FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER     NULLARBOR ROADHOUSE TO CEDUNA   300kms

We were away early. Sleeping late was not an option in a place such as this!

Not far from our overnight stop, I did manage to convince John to slow down, for a little sightseeing! It was still the season when whales and their calves were to be seen off the coast, and this was an experience we had not encountered before.

Detoured south from the highway, to go to Head of the Bight. Here, we paid $12 for entry to the whale watching area. From the parking area, walked to the viewing platform area.

We were absolutely thrilled to see two whales with calves, really close in to the cliffs below us.

These creatures were fascinating to watch, just lazily and slowly swimming around, with the calves playing around their mothers. It was so pleasing to know that, these days, they were mostly safe in a place such as this, and not subject to the hunting depradations and cruelty of earlier times in the Australian colonies. Just a pity that this is still not the case the whole world over. Superb creatures…..

We stayed there, watching the whales, for over an hour. It was the most interesting thing I had seen for years!

Then it was pressing on to Ceduna, passing through the quarantine check point not far before that town. We did not have anything to hand over – the food supplies were actually getting quite low. It was ages since I’d done a comprehensive food shop – Broome, Over the last couple of nights, I’d made meals that used up what vegetable matter I had on hand.

We obtained a powered site at the Foreshore Caravan Park, in the town. It cost $19.50, after discount. We were informed about the security gate arrangements and codes. When John asked about the TV reception, he was informed by the lady that it wasn’t the best. He was not happy about this and was actually rather terse with the person.

After setting up, we walked out onto the jetty and along its length. From out at the end, the town looked deceptively attractive. Then walked through the town, and bought some food for tonight and for a sandwich lunch tomorrow.

We were browsing in the Information Centre, when an indigine came in. I think he was demanding something – to use the phone, perhaps,  and was very unpleasant to the lady operating the place. He told her it was “a blackfellas town and we can do what we want!” It was quite an embarrassing display to witness, with her speaking politely to him and trying to be reasonable, and him abusing her. I don’t think he was sober. After he wandered out again, she indicated scenes like that were not unusual.

We took Truck out – we’d had to unhitch on this site – and bought a dozen oysters for tea, at a seafood sales outlet. One great thing about the coastal towns in this region is the excellent seafood.

From dusk, and well into the night, there was a gathering of locals on the foreshore area, near the caravan park. They were very noisy and argumentative, and it was not pleasant listening to the ruckus.

We had previously found the Shelly Beach Caravan Park, out of town, a much more peaceful place to stay, but John vetoed going out there this time, because he thought the TV reception was better in town. Thoughts of karma crossed my mind……..

John watched the football preliminary final, after tea. Between the poor TV and the external noise, it was not the quality experience he had been expecting. We might have been better to have stayed in Kalgoorlie until after the weekend, and then had a more pleasant time across the Nullarbor – but I did not think it wise to say so.