What an adventure we had today. First stop was at Woolies again to pick up some more lunch ingredients and then we headed over to Coffin Bay NP for the day. We drove straight through the town of Coffin Bay and into the national park which may have been a mistake as there are no toilets near the entrance to the park and the toilets at Almonta Beach were not accessible due to renovation works!
Undeterred by the lack of facilities we spent the morning exploring the sections of the park that can be reached using sealed roads. The first stop of the day was along the road in at Templetonia Lookout. It was very hazy, but we could just make out Mount Dutton and Marble Range looking north and we could see not much at all looking south. A somewhat disappointing start to the days sightseeing.
Next we stopped at Claytons Lookout for some very hazy views so perhaps it was the lookout you have when youre not having a lookout?! Ha, ha. We continued to Golden Island Lookout which afforded us reasonable views of Golden Island and Price Island and the sweeping golden sands of
Almonta Beach. From there we headed around the corner to Point Avoid which was a very rocky outcrop with surf crashing against it in stark contrast with the beautiful beach at Almonta.
As we drove over to Yangie Bay we stopped again at Claytons Lookout because it was less misty and we could take photos that we hope will be more picturesque than those taken earlier? We arrived at Yangie Bay where we were (finally) able to make use of some facilities!! We then set out on the easy Yangie Bay Hike via the Yangie Lookout. After a short climb through coastal mallee we had great views overlooking Yangie Bay, Mount Dutton and Marble Range. Near the end of Yangie Island we started to loop back around towards the car park along the edge of the bay.
As we walked we encountered an emu with three chicks. It was really cute to see them so close BUT they kept walking along the path rather than running off into the scrub. We didnt want to get too close and we certainly didnt want to get between the parent and the chicks and have a full grown emu rush
at us if it decided that we were a threat!! After walking along behind the family of emus at emu grazing pace for quite some time we eventually managed a wide passing manoeuvre when we reached a less treed section of the walk.
We ate our sandwiches standing up in the picnic shelter because the shade it was casting was, unfortunately, not over the picnic tables. Hmmn, perhaps when it was installed some more consideration should have been given to its orientation?? After eating we left Cathy and Steves car in the car park and all piled into the to attempt a 4WD track out to Black Springs.
As Bernie let some air out of the tyres to drive on sand - not actually on the beach, but in the dunes behind the beach – and we headed off. Almost straight away we were in sand, but it was and quite manageable. We made it to Lake Jessie and thought we were doing really well. Unfortunately that confidence proved to be short lived because before we make it to Eely Point (about half way to Black Springs) we were BOGGED in sand!
got bogged, but we got out again!! On our own, using the recovery tracks and without holding up anyone else trying to get in or out using that track. Cathy and I sat in the car keeping out of the way while Bernie and Steve dug in front of the tyres to put the tracks in. More air was let out of the tyres and eventually, after a lot of sweating (and a little bit of swearing) Bernie managed to get the truck out of the hole we were in. Phew!
Bernie drove a little bit further along the track, but then spotted a firm looking place he felt he could turn the truck around in. Having dug the vehicle out once he was a bit reluctant to go any further and risk getting bogged again and the rest of us only wanted Bernie to undertake what he with.
