The Eyre Peninsula - one of Australia's best kept secrets?

---

Well it has warmed up a bit since our last blog, in fact I think it hit 40 degrees yesterday - a bit too hot for us Wellingtonians! We enjoyed our last port of call, Streaky Bay, very much - had 5 days there - until the wind drove us onwards! And they say Wellington is windy….

Streaky Bay was named by the explorer Matthew Flinders because of the colours of the water. We spend some time trying to catch crabs off the jetty with no success, but we went out to gather razor fish a couple of times, these are shellfish you pull from the water at low tide, and taste a bit like a scallop or calamari - rather nice in egg and breadcrumbs. The shells are very sharp so you need to wear shoes and gloves to get them. There’s some great rugged coastal scenery around Streaky and also our next stop which is Coffin Bay (again, named by Flinders but after one of his lieutenants, not the other !) Flinders was only 27 when he explored this region in the early 1800’s - we thought this was quite amazing. We have been here in Coffin Bay for 6 days and move on tomorrow - it’s another very nice fishing and seaside village about 45 k from Port Lincoln.

On Sunday we did a trip around the “Whalers Way” a privately owned piece of coastline near P Lincoln - you get a permit and key to enter - great rugged coastal scenery with big overhanging cliffs and crashing waves- but a very hot day and lots of walking out to headlands etc. - we were exhausted that night! Coffin Bay National Park is also a stone’s throw away from camp and is also very scenic. We have braved the waters for a swim several times, despite the fact that this is white pointer shark coastline - several of the jetties around the Eyre Peninsula have swimming cages - a bit of a clue we thought!

We have been lucky to find a few nice places to eat out - the $10 schnitzel night at the local Streaky Bay hotel, and the Coffin Bay yacht club did a nice fish meal Sunday night - King George Whiting is a nice locally caught fish - but we have not caught one yet! Last night Blu caught his first Australian Tommy Ruff , but it is not a good eating fish. I bought myself a rod the other day and am now learning how to cast a line - the first day was a bit of a disaster but we are getting there slowly! The locals and fellow travellers are incredibly friendly and we are still learning lots from others as we go along. Moving on tomorrow - but still on the Eyre - must be one of Australia's best kept secrets I reckon....

---

Photos

and again..
Blu went swimming here but too cold for me!

Streaky Bay Jetty
this is the view from the local pub!

Walkway to caravan park at Streaky Bay
nice park but no grass at the camp - thanks to the drought

Love this photo!
Clifftop view on way to Coffin Bay

Coffin Bay National Park
Avoid Bay (I think!)

On Whaler's Way coast
near Port Lincoln

another lovely coastal view
on Whalers Way

Caught one!
only a herring but it's a start

Comments

[david willetts]

Keen Fisherman
Nice fish, Blu!