Days 61- 62 ( Tues 29/9- Wed 30/9)

Tuesday: What a day full of little things. We drove along the foreshore route from Encounter Bay(near Victor Harbour) out to Bashams Beach where whales had been sighted over the last week. Here we saw 7 Southern Right Whales all waiting to give birth, one was a talked about white whale which had come into this bay for the first time ie it had not been sighted here in previous years. We sat and watched for quite a long time. Won't post photos as like the penguins they are hard for others to see.We were once again very lucky as they were very close to shore.
We then drove down to Goolwa where we watched the Steam Ranger train depart and checked out the Port with its Paddle wheelers and boat building dock.(we had wanted to ride this train from Victor Harbour to Goolwa and back but the weather didn't encourage this)
Next was a picturesque drive along some backroads heading to the Wellington vehicle ferry to cross the Murray River. On our way we discovered a little town called Milang, on the banks of Alexandrina Lake, where we had lunch next to the jetty. This was part of the Murray town's tourist drive and had been a big port and boat building town in the river's heyday. There was an interesting information board provided and the crane on the jetty was the first erected. There were 3 rows of beach/ fishing houses in the style of poverty shacks along the lake near the jetty. Here as elsewhere the water levels are badly effected by the lack of water coming down the Murray, and many boats were stranded.
We continued onto the Wellington vehicle ferry and down into the Coorong area where we stopped overnight.
Wednesday: We began the day with a 3km walk through the Coorong, round 2 different types of lakes - one carbonated, and one ground fed halcite(salt)lake. Apparently there are 4 distinctly different types of lakes in the Coorong which move in levels/layers back from the sea: salt water, ground water in the dunes, halcite, carbonate and finally freshwater the furthest in from the sea.(you really wanted to know this!!)We then drove The Loop Rd(dirt), which was well worth the drive as it closely follows the water system,as we headed on to Kingston and the big Lobster. George wanted to walk the sand dunes to the beach but this was a little too much for me.
At Kingston we discovered a very different lighthouse and decided to do the tour($5) This was the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse and was originally built out at sea on a platform. The only lighthouse of its kind. The lightkeepers and their families lived on the lighthouse in its first 60 years on rotation,before it was decided to provide accommodation for families on the mainland. The lighthouse is set up as it would have been then with original furniture donated back.I found this more interesting and I was more able to discuss things as I have just finished reading "the Lighthouse of Tragedy" about the Bustard Head Lighthouse we visited 2 months ago.
I wasn't aware at first that you actually climbed the inside stairs to the top of the Light and on deciding I couldn't and explaining my problem the tour guide wouldn't let me stop but egged me on. He and George were elated at the achievement though I'm paying for it now.I actually had to bum it down a few.Couldn't do the last flight to view the lenses.(To think 4 years ago the doctors believed I would never walk normally again or climb stairs, and I was still using a stick.)They even gave me a kid's sticker saying I climbed 124 steps to the top.(Am always very aware of my legs and choose carefully what I am willing/able to do and what I must leave to George and Jess. But am very grateful for my GP who was willing to fight the Insurers with me so I can do what I can today).
After this I'd decided I'd had enough so we drove onto Robe where we toured the town and booked in for the night. A beautiful spot overlooking the beaches and jetty.

Days 59- 60( Sun 27/9- Mon 28/9)

Sunday morning we drove a really long way on leaving the park - to the corner!! We parked the bus and sat to watch the 'Bay to Birdwood Classic' regretting we hadn't signed up ourselves on Wednesday. It is a rally for classic vehicles and had everything from classic to vintage; cars, sportscars, 4wd's, motorcycles, scooters, panel vans, utes, trucks, VW campers, hotrods etc. As our bus is a classic it qualified so maybe one day we'll come down and enjoy the 10 days of activities which begins with a procession of the vehicles over 2 hours from the Bay(near Glenelg) to Birdwood(Near Gumeracha and the Rocking Horse). People sit along the route in Adelaide to watch and cheer them on. (post note: we have seen groups of vehicles at Victor Harbour and Goolwa since)
At 11.30 we finally made our way out of Adelaide towards Victor Harbour our next stop. The weather was overcast with rainstorms and not conducive to stopping so we missed a few interesting stops - lots of wineries, produce and galleries. Once arriving in Victor Harbour with the weather no better and very windy we decided to chance booking our Penguin night tour for Monday night and postponing our Horse-drawn tram trip as well.
Monday :we awoke to more of the same weather but by 1pm it began to clear a little and we decided it was now or never. By the time we walked into town it had improved and eventually the sun came out and we had carried our rain jackets and umbrellas again for nothing.
What a busy time we had ! We caught the Horse-drawn tram acoss the bridge to Granite Island where we did the island circuit walk and Jess took lots of photos. We returned to the island Bistro and had fish and chips for dinner while waiting to do the 6.30pm Penguin tour. It was a nice meal - the chips were excellent.
Granite Island is a rookery for penguins who return to their nesting burrows to have their chicks each year. They can have up to 3 clutches a season if their weight is kept up ie there is plenty of food. Unfortunately, they are another victim of the Murray River Problem. As a result of declining water levels the nutrients in the river here are reduced, reducing the no. of fish spawned and therefore reducing the amount of food available to the peguins and seals. Also the seals have less fish to eat so they are now hunting the younger penguins. One was in the beach area patrolling near the breakwall in full view waiting for the penguins nightly return. The penguins no's have dropped from 2000, 20 years ago to over 400 last year and half again this year. We were lucky to see them.
The penguin tour at dusk views the little penguins on their return to their young after a days fishing. We saw quite a few including 4 waddling across the tram path to their nests. We also saw a seal,and possums on the cliffs. Missed seeing the 1 metre Water Rats. This was a very good tour; small, personal and not at all contrived, and not dear( $32 for 3).
All we had left at 8pm, carrying our unused raingear, was the walk back across the tramway bridge and back along the foreshore to the c'van park. Boy were my legs tired!!
PS Amanda - another good day trip for the kids!

This One's for Russell !!

Hey Russell These are Autobahn buses in Adelaide!! With the flick of a switch guide wheels are lowered to change it from a normal road bus to a guided rail bus in which the driver only needs to apply accelerator and brakes. When it gets to the end of the autobahn the guide wheels are retracted and on it continues without stopping. These photos were taken at the end/ beginning of an autobahn. A bit like driving a train Amanda ??

Days 56- 58(Thurs 24/9 - Sat 26/9)

Thursday: we decided to chance the weather. Grabbing our allweather jackets and umbrellas we set off down the road to explore Adelaide city centre and the tram to Glenelg and Jetty Rd.
We soon discovered on asking some very friendly locals at the bus-stop that here your not charged by the section but by 2hr or daily tickets for all public transport. So we bought a ticket to ride the bus' and trams all day. We rode the tram to Glenelg which is a beach suburb on a very windy overcast day. Here we walked the jetty and square, visited the museum(very interesting), walked the Jetty Rd shops and had lunch.We returned by tram to the city centre and walked along Rundle Mall,stopping to look at the different sculptures there as well as the shops. One famous group are the 4 pigs - see picture.
We returned to the bus with barely a drop of rain all day having carried our rain jackets and umbrellas all day ! The first time we hadn't needed them this week!!
Friday was predicted to be a very cold day with bad storms so we decided to have a lazy day in the bus. Just as well!
Saturday was spent at Port Adelaide and the bay. We visited the Seahorse Farm and spent quite a bit of time there. Very interesting and great to watch. The owner Tracey and staff were always on hand to answer questions,explain and generally talk with you about the seahoses and farm. There were lots of new ponies(babies) even 1 born while we were there and many ready to mate, or doing the mating dance. A great place to visit,we thought...
Amanda you must take the children when you're here next week !!
We drove around the Port and out to Semaphore but it was too windy, cold and rainy to get out and enjoy the beach and foreshore activities so we drove along the coastal suburbs and back to the park.

For anyone coming to Adelaide and looking for a c'van park we would recommend the Adelaide Caravan Park as it is central to everything.

Days 54- 55(Tues 22/9 - Wed 23/9)

Tuesday morning we had Lube Mobile arrive at the c'van park to do a scheduled oil change on the bus then set off to The Central Markets where we planned to stock up on FRESH food after all this time. Of course it was raining so we took the bus deciding that if we couldn't park it we'd come back and set off again. We had no real difficulty parking.
For anyone coming here this is the best way to buy fresh produce cheaply. We bought veges, meat, dairy - cheeses, dips etc, bread($1.50 a loaf), lollies and chocolate(including chocolate covered dried strawberries),and apple pie, and .. had lunch. Only problem - too many vendors to choose from!!
Wednesday was overcast so we decided to take the bus and drive into the Adelaide Hills. First stop The Mt Lofty Summit for 360 degree views. You can see out to Kangaroo Island on a good Day !! but not today ! It was 8 degrees up there.
We then drove on to Hahndorf, a town originally established by German Lutheran families and known for it's shops and cafes etc. We had smoked fish tasting and bought some pates and fish. Cheese,jam,chutney and chocolate tasting etc. We will need to return again as we ran out of time as We wanted to drive out to the chocolate factory before it closed and had to leave. This proved unnecessary as we were not impressed with the prices here after visiting the Central Markets and George was not impressed by the Cheese next door.Last stop was the Toy Factory and Giant Rocking horse at Gumeracha, a great place to buy wooden toys)
We returned to Adelaide via the Gorge Rd, which was an unexpected find, and arrived back very late. It followed the Torrens River back into Adelaide(35k's) which was no more than a creek at times but at others a raging torrent after the rains, and very wide in the Chain of Ponds area. A beautiful drive, even more so I would think in nice weather.