So we headed north for more exploring today, and went up as far as Ceduna which was largely disappointing. The town was deserted and maybe that’s because we were expecting too much for a country town on a Sunday in winter.
The checking station was open and the OTR service station on the highway and that was it, nowhere to get coffee, nothing open, the petrol stations in town were all autopay and the motels and caravan parks were all empty and deserted. Quite different to Streaky Bay where the caravan parks are huge and both are half full, and the cafe is open 7 days..
We visited Smoky Bay on the way back which was mostly holiday homes and much like Ceduna, quiet and deserted. I guess the difference with these towns is they just didn’t seem to have any heart and maybe that’s a little harsh but as an outsider coming through that was my impression. The towns we’ve visited up until today have so far seemed to take pride and it shows in their streets and their fore shores.
We stopped at several more little towns along the way which were mostly holiday homes, and we walked along the jetty at Haslam to meet people who were from Christie’s Beach and are founding members of Southern Districts baseball club (so is our neighbour) and is where our boys played, such a small world we live in.
We had a picnic lunch on Perlubie Beach which is a beautiful beach that we could drive on with such calm, clear water. Then we did the Cape Bauer scenic loop and visited the whistling rocks and the blowholes. These were amazing and despite it not being very windy they still sounded like a freight train coming up the cliff.
There’s something hypnotic about watching the water break against the rocks and then the resulting noise echoing around you, I could have stood there for ages.
More down time and reading back in the villa as the sun was setting out the front of our villa. I’ve discovered an amazing book called Paint Mojo which is my latest read, and is especially relevant because I’m so fascinated by the colours and textures I’ve seen on this trip. I’ve always had a desire to paint and the author of this book just resonates with me when she talks about colour and texture, and combines it with symbology and intuition in abstract form.
Then a last minute decision meant we finished our day with a walk across to Little Island which can be reached on foot at low tide and is right out the front of our villa and was well worth the walk as the sun was going down, despite having freezing cold feet by the time we got back.
Tomorrow we head inland and start the slow trek home, I‘ll be sorry to see the end of vivid turquoise blue water and rolling green paddocks.
Keep smiling, Fi 🌻