Rocks, more rocks and lots of pelicans

 I’m sitting in the campground at Yangie Bay, Coffin Bay NP, struggling to get my fire to take (damp and green wood) and deciding which photos to share with you. Not there’s a big choice after the Great Laptop Disaster of 2021, but I do seem to have a lot of pictures of rocks and pelicans - the rocks might need some background information but the pelicans are self explanatory. I will give a plug for the Streaky Bay Cabernet which is a bit of a project for the years 7,8 and 9s from the local secondary college. We tried a bottle and it was okay - perhaps even quite good. I bought some more but I don’t think they’ll make it home. You’ll just have to do with the photo!

After leaving Ceduna (great craft shop there as well as scrummy oysters) I meandered my way along the coast, stopping at every hamlet and turn-off. And it was lucky I did since I was lucky to talk to an oyster-growing local at Smokey Bay and she told me to visit the jetty and see the seals. There were about 10 of them sleeping on the steps going down to the ‘swimming pool’ and they took no notice of me as I snapped away. 

So let’s talk rocks on the Eyre Peninsula. There were whistling rocks, rocks with holes in them, rocks that stuck up out of nowhere, rocks that weathered smoothly and ones that were jagged and white. Let’s take Murphy’s haystacks for example ... these appeared out of nowhere, just plonked on the top of a hill. They

actually have the impressive names of ‘Inselbergs’!

My next stop was Venus Bay, home to a lot of very tame pelicans who hang around for fishy scraps from the fishermen. It is quite amazing getting up close and personal with these huge birds. I was most taken with their colours - on their beaks and around their eyes. They didn’t think much of me ... no fish!

South of Venus Bay were a couple more impressive rock formations, then the beautiful cliffs around Elliston ... which were adorned with sculptures... not that they needed help to be interesting or gorgeous from us humans. 

And now I’ve reached Coffin Bay. The national park is very well organised (I love how you book individual campsites online) and the scenery is stunning. And it’s even sunny, if cold. I pulled into my site and realised I’m sharing it with two kangaroos - Mum has a tiny Joey in her pouch.