We Could Have Been Crabbing!

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Sunday 27th – we were up and about quite early and as we both had done some preparation for our departure last night we were on the road by 9.30. It really wasn’t too long a journey today as it was only 111 kms to Ceduna. The roads were very quiet so we were able to tootle along at about 90 kph. We made the 3kms diversion to Smoky Bay which, because it was about half way, made an ideal tea-break stop. Disappointingly there wasn’t a great deal there – just a bit of a beach and a jetty that had seen better days (and some loos) but still we passed the time of day with fellow caravanners and chatted to a couple of ladies who had, interestingly, been camping in the bush-camp at Sceale Bay. We had passed the entrance to the bush-camp yesterday – it was at least 20kms down a gravel road which was a bit rough, but they’d taken caravans there!

We got to the caravan park in Ceduna at about noon and were allocated site 54 but when we drove round to it the space was already occupied. There was a camping-car, chairs, plastic boxes and a table filling the space but no people. Back to the office I went while Graham found a suitable place to “park” the car and caravan. The chap in charge was incredulous at the thought that someone was occupying the site – I don’t think he believed me! Anyway, he marched off to have a look. Yes, there was definitely a car there! Then he marched off to the camp kitchen and soon came back having found the culprits who were a young Italian couple. The girl hastily and somewhat moodily moved all of their gear and car to the other side of a small fence which separated caravan parking from the camping area which is where they should have been. They didn’t actually have a tent but were sleeping in the back of the car. Still, we were sorry they had to move but we needed the site for ourselves.

The caravan park we had chosen is right on the sea front and also very close to the town centre so once we had set up we were able to stroll to both easily. As it was a Sunday not a lot was open apart from the Information Centre (very good as usual) and the supermarket.

We had stopped in Ceduna on our last trip eight years ago but couldn’t remember too much about it. It had just been a one night stop-over to re-stock after crossing the Nullabor and we’d arrived late and left early. The lady in the IC was at pains to point out how much Ceduna had improved in the last fews years and it did seem to be a progressive, tidy place. Sadly, there were still many aboriginals hanging around on the street corners – the one thing we could recall from our last trip. But this time they were not the worse for drink, mainly because there are strict rules about alcohol availability and consumption in Ceduna. Presumably, this time, they simply had nothing better to do.

We were just setting off to walk to the jetty when a fellow camper told us that ‘happy hour’ would take place at 5pm and we were welcome to join in. So a group of about 20 people gathered with their chairs in the open space in the middle of the park and just regaled everyone with their stories whilst drinking alcohol!!!!! We mainly sat and listened. Eventually we made it to the jetty and realized that the CP must be a little sheltered. Once we progressed along the jetty there was a fierce wind swirling around. Also braving the elements were the Italian couple who had lowered a couple of fishing nets into the water and in fact had just caught a big ‘blue’ crab. They were far more chatty now but were generally feeling a bit sorry for themselves. They had recently had to replace the gear box on their car and now were running out of money. The cold and very changeable weather they had experienced hadn’t helped either although catching a crab seemed to help their mood. But they were talking about cutting short their time in Australia and moving on to New Zealand before going home to Italy. By the time we had walked to the end of the pier and back they had caught another, smaller crab. When they returned to the CP later they were thrilled that they had caught four crabs in all – that was their supper sorted. We thought about going out for our evening meal but in the end I cooked in the caravan – enough for two days. Afterwards we just had time to walk the short distance to the beach to watch a really splendid sunset which was an excellent way to end the day.

We had a very casual start to the day on Monday and had lain in bed listening to the general noise of people coming and going. Eventually we got going and found that outside it was promising to be a lovely day – still chilly but a cloudless sky. I got a bit of washing done and then we drove round to one of the garages and filled the car and a container with diesel. The girl taking the money wanted to charge me $75 (the charge on the adjacent pump) but as I had already queried the cost with Graham I knew ours came to the huge total of $118 – maybe I should have paid the $75 and run out as fast as I could!!

We also stocked up with cereals and a variety of tins at the nearby Foodland so that we wouldn’t starve whilst trekking across the Nullabor. In reality of course there will be numerous Road Houses to eat at or buy odds and ends but it’s a bit like stocking up for Christmas – you just feel you have to do it! We can’t take fruit or vegetables into Western Australia so for a few days we will have to manage without. We popped into the IC again where I thought I had seen a shelf full of books for swapping and, as Graham had just finished one, we paid our $1 and he got a fresh book to read. After lunch we cycled along a very pleasant cycle path to Thevenard which is the industrial area of Ceduna. It was only 7kms there and back but wound its way adjacent to the shoreline to the grain silos and fish processing plant which dominated the skyline. There were lots of pelicans and cormorants and every once in a while we could see fish jumping. At the end of the trail, near a lookout, stood a fine memorial to local men who had died at sea, the last one being only three years ago. We were gazing out to sea and then a seal, or it might have been two, was thrashing about trying to kill a large fish. We didn't have our binoculars so sadly couldn't see too clearly but presume the fish made a nice meal. We chatted to a couple who joined us on the lookout - they still had their Hampshire accents even though they'd been in Aus for many years.

There was another ‘happy hour’ today which Graham spent some time at. I didn’t go because I was trying to sort something out on the laptop. Later on, after we’d strolled to see another wonderful sunset and a murmuration of starlings swooping in formation, we came back to the CP via the fish cleaning area and got chatting to someone who sounded as though he was an expert fisherman. He was boiling up about ten crabs which were too many for him and his wife so he gave us four – fresh, cooked and ready to eat. We sampled some that evening – it tasted fantastic. The rest went in to tomorrow’s sandwiches! He told us that we could have borrowed some nets from the CP and that surplus fish heads and tails were kept in a bin to use as bait so we could have gone crabbing ourselves if we’d known – blow!

Some time ago, when we were in Meningie, we bought a fairly large pot of local honey whilst we already had another one we were using. However, since reading through the various leaflets telling us what we can and can’t take into WA, we realized that honey is definitely on the ‘NO’ list. I don’t eat much honey these days sadly although I love it and whilst Graham has been doing his best to get through it I fear that we’ll have ¾ of a large pot to either give away or dump.

We weren’t looking for a swift get-away in the morning and didn’t have a particular destination in mind. But we both made some advanced preparation so we’ll just see what the morning brings and how far we get before we’ve had enough. The journey across the Nullabor is a long, long way and we don’t have to be in Esperance until 3rd April. We’re not sure whether there will be internet coverage so we may be off air for a few days. We hadn’t really expected to enjoy our stay in Ceduna but had been pleasantly surprised and could easily have spent a few more days here (learning to fish perhaps?).

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Photos

and this or these (not sure) seals obliged
and one had a fish in its mouth!

Silos storing massive amounts of grain,
piles of salt and a fish processing plant help the local economy thrive

In 1627 a Dutchman, Francois Thiljssen, landed and charted the area
Plaque commemorating the landing