COUGHIN' AT COFFIN BAY!!

Dolphins play in the surf! Oyster Farms in the Bay

Sorry about the double up - have no idea how to remove one of the photos!!!!

Oyster Farms in the Bay

Picturesque bays in the National Park at Coffin Bay


Mysterious Peaks across the National Parks

Well, hello again, this time from beautiful Coffin Bay on the Eyre Peninsula.

What an absolutely beautiful spot this is. The day we arrived here was wet and very overcast - it was still spellbinding - a little like I imagine Scotland to be - vast expanses of water surrounded by mysterious cloud shrouded hills. Once the weather cleared, the transformation was astounding, lakes full of diamonds reflecting the clear blue skies. Glorious tree covered hills and thick bushland. The place abounds with wild-life, sea bird calls pierce the clear air, kangaroos munch their way thru' the camp at night, emus stroll along the roadside and the sound of the magpies caroling sooths you thru' the day. Oyster farms decorate the huge expanses of water that make up the myriad bays and inlets, and gulls and pelicans find them convenient roosts during low tide.

The caravan park there was spacious and green, all the bays were grassed and the sites were huge. National parks surround the region, and for $8.50 day pass you can travel thru' these unspoiled areas. We generally won't travel on really rough terrain ('cause we're soft!) and so we stuck to the tarmac and better gravel roads - we were still rewarded by some marvelous scenery. We found a breathtaking bay around the corner which was very 'Esperance-esque' - white sandy beaches fronded by aquamarine water. In the waves a pod of dolphins frolicked - a real treat to find. I have included our photo of this event, hopefully if you click on the photo and expand it, you will be able to see the dolphins.

The park is dog friendly and we met many happy tail-waggers there.

We found ourselves parked next to another Supreme, same layout as ours, but not off-road. Great people (of course) and new mates again. This was the first park where we experienced the 'meet again caravan syndrome' - we actually bumped into three different couples we had met at previous parks. It is an interesting phenomenon - when you realise that you have met before, you greet them like long lost friends - it really creates a bond of sorts.

There is plenty to do in this region, fishing of course, oyster eating of course, sight-seeing of course, and visiting pig farms ......of......course..........? Yes, we visited a pig farm - quite by accident - there is a sign indicating an antique shop - it had been recommended - I had been told that there was a nice little cafe there where you could get really nice tucker. We followed the signs thru' some really interesting and lovely countryside, to end up, of all things at a piggery.

A free range piggery at that! Yes, the antique shop was part of the piggery, and the cafe was part of the antique shop - what did they serve there you might ask -

bacon of course. I have a terrible confession to make. Driving into the piggery we passed some very large and fat pigs and some very cute little piglets. Did I let my love of animals get in the way of enjoying a really special 'door stopper' Bacon and egg brekky - absolutely not - it was wonderful! A most unusual experience however. The lady who ran the place seemed very downcast and her demeanour didn't add a great deal to the unusual experience I have to say. She seemed to cheer up after a little while, but didn't come to talk to us. I was a little disappointed as I am sure she would have had an interesting story to tell.

While in CB I had my hair cut - I had to try to have undone, the damage that had been wrought in Esperance. The lass in Esperance did a wonderful job with the colour, but really butchered the cut! The salon at CB proved that old-fashioned hair dressers really do still exist. The cut was excellent, the atmosphere was chatty and we had a good laugh as well - do you remember when a visit to the hairdressers was still fun? This lass was brilliant, if ever you go to the salon in CB be sure to ask for Sylvanna.

We were compelled to go into Port Lincoln for supplies. Due to early onset 'old-timers' by both of us, we had to go in twice, as we forgot stuff the first time. This wasn't a huge problem as PL is only around 40ks from Coffin Bay and a very pleasant drive at that. Port Lincoln is quite a nice town, a little like Albany in WA and super busy. We were shocked, as we have become real country hicks by now and were horrified to find 'traffic lights' and other such city stuff. Parking was a problem and traffic was hectic. We had decided we would not stay in Lincoln as we had been told by several people that the park there was steep and windy. We went and had a look and thought that it looked quite fine. The windy part was probably true, but hey, where on the coast is it not windy? We also drove thru' the national park there (another $8.50) and were very disappointed - it really did nothing for either of us and the roads were less than bad. Of course, each to their own - we have spoken to other people who have camped there and loved it!

The other down side to two visits to Port Lincoln and the supermarket, was that TBBITW caught a cold. Yes folks, a cold, and was he miserable - you will find a little attachment with this entry giving you all the story of the cold.

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Coffin Bay - as usual, we extended and stayed a little longer than anticipated, just to allow TBBITW to recover enough to pack up and move on to Arno Bay.

Love to all, and stay well. Steph.

"COUGHIN’ BAY"

The bloke started coughin’ at Coffin Bay
Not at first, but on the third day
I’m not feelin’ well, I’m not feelin’ right
He said to me, early that night
Well, he coughed thru’ the night, he coughed thru’ the day
He moaned and he groaned in every way
He wasn’t that flash, he wasn’t that good
I should’ve been sorry I know that I should!
But try as I may and try as I might
I just didn’t appreciate his sorry plight

It’s not a secret that we ladies know
If men had the babies mankind would not grow
The birth rate would drop and the ladies would hear
“Not tonight sweetie, I’ve an ‘eadache I fear”
So it’s hard to feel sorry for the bloke on the bed
When all that he has is a cold in the head.
In his defence he didn’t pike and he didn’t quail
And to drink his quota he didn’t fail.
We still went for drives thru’ roads rough and wide
All round and about the close country-side

And the gallant female that supported him thru’
His darkest day, and who was true blue?
Well I was so happy and I was so gay
That I wasn’t ill in any old way
But life had an irony and twist of its own
And several days later I started to groan
As my breathing tools all started to fail
And just like him, I started to wail
I’m not feelin’ good, I’m not feeling right
Now I couldn’t sleep all thru’ the night

But where was the love, so tender and bright
That should’ve been mine by fairness and right
Oh no, not my bloke, he suddenly found
His cough had come back, so he went to ground
And who soldiered on, thru’ sinus and pain
That’s right girls, the woman again.
He still was not well, he still was not right
He just didn’t sympathise with my sorry plight
Cause I wasn’t coughin’ and spitting like him
My chance of a break was pretty slim.

And the moral to this sorry story so sad,
Well, there just isn’t one so you blokes can be glad
That women are women, and men are just men
And we will look after you again and again.
We’ll bitch and we’ll moan and carry on so
But along with you we always will go
But try to remember that it would be good
If you would look after us just as you should
‘Cause when you are sick and feeling your ills
We are the ones in charge of your pills!