.

But when we reached September Beach and found a beach completely isolated and to ourselves, I knew I had no reason to carry on like a pork chop. And after I’d landed my first (and only) flathead from the beach, I knew I was more than happy.

September Beach is a beautiful spot, sheltered individual campsites back from the beach that are patrolled by kangaroos and emus. One particular roo took a fancy to us, and I think he had unfortunately become accustomed to human interaction as he came pretty close to our dinner before he and I had to shape up and I had to scare him off with my wit and Dad jokes (and a bit of arm waving).

This was quite literally taken from where I was cooking dinner. I think he wanted some snags.

I can't look at an emu these days without thinking of The Giles family from Ballarat and a trip with them to Flinders Ranges last year!

The campsites were pretty solid underfoot and we did send Sam and Evie with the bucket to get a few lots of sand to smooth out the rocks. Not sure it helped but, it got them involved.

Us going "old school". Brought back many memories of early tenting days with the kids.

Forget a nice snazzy kitchen, nothing better than a few camp chairs and some snags in bread.

We spent the hours of the afternoon doing what took our fancy. Sam, James and I fished, B busted out her snorkel and Evie, as she does, floated between all activities collecting an array of mementos, keepsakes and memories.

Did I mention we had the beach to ourselves. This beach. The whole thing! Brilliant.

The kids have the whole beach and yet want to occupy the same 3 square metres???

Didn't worry me, I was happy to go a little further up the way.

Not normally one for filters on shots, B took this one and I reckon it turned out pretty damn snazzy.

As mentioned before, I landed a few fish, including on off Pop’s surf rod he has lent me for the trip, a pretty sizable flathead. Not having any idea how or what to do with a rod so damn long, I took a punt, loaded up a rig and flung it off into the yonder. I certainly need more practice, but I think I have a bit of time up my sleeve.

Probably not time to give up the day job, but it was a reasonable sized bit of fish. And yep, I was stoked. Never caught anything off a beach before so this was kind of special.

We cooked our simple dinner of snags in bread (where’s the sauce B??) and then we were hit with another problem. How do we cook the flatty? B had expertly cleaned it and gutted it (still not sure where that skill came from but I’m a little nervous. Maybe the years watching Masterchef paid off?) Still, I think B had really not expected me to catch anything (understandably) and there was no foil, herbs, lemons or anything really… So we do what we do best. We improvised. And that included throwing the fillets in on the leftover sausage fat and pan searing them. Sounds gross doesn’t it, but I tell you... it was awesome. Bloody awesome. We had posh fish and chips for tea tonight and I reckon it had it covered. Maybe we’ve uncovered a secret recipe… Not sure. But geez it was nice as we ate it off a plate under the light of the canopy of the truck!

"I give it 2 for presentation, but definitely a 9 for taste"

An evening stroll with the kids was a great way to cap off what turned out to be quite the day.

The tents worked well enough but some refinement is required. 3 kids in the one tent was a ridiculous idea and B and I knew as soon as the giggling started we’d made an error. Rookie mistake there and we should have known better. “Girls and Boys” tents already earmarked for the next trip.

I got up early this morning to try my hand again at early light with both big kids promising me they too would get up. When I tapped their tent at 6.30am, all I got was a bunch of grunts and “no, I don’t want to go… “. In return I got to watch the sun rise over the beach in solitude with nothing but the sounds of gentle waves coming in. Amazing.

I think this pic says it all really... 

A few more fish jumped in and I started streaking away in our fish count competition, none of which I kept, but could of. Need to come a bit more prepared I think.

James came down to join me and on my way back from getting the Big Rod, I snapped this pic. Couldn't help but think of "James and the Giant Beach".... See Dad joke.

Eventually I was joined by the family and another hour was spent on ‘our’ beach. With all the dramas of yesterday, we had now made our own “Memory” Cove.

We packed up and headed home to ‘de-sand’ and decide what to do as we had planned to move on today heading westward.

The afternoon included a bit of tidy up, a few loads of washing, another trip down to the jetty for a quick fish where Sam finally broke his duck and caught an impressive “ugly green spikey poisonous fish with sharp teeth”, and a trip into town to fish off the town jetty whilst Mum got some time to herself. Sure it was shopping, but even that is nice if flying solo!

The town jetty proved fruitful with a few herring for me, 4 zebra fish for Evie on the handline and 1 for Sam. James was just happy enough spinning with a lure and “getting so close Dad! That one nearly came up and bit it, and it was huge and brown and silver”.

Sam breaking his duck... He was chuffed and was the only one to catch one from the camp jetty.

The newly crowned "Queen of the Zebra Fish"

"I nearly had him Dad... he was right there". 

James already getting the fishing tall tales sorted early in life.

A great shot of the two big kids fishing with handlines off the pontoon. The water is so clear so you could see them darting around their bait (cheese incidentally).

Posh fish and chips for tea rounded out the day. We’ve decided to hang here in Port Lincoln for another couple of nights as we day trip to Coffin Bay tomorrow, meet up with some family friends tomorrow night and then head Ceduna bound on Friday. At this stage... We're loving the freedom of not having plans is bringing us.

The trip to the Lincoln National Park brought so many memories and great times. But for me, I took more out of it than mental pictures. Lessons that will hopefully prove useful on the trip. You will have disappointment, you will get upset on this trip. It won’t be perfect all the time. But from these moments you get a decision to make. Either hold on to the disappointment, or roll with the punches and look at what’s ahead of you.

Like a giant, yummy, sausage fat covered flathead.

007 - Port Lincoln

Monday and an overcast but mild-ish day met us in Port Lincoln. The wind had died down (comparatively) but it still isn’t what you’d call picture perfect weather. Still, it’s more than serviceable and pleasant to do running around in.

OK, so it doesn't look too overcast here, but it was when we woke. These guys pass by most hours of the day.

It was a weekday so school was back in. I think the kids are a little confused about the whole process, given that we still feel we are kind of still on holidays. But we figured the sooner we can get them used to some sort of weird routine the better. Be it an interactive lesson like todays, or actually on the books.

An interactive activity on a walk near our campground. Finding things starting with each letter of the alphabet, and then depending on school year, use describing words (or adjectives) to further embelish them. Maybe I'll get them writing the blog soon enough.

Whilst they were at school, James and I went in search of a few things from the shops, namely a bracket for the awning on the car (which ended up being a whole new awning…) and a bits of odds and sods. While there our letter “B” journey continued as he took pics on the camera of any signs that had the letter B in it. I reckon a few staff members thought we were a little left of centre. Still, it works and everyone rejoined after school happy and in good spirits.

Our new ARB awning. Car looks a little like a rolling ARB advertisement I know, but the gear is pretty good quality and hey, it colour matches with the car!

Moo testing out the new yoga mats (soon to be camping beds)

After lunch it was off to the jetty for some fishing! Finally!! We spent at least 2hrs down on the jetty fishing for all kinds of weird and wonderful little blighters swimming around us. Nothing of keeping size, but it was really enjoyable and everyone had an excellent time.

Even when Evie lost the Wales cap in the wind and it took off into the water, we kind of laughed, and my crazy wife took it as opportunity to dust off the togs and go for a swim. Another fisherman I spent the 5min whilst she went to get changed using the hat as target practice with our jigs trying to hook it. Even then I struggled to hook and land a huge red floating target…

Still I’ll let the pics tell the story but I can see fishing as a bit of a focal point to our trips. Like pizza, even when it’s bad it’s still pretty good.

B with the first fish of the day, the amazing horizontal levitating freakin' out fish.

James getting in on the action... Very proud of his fish

I was pretty chugged to pull in this monster, taking what I thought was the fishing title for the day...

 

...until we were finishing up an Moo pulled in this guy. She is rightly pretty chuffed. 

Handlines = awesome.

Unfortunately nothing for Sam, although he thoroughly enjoyed teasing them from the surface, so I guess the Karma Bus didn't stop for him today.

The Welsh hat going for a swim until.... 

...the Welsh lass joined it to save the day.

Following on from the fishing we had a lovely pasta dinner in the sun on the offside of the van (where we could shelter from the wind) where we realise our van was even optioned with a breakfast bar window…

Dinner is served!

Daylight savings ending has leant itself to earlier dinners I think and with enough time up our sleeve, we took off into town to check out the main drag and sneak in an ice cream. Never too cold.

It really is a pretty town and looks like it has a lot to offer in and around.

Main foreshore of Port Lincoln, grain terminal just around to the right.

A stroll out on the jetty found a swimming pontoon and a guy cleaning a healthy size salmon. I reckon it was staged.

B explaining to James that they didn't "freeze" Black Caviar to make the statue. Although he's going to get really confused in Empire Strikes back when Han Solo get's his treatment from Jabba the Hut.

Tomorrow we’re off to explore the Lincoln National Park, with the possibility of tenting it overnight in there should the weather and tolerance permit. Otherwise it’s a quick 80km back to the refuge of The Big Green Lizard.

EDIT: I'm now uploading this in the laundromat of the park after the computer died typing the description for the last pic! Wanting to know if all the evening's writing was lost, I couldn't let it go, so went in search of a powerpoint! Slave to the grid! Just need to get better using the tablet to upload posts methinks!

006 - Whyalla to Port Lincoln

It was time to bid goodbye on ol’ Steel City. We won’t get far on our journey if we set up camp at the first town we come too!

Truth be told, Whyalla impressed me more than I thought. It was a relaxed place, approachable, with good honest people. I think 4 days was probably one day too many but the carrot of pancakes put on by the staff at the park was too much to fight. And in the end, an extra hour thanks to daylight savings as well, and no regrets for hanging around for one more day.

Whyalla turned out another clear (and windy) morning for us. This was the most spectacular of them I would think.

Saying goodbye and exchanging details with our new road trip buddies Matt, Ellen, Sapphire, Charlotte and Tom with the chance of catching them the other side of the Nullabor we headed off.

I’m not sure what was in those pancakes but I’m sure it must have had some phernergen or sedative in it because around 30min into our journey I was out of Car Cricket partners and any conversation makers…

…and then conveniently 20min out of our destination everyone was awake and fresh eyed. I should point out Sam was awake the whole time, just had his nose in a new book. And anyone  who knows Sam, that once he has a new book, well, he might as well be a statue because he becomes non-responsive.

I wonder how many dots in the middle of the road we'll pass on this journey.

Our destination was Tumby Bay, around 220km down the road. A leirsurely stroll pretty much by recent standards. Once we got there, the RV park we had lined up proved to be the most optimistically measured “1km out of town” I’ve ever seen. We had plans to simply stop, remain hooked up and walk into town for a fish or whatever, but decided that despite the nice looking stop, we’d press on to Port Lincoln.

And how glad are we that we did.

Only another 30min down the road, a fresh and vibrant feeling town met us, not too far away from a Great Ocean Rd town, but with the fishing and grain shipping facilities dominating the coastline. I’m really looking forward to exploring the town tomorrow before heading down to the jetty for a fish.

We arrived at Port Lincoln Tourist Park to find all the powered sites taken by the Nomads who are far more shrewd than us. Plenty of room up in the non-powered section though if we wanted it apparently. So we decided to take it and quite glad we did as we were met with a great spot overlooking Boston Bay and Boston Island. Not overly flat, but we levelled up as best we could and even managed to park near enough to a tap to hook up the water so we can use our facilities should we want to.

It's a pretty handy spot and am going to enjoy breakkie in the sun watching it. Hopefully it'll be pleasant enough to sit outside!!

On our afternoon stroll down to the jetty at the bottom of the park. Apparently reasonably squid and salmon can be caught off here. I'll give it a crack tomorrow and if I can find something you know they must be here in swarms

Evie was fascinated by this piece of granite. I'm not sure what it was that set it apart from the other 27,000 pieces making up the breakwater, but she pleaded for a photo and want to know if it was going on the blog. I assured her it was. And here it is. Enjoy...

Not sure what James was making of all the latin words for the local fauna, but it caught his eye. And my camera lens.

Sam and his footy. If we are off somewhere, it's with him.

Look carefully and you'll spot all three kids. And a footy...

It’s even more exposed to the elements than our spot in Whyalla, so we are expecting another couple of blowy days, but all things considered it keeps the van aired out and stopping the build up of stinky James’s smell.

We toured around for the park and nearby coastline for an hour or so before retiring to the van for a quiet ale while the kids played. Soon enough the evening routine was upon us and we had dinner and chucked the kids in bed.

We’re still getting used to being on top of each other (metaphorically and unfortunately actually at times) but I think we’ll work through it well enough. Normally it seems to be a balance of removing one kid from the equation and letting the other parent manage the remaining two. For example tonight I took Moo off to do the dishes whilst B got the boys ready for bed.

Like our life in a normal house though, it takes flexibility and adaptability, just a crapload more tolerance (on my behalf).

So we’re now off-grid for a night or two, so you might need to bear with me on the blog update as the ol’ laptop doesn’t get great return from its battery life. Still I’ll be taking notes and pics here and there and will update where I can. Might even just roll on the tablet or phone as at least that can charge from the 12V socket.

It’s nice to have a new view out the window.

A contemplative Evie, eating her sanga for lunch.

I was sitting having a quiet drink in the sun on the off side of the van, out of the wind. Heard a giggle and was met with this cheeky fella. Our predictions are proving correct at the moment in that he's probably the most difficult and easiest to manage out of the 3. He's certainly enjoying it all though... as we all are.

005 - Whyalla

A nice quiet day today. In the Tour de France I believe they call it a “rest day”.

Not too much done today, and it was good not to feel like you had to be on the go and finding things to do all the time. Perhaps that’s a good sign that we’ve been here long enough and time to roll some wheels.

B and the big kids went and tried their hand at paddle boarding or kayaking in the early morning high tide and from where James were watching on from, seemed to enjoy it.

The calm before the storm... the storm being Evie not want to go... and then wanting to...

Sam, just cruising the Gulf with some big ships.

And yep... B managed to stand up. I love her determination to have a crack at new things. And well anything associated with the ocean.

James and I had set ourselves to install the awning on the car this morning and all things going well until we opened the box. None of the supplied brackets fit and I’m not confident some of the pieces actually are strong enough to do the job. I guess this is the price you pay for going the cheaper option rather than the authentic parts that are designed to fit the platform we have. So, a few choice words and I’ll tie it to the roof now until we reach civilisation at Port Lincoln and can possibly source some genuine parts.

James testing out the viewing capabilities of the platform and approving.

The leaking dunny issue still frustrates me, but hopefully we’ll have that sorted on Monday too when we get to an authorised repairer.

Neither of these issues are deal breakers and it’s nice to simply have a crack at solving them, and before becoming MacGyver, have an out option. If these are the worst of the problems we encounter, then I’m pretty happy. And if they are just the start, then hey… I’ve got time up my sleeve. As I try and teach the kids, “be a problem solver, not a problem creator.” That doesn’t always mean having the answer, but as much knowing where or how to go find the answer.

Following our morning ventures, we took off to the local shopping centre to get some supplies and a few other bits and pieces, before returning to listen to the Hawks get their tails handed to them by the Crows. The Hawks gear definitely stayed under wraps in this part of the world…

The kids played with their new “best friends”, B took a walk in and around town whilst I pottered around.

A rare occasion, like Haley's Comet, where Sam and Evie were happy playing together without instigating nuclear warfare.

In the evening the park had a charity night with roast beef rolls for $5 with some live music thrown in to boot. Not many better things in life than someone cooking up some roast rolls and save you dinner and dishes.

So nice and low key. Talking to B today, she mentioned that “she needs to get better at doing nothing”. Something I seem to have no problem with…

Back on the road tomorrow, a few hours down the road to… ummm… somewhere. Not sure. I’ll let you know tomorrow.