Caravanning Diary

Scultures on the cliffs, Elliston.

Tag - Along -Tour

2009
(2)

Coffin Bay Jetty.

WEEK 1 - WEEK 2 - WEEK 3 - WEEK 4 - WEEK 5

Thursday 10th Sept 2009 - Day 8 - Tumby Bay
This morning we packed up and headed for Cleve for morning coffee and look around the town. Cleve is a small rural town that services the surrounding agricultural properties. We all parked in the RV park at the western end of town and created such interest that the Town Council sent out a rep and photographer to take photos and find out what all the vans were doing in town.
Geraldine and I found the local Bakery and enjoyed a latte and cake there before heading back to the van.
We all then continued on to Port Neill in convoy and did a close formation tour of the town creating interest from the locals in this quiet fishing village. Lunch was in Arno Bay after a vigorous walk around the Mangrove Walk which was quite pleasant. Onward to Tumby Bay and our stop for the next 3 days. Geoff, our Tour host took charge and ensured all vans were on allocated sites before heading home for a couple of nights. This is Geoff & Nancy's home town after all!!
That night we all attended the Tumby Bay Hotel for a snitzel night. Yum ma!!

Sunrise at Whyalla

The Arno Bay Mangrove Walk

Resting on the Mangrove Walk

Friday 11th Sept 2009 - Day 9 - Tumby Bay
The wind picked up early in the morning and continued blowing till late afternoon today. Had to roll up the awning round 6am.
Today we drove into Port Lincoln (40kms away) for a look around, and some shopping. Lunch was at the Del Giorno's Italian Restaraunt. I had a nice pizza and Geraldine had lasagna. Yum ma!! We toured Louth Bay, Whalers Way, the Marina and North Shields. After some food shopping at the Wool worths store we headed back to Tumby Bay for Happy Hour. In the evening we joined John & Margaret in their van to watch the MELBOURNE STORM defeat the SEA EAGLES in the first of the NRL Finals in Sydney. It was a great game , score 40-12 to the STORM. I will be setting up the sat dish for the BRONCOS v TITANS game tonight if the wind abates.

Flinders Well

The coastline near Whalers Way

Saturday 12th Sept 2009 - Day 10 - Tumby Bay
Today is a take it easy day for us. The wind came up mid morning and is blowing from the north so it is warm. Temp. at the moment is 26c. Geraldine and I went into town to buy a lottery ticket for tonights draw ($20m). Around midday, Geoff came and collected those who were taking a Farm Tour. I worked on the website pages and Geraldine slept. It's that sort of a day.! Around 5pm Geoff came and collected us and drove to his house for a Happy Hour and Fish Fry night. Geoff and his mate had gone out several weeks ago and caught lots of KG Whiting and prepared them for the night. The night ended early so that we could all go back to the vans to watch the AFL semi final between CROWS and COLLINGWOOD ( Crows lost). Geraldine and I were invited to watch the NRL semi final between BRONCOS and TITANS, (Broncos 40 Titans 32) in John and Margaret's van.

Enjoying the Fish Night in Tumby Bay

Fish Night

Sunday 13th Sept 2009 - Day 11 - Coffin Bay
An easy start to the day as we prepared to head off to Coffin Bay via Cummins. As we left Tumby Bay we could see the dark clouds gathering in the west. By the time we had climbed the hills we were in the middle of rain and wind. Half hour later we were in Cummins where we had morning tea in the local football grounds. After we had a short walk around the town and picked up a few things from the local IGA store.
We then continued on our way to Coffin Bay and arrived there in convoy around lunch time. While I set up the van site, Geraldine made lunch and had a cup of tea waiting when I finished. Later we went with Sue and Gary to the Coffin Bay National Park and had a look around the various scenic spots. Some of the group took a walk into town . We arrived back from our drive around Happy Hour time. Tonight Nell and Tom's turn to entertain. Nell brought her accordian along and gave us a rendition of some old favourites which we all sang along to. Later Geraldine got out the turbo oven and we made a roast for dinner. Yumma! Fell asleep during Midsomer Murders so don't know who did it!!!

Coastline near Avoid Point

Avoid Bay

Monday 14th Sept 2009 - Day 12 - Coffin Bay
Today Geoff was going to show us around the Coffin Bay area. We started off around 9:30am and drove in convoy to Farm Beach and Kelliede Bay. We stopped at Farm Beach and had a look at old tractors behind the Caravan Park. Dennis and Therese were very keen on them as well as Nell who climbed on one for a pose. We then went to Mt Dutton Bay jetty for morning tea and a walk on the jetty. We were rewarded with a couple of bottle nose dolphins swimming in close to the shoreline looking for food. They made their way under the jetty and were quite clearly visible in the clean water of the bay. We wanted to look in the Wool Shed Museum nearby but unfortunately , no one was home, so we continued on to an Antiques Shed/Pig Farm near Wangary where we had a good long browse. A few items were purchased by some members. Towards lunch time we headed back to the CP in Coffin Bay for a quick lunch break. In the afternoon a group drove through the Coffin Bay National Park before returning in time for Happy Hour and a BBQ dinner. We spent the evening relaxing and watching City Homicide and Ashes to Ashes on tv.

Geraldine, Sue and Gary Mt Dutton Bay

Tractor Heaven

Tuesday 15th Sept 2009 - Day 13 - Elliston
The group were ready by 9:30am for departure for Elliston. First part of the trip saw us travelling through agri lands passing salt lakes till we arrived in Mt Hope for morning tea at the village hall carpark. After the break we continued on for a about 15 minutes and were near Lake Hamilton when the alarm came over the CB from tail end charlie (Alan) who reported that Sue and Gary's van had lost a wheel from the roadside hub and the alloy wheel shattered into pieces, causing damage to the wheel arch skin of the van. The van is only 4 weeks old. Luckily Sue had managed to bring the tug and van to a safe stop on the side of the road. We turned around and drove back to the location to see if we could assist. The others pulled over at the Leo Cummings Monument. A decision was made to take the damaged hub off the van and take it to Elliston to see if new studs could be fitted. After much effort by both Geoff ,Alan and Dennis they managed to raise the van enough to remove the hub. We then left Sue, Gary , Alan and Helen by the side of the road and continued on to Elliston CP and to find a Mechanic. We arrived in Elliston round 1pm and set up our sites. Geoff found a Mechanic in town who managed to replace the studs. The rest of the crew finally arrived at the CP near 6pm just in time for the dinner. We did some local shopping in town in the afternoon and then joined others for the Happy Hour. The evening was spent watching tv as we were all very tired from the day's dramas.

Coffin Bay

Jindimn Antiques Shop

Wednesday 16th Sept 2009 - Day 14 - Elliston
This morning the weather is turning cloudy and wet. We all went to the town bakery in Elliston and overwhelmed the staff with orders for coffee , cakes and pies. We had morning tea at the rotunda opposite and Geoff gave his briefing there because he missed out last night with all the problems with Sue's van. They managed a temporary fix that got them to Elliston but now they are waiting on parts from Adelaide to replace the damaged drum and wheel. Parts should be here by tomorrow with luck.
After the coffee break we headed out to the Great Ocean Tourist Drive that follows the rugged coast around from Waterloo Bay and Little Bay. The ocean was calm today as the wind and rain is coming from the NW at the moment. It will change later this evening to SW ,so we may need to put our rollout awnings in. After lunch at the CP we continued our drive along the Great Ocean Tourist Drive to the north of town including the heritage listed town jetty built in 1900, the 'Sculptures on the Cliffs' , Salmon Point, Black's Point and Anxious Bay. It rained all afternoon so after our drive around we all headed back to the vans . In the evening we arranged to have a BBQ in the camp kitchen under cover. Happy Hour entertainment was with Malcolm & Helen who organised a memory test which was fun for all. After dinner some members played cards and scrabble.

The Bakery in Elliston	Morning Tea in Elliston. (John,Joe,Malcolm,Gary and Helen)
Sculptures on the Cliffs.	Roadsign near cliffs , Elliston.

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