Great Ocean Road. Day 3.

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GOR Day 3

What an exciting start to the day. Yesterday was spent fielding questions about the size of the bikes for the trailer which should have sounded alarm bells.
The van and trailer duly arrived at 9.30am but with a minuscule trailer which only held 8 if the 12 bikes and the van with 14 seats in a circle with littl spare space. After much huffing and puffing we decided that one could go on the passenger seat, one in the back between our legs and two on the drawbar. The only problem was how to secure the drawbar bikes. The driver said he would get a rope from the petrol station - oh yes? I decided to go with him to make sure he did not return with an elastic band. As expected the petrol station had a pint of milk and a mars bar so off we went in search of treasure. After an aimless drive around the back streets of Melbourne I thought it was time to take charge so got on my phone and found a Bunnings hardware store a half mile away result. I dashed in and bought two 25 metre ropes and off we went to the rescue. The bikes were safely roped on and we were off at 10.30 for our journey to Warrnambool to start the ride proper. That is after the driver stuffed rags everywhere to avoid scratching his borrowed trailer worth at least two shillings and threepence.
Arriving in Warrnambool in mid afternoon did not allow much time for sightseeing so off we went to the Flagstaff Hill Museum to check on the local history of this Shipwreck Coast. The many ships that had gone down on this coast were due to the many rocks in shallow water not unlike Cornwall. There is a narrow shipping lane 55km wide which the ships can pass safely and which proved difficult to find in bad weather with primitive naval navigation equipment of the time. The museum comprises many period buildings reconstructed on the site such as the booking office, sailmakers, boatbuilders, blacksmith, ropemakers and schoolroom and church etc. We missed lunch today so after the museum visit a few of us went to become members of the Warrnambool Bowling Club and sampled their exceptional culinary delights before 15 minute snooze before going to the Sound and Light Show depicting the sinking of the Loch Ard in 1878 which had only 2 survivors of a total of 55 on board. This was a very good display using water spray and laser lights to create images of life on the cruel seas of the Bass Strait between the mainland and Tasmania. Several of us struggled to stay awake as we are still shaking off jet lag but still found it very interesting. Tomorrow 72km to Port Campbell along the coast for the start of the ride proper. Yay!

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Photos

The 40 seater coach.
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