Gone fishin … no time for wordle, quordle, octordle …

A lovely sunrise … how could I not get up to see that golden glow as it lights the sky between the clouds.

A great morning bay hopping around the coast, a mix of long beaches, coves and rocky cliffs. This is such a wonderfully picturesque coastline … lots of ‘wow’ moments, adjectives like stunning, amazing, incredible and oodles of pics. We even stopped for a swim at a gorgeous tiny cove; clean white sand and the clearest of water. We pinch ourselves regularly.

Back to base with a purchase of a hand reel rigged for squid. The jetty only has a few fishers with their rods and tackle bags for their catch. I’m feeling a little insecure with only my hand reel and a plastic bag stuffed into my shorts back pocket. I sidle myself up near a young guy with a pre schooler with a rod .. he’s got more chance than me, I think.

John appears and we laugh about if I caught a squid … shortly after, I learn the perils of squid fishing … the jet propulsion of ink … yuck on my leg, my new hiking shoes ugh!!!! Haha … it was still rather fun when I hear ‘she’s caught it on a hand line!!!’ No other successes on the jetty when I leave … I’m still laughing. Im hoping to get a mate for a meal tomorrow night.

It’s better on the bike …

A short shower of rain after a bacon and egg breakfast … it’s John’s birthday today.

The new telescopic tent poles are working their magic already as we adjust them to get a run off with the rain. I got a new app on my phone .. compass and spirit level … so now I’m making sure the awning poles are 100° vertical … John just shakes his head … yes, I’m a bit anal … but I’m having fun!!!

The rain stops and we head off on the Walk the Yorke trail on our bikes … there is quite a bit of sharing with the dirt road as we hug the coast, lovely coastline, however the overcast skies don’t bring out the natural beauty of the colours of the sea today.

After a pub meal of squid schnitzel and mixed seafood: fillet and salt and pepper squid … we shared. We found a vantage point to see the sunset. Then off to the jetty to see the catch of the evening. 2 big stringrays and several small ones were seen. A small Port Jackson shark feeding on fish carcasses. Earlier a couple of playful dolphins were around.

Choose wisely I’m not sharing.

The rain came and it was a wet pack up of the tent this morning. A few hours later we were setting up camp in sunny Point Turton.

Be careful what you wish for; I was the looser today at the Minlaton Bakery; the Nutella Berlina wasn’t as good as John’s Kitchener Bun.

Nice drive through to Hardwicke Beach on the way.

Great park at Point Turton … not sure how we left the awning poles behind but lucky to get some at a hardware nearby. Quietly, I’ve been wanting to replace the old poles for telescopic since we got the tent. Ummm it wasn’t on purpose.

The jetty is lively this afternoon, squid is on the menu for a few people tonight. The fish cleaning station is swamped with pelicans waiting for scraps as fishers prep their catch; nearby the steps to the water has Sally the stingray getting a pat and feed. She is said to be 20 years old and a resident attraction to the campers.

The coastline is once again stunning, clear waters and houses only metres from the waters edge only separated by the Walk the Yorke trail.

It would have to be pretty damn good to beat this!!! …

… that was me a few weeks ago as I did my 2/3 days a week summer ritual of early morning walk/jog and swim at Leighton Beach, North Fremantle.

I’m walking as the first light appears from Moonta Bay to Port Hughes along the beach. The tide is on it’s way out; soon to expose great expanses of white sand and shallow pools. A young fisher point … warning me of his line out as I duck under the rod. A man with a newspaper under his arm, his dog just chased a few gulls in the shallows … that would have been a good picture. It’s overcast; rain is on the way tomorrow.

Port Hughes jetty is bustling with fishers, a few squid have been caught. I back track to return to Moonta Bay … this is certainly a great place, it ticks a lot of boxes … maybe I’m a bit parochial about Leighton Beach.

Moonta Jetty is buzzing with excitement as squid is being caught, a big flathead (I’m sure I saw it yesterday when I was snorkelling; camouflaged in the weed).

A ride into town and aboard the Historic Railway Tourist Train. Great way to learn about the copper mining industry.

After a swim, we venture onto the Jetty, water crystal clear as we watch squid and a crab being caught … where else in the world would I like to be.

We ate an apple, then had a pasty … does that count for a traditional oggie?

A golden hue as the sun lights up the sky … 7am and to the jetty for sunrise … a few brave souls out throwing a line … a squid on the jetty, as I power walk by, greeting the fishers.

A quick walk/jog along the beach a few out with their dogs.

The park was busy last night as the oldies left, I think the average age has dropped considerably … younger ones with young families; perhaps the townies making the most of good weather before Easter. 1hr later, and toddlers are busy on their bikes.

A ride into Moonta, the town must be a contender for a ‘Tidy Town’ award. The shop facades all look like they have had a rustic makeover.

Moonta’s claim to fame is copper mining, in it’s heyday in the mid 1800’s the mines employed Cornish immigrants. Today there are 2 bakeries boasting their Cornish Pasties. We tried one today from the Cornish Kitchen, very nice, tomorrow we’ll try an authentic pasty from the ‘Taste of Yorke’ half apple and half vegetables. Yes that’s what they did.

A ride to a Miners Cottage and Heritage Garden and walking trail of location of original mine shafts and tailings dump.

Down to Port Hughes South Beach … yes the tourist info book was right, long beach, white sand, pristine clear water. It takes a while to get deep enough, so we lay in waist deep water it is still at a good temperature for swimming.

What a lovely place … so much so we are here for the weekend. Rode to Port Hughes only 3km and a jetty. The town of Moonta is worth another look with a rustic look to it. The coast is amazing and an electric sunset.

‘We can do this Johnny, sleeping under the stars … no one around in our little bush camp.’ All packed up and the car doesn’t start … the jump start battery certainly came in handy.

Off we go … headed for Port Germein … the top of the Spencer Gulf. And of course there is a Jetty but this is special … it was the longest wooden Jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. ‘I s’pose you want to walk it, Susie? … I think that was a rhetorical question. A good 3km return walk.

We are on the Yorke Penninsula and the Copper Coast.

How many jetties can you see in a day? Driving down the coast and popping into the little coastal towns for a squiz.

Port Germein, Port Broughton, Walleroo and our destination, Moonta Bay … and in the distance I can see Port Hughes jetty – that will be a bike ride tomorrow.

Walleroo is where the car ferry leaves/starts for the Lucky Bay, Eyre Penninsula … a 2 hour ferry crossing to save going around the top.

We are all set up in the big tent … it was going to be a one night stay but I made an executive decision when I saw that we are only metres from the beach and 500m from the jetty and the start of the ‘Walk the Yorke’ trail.

Goodness John, look at the water slides in that play area … wow!!, how much water has it dumped … fancy being under that!! A free small water park … wouldn’t the grandies just love that.

Jetties, beaches and bush …

Working our way north popping into coastal towns. It’s a little windy at Port Neil, a freshly caught squid on the jetty by a man and a young boy. The sun glistens in the water as it breaks through the clouds. A bit too cool to consider a swim.

Arno Beach is the next stop. This was rated in the top 10 as SA’s best beaches, not today. The sand did have a squeak to it. There is large mounds of seaweed heaped on the beach and in the water. On the jetty, there are a couple fishers feeling the cold in their track suits. after a conversation, they say that before the last 3 windy days, the beach was pristine (such a shame). They said to try Red Banks Beach.

True to their word, Red Banks Beach was delightful, lovely white firm sand with interesting red rocks.

A small marina at Cowell, the carpark with about 6 tractors with trailers, it wasn’t long before we realised the oyster farmers come in here with the oysters, boat and all, process near by then return them back to the farms. A great water playground with waterslides for kids … just part of a park.

A quick look at Whyalla, another Jetty (with a difference) this is circular. The beach ‘long’ low tide and it would probably be 500m before you got your toes wet. We have committed to a bush/farm stay at the foot of the Flinders Ranges, otherwise I’d be right in there.

‘Do you want a site in the caravan park or a bush site?’ … we are all set up in a bush site under a huge gum tree. No one around … just the birds. We don’t have the fly on the tent … sleeping under the stars.

They have won medals for their dorper lamb here … we have some for dinner tonight.

What time is it … I ask as we start putting up the little tent … then almost done … how long did that take?  … ’20 minutes’ says John, we laugh … from the moment we met everything was 20 minutes.  How long will it take to get to xyz?  20 minutes was always the reply.  I think he was always 20 minutes late too … I quickly changed that!!!

Only 40km to Tumby Bay!!  … what was I thinking. I could have ridden.

A beautiful calm morning, the wind has gone.  Before we shut the doors, we are there. 

At last some silo art as we approach Tumby, nice set up under a pink flowering gum, it’s nice to hear the New Holland Honeyeaters chittering away, pink blossom on the tent.

Originally, it was a 2 night stay … we have changed our mind … 1 night is enough.  Lots to do but with our bikes we have it covered in a couple of hours.

The mangrove walk; coastal walk; street art.  ✅️✅️✅️

We are off to see the Jingo Brothers at the local pub tonight … Steady Eddy … yep the real Steady Eddie.

Great night out.

That is a ‘real’ cream bun … I haven’t seen one since last time in the east. They just don’t make them in the west … remember those huge ones in Wilmington when we drove through Horrocks Pass and it was freezing cold it must have been 1981.

A very windy night and the tent survived.

A stroll along the foreshore in town along the Parnkalla Trail. Nice grassed areas, the locals getting back to their routine after a weekend and off on their power walk/stroll with a friend, men and women alike.

A walk along Delta Proude’s Jetty … nobody would be game to throw a line … it’s extremely windy.  As with most towns along the Penninsula there is a netted off area for swimming: this is the most impressive so far. 

It’s Monday and all happening down at Brennen’s Wharf, only about 500m from the city hub.  Road trains lined up to empty the grain into silos, the trail takes us within meters of the action as the grain dust blows our way.

100m further, a fishing boat has docked and all hands on and off deck as the boat is unloaded with the catch.  Bags of ice are poured in tubs full of seafood, they are wrapped in plastic,  labelled and sit by the refrigerator truck for loading.  These look like they are on the way to Melbourne. All in front of our eyes.

A nice coffee and vanilla slice and cream bun to share … I committed to share today … very unusual for me, haha. I think we chose the right place; it seemed to be patroned by locals, mums and bubs; seniors catch ups and all ages in between.

We make some minor adjustments to our set-up in camp with a trip to Bunnings and get some guy ropes with runner and trace springs … I’m getting more like my Dad. The awning is much more stable, although the wind has dropped a little.

To the Marina Hotel for dinner … lovely views and meal.