Whale Wonder

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Desert Ship Territory Log Day 2.

We started the day with everyone totally confused as to what the correct time was. We changed some clocks and not others. No phone reception so we can't rely on Telstra for the right time either. Anyway it was light outsiđe so that was a good enough excuse for me to get up and let my sleepy slobs slumber. I took in the ambiance of the truck stop with absolute awe. A line of semi trailers all parked up with some drivers sleeping in their cabs (or otherwise-see previous blog) and others quickly running in and emerging with steaming bacon and egg burgers. The diligent Department of Agriculture officials checking each vehicle and truck some 100m away. When it is our turn to go through we tell her we are just back tracking to Eucla to see the old Telegraph Station since we missed out yesterday due to getting in late. The woman then tells us not to worry about it and the garlic is saved for now. But I do wonder what if we lied and we were really fruit smugglers and kept going, I mean what come back has she got? My thoughts

are short lived as I'm now shocked to learn that she has been in this job for 18 years. Even more shocked to discover her boss has been in the job for over 20 years. I mean you would really really need to love your job and your boss to live in a town that has 4 houses and 600km from the nearest small shop wouldn't you?

The kids are pretty excited when we get to the Telegraph Station which is almost totally submerged in a sand dune. After they nearly demolish what is left of it they go running in the direction of some more huge sand dunes. I, on the other hand, make a bee line for the beach where there should be the remains of an old jetty. After a 15 minute walk in totally inappropriate shoes for beach sand am rewarded with a stupendus sight complete with bonus sea birds all over it. After filling up another memory card I walk back to the car and hope I can find my way back as every dune and bush looks the same. I don't know how these early explorers managed. I run into my explorer

husband who has struck up a conversation with some Queenslanders. One of them says "did you see the awesome old boat further up the beach?". Nooooooo! I am not going back to fill up my slip on shoes again. It is too cold to go without shoes and beside it is getting late. Back at Eucla, at the motel there is a small museum which was quite interesting, especially the picture of the Telegraph Station which was fully in tact some 60 years ago. There are only a few limestone foundations and part walls left.

After a 2 hour drive and one short side trip to see the Great Australian Bight, we arrive at The Head of the Bight Marine Park where watched heaps of Southern Right Whales with their babies. It was such an amazing experience and difficult to tear myself away as I was waiting for one of the whales to breach, but none did. The bay was literally filled with whales and their calves. One was special as the calf was albino. I think I used an 8 GB memory card just on whales! This is one of the best places in the world to

go whale watching and we didn't even have to get in a boat which pleased Brendan no end.

The next hour or so is where the actual Nullarbor National Park is and it really did live up to it's reputation as a treeless plain. It didn't seem to take long before we got excited to finally encounter some farmland. It reminded us of the Prairies with wide sweeping plains and windmills twice the size of the ones in W.A. By the time we arrived in Ceduna at 6pm, we missed the shop to stock up on fresh provisions for our outback trip tomorrow. We are taking the short cut to Coober Pedy which I am hoping will cut about 4 hours off if we don't take the bitumised way. I also missed a great photo opportunity with the fading remnant of a spectacular sunset over the large Ceduna Jetty which is right on our door step. In the morning the sun will be facing the wrong way. I don't so much mind as we spent the extra time watching the whales.

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Photos

Head of Bight Marine Park, SA
A mother and her albino calf

Head of Bight Marine Park
A mother frolicks with her albino calf

Comments

[dave]

Thinking of you
This have us a great chuckle!! Mandy's pussy hahaha!!!! Miss you Brendy, Love Dave xx