Memory Cove Lincoln National Park to Coffin Bay, Eyre Peninsula SA

Tuesday 4 December 2018
Today we couldn’t decided whether to stay or go. It was such a beautiful spot but unfortunately the water was freezing. i think if the water had been nice and the weather a little warmer we would have stayed another day in solitude. It is one of my favourite types of camping. So onwards we march. But first let’s explore the rest of this side of the National Park. We had a leisurely, less rough drive out due to the speed we drove and enjoyed some lovely encounters with the Australian wildlife. Lots of birds, emus, including some babies, shinglebacks, lizard and a blackish skinny snake which could have been the brown snake common in this area.

We drove along the rocky track for a few hours and stopped at a few lookouts along the way. They included Cape Catastrophe. Williams Island Lookout, Cape Tournefort and Wanna Lookout. The scenery and views were out of this world. We had lunch at a lovely spot overlooking Williams Island only to drive 5 more minutes to an even greater spectacular lookout. It was a great day. We finally exited the park at about 2.45pm and had to take the key back to town. We decided rather than head to the other part of the same park and stay at Surfleet Cover, that we would head to Coffin Bay and enjoy some Oysters at Happy hour. So off we go in search of the fantastic oysters. Unfortunately our research wasn’t good enough tonight. Bar 1802 is closed on Tuesday, so then we headed to Beachcomber Hotel to find that there happy hour was earlier and closed in a few minutes. So instead we just went for as bike ride around the bay. We decided on pizza for dinner, only to find on our arrival there that they are closed on Tuesday as well. We then stopped in at the Beachcomber Hotel for dinner and their kitchen was closed at 6pm as well. They offered us their remaining 3 pies in the oven as otherwise they would have thrown them out. So alas, that was tonight’s dinner, plus a bag of potato chips. I could have cooked I suppose but was given the night off. We are heading in to the Coffin Bay National Park tomorrow.

: View of Memory Cove from our tent.

: It took a very long time to make it in to the water this morning as the water temperature was quite cool. Obviously it was only me swimming as it was way too cold for David..

: ..it was a very quick dip for me as well, but served as today’s shower.

: David pulling down our rubbish from last night which he had hung up in the tree so the animals couldn’t get in to it. We should have thought about where we were going to put the rubbish when we bought prawns and oysters on our way in to the parl.

: Heading out along the rough rocky and sandy track

: View to Cape Catastrophe. It is one of the natural features named by the British navigator Matthew Flinders in memory of the eight crew who were lost from a cutter that capsized sometime after being launched from the HM Sloop Investigator to search for water on 21 February 1802.

: Some of the scenic drive through Lincoln National Park

: Williams Island Lookout..

: ..and again

: View of the beach from Williams Island Lookout

: Cape Tournefort..

: ..the view was spectacular

: Their is an emu in this picture. Right of centre.

: The emus were wandering around all over the place

: Another beautiful spot in Lincoln National Park

: DB checking out the view

: A nice little spot for lunch.

: Wanna Lookout..

: ..was quite spectacular..

: ..the island was amazing..

: ..and the pinnacle jutting out of the water reminded me of an Apostle.

: The surf was quite big as well from Wanna Lookout.

: Looking at the silos at Port Lincoln

: The Visitors Centre have started making their own small carry bags out of their old maps to help with the environment and it saves them 40c a bag

: Coffin Bay Lookout

: Memory Cove Lincoln National Park to Coffin Bay – 93km