Parsons Beach & Surrounds, Point Turton & Surrounds, Yorke Peninsular

Tuesday the 9^th and we said farewell to Jan & Ross as they were going to check out Adelaide and we were wanting to complete our tour of Yorke Peninsular. We had started in the Yorke and stayed at Moonta before Christmas and then got word that Linda’s aunty died. So we left and went to the funeral and went home for Christmas. Now we had time to finish touring the Yorke so we were keen to do that.

On the way down the east coast we stopped in for lunch at Ardrossan. The cliffs there glow red at sunrise. On both Peninsulars the water is very shallow when the tide is low.

 

After grabbing some supplies at Minlaton  we went onto Parsons Beach, another 13km, on the west coast, to the home of Kevin and Rhonda. We had first met them at at El Questro Station. We bumped into them again at Broome, at 80 Mile Beach and at Ningaloo. We had become friends by that stage of course. Se we deliberately caught up with them at Mandurah for dinner. They had actually offered to store our caravan for us while we went home for Christmas and so that was what we planned to do but then with the passing of Linda’s aunty we need to take the van to Griffith for the funeral. We left the van there instead.

So it was good to drop in and return Rhonda’s wine cooler which she had left behind with us at Mandurah. That was the least of it, of course, and we wound up staying three nights. They were very hospitable. Rhonda treated us to a King George Whiting dinner that they caught on their beach. They, in fact, catch a lot of whiting and squid on their beach. ‘Their beach’, and their travels, what a life.

Prior to dinner on that first night they took us for a drive around. This is their beach.

 

Kev then drove us to Bluff Point. There were dolphins hunting for fish in the little bay there. They were very close to us and got a couple of photos and a couple of videos.

 

Bluff Point still had the remains of their ‘Davits’ which were structures that held boats aloft to stop them from sinking in storms. This was know as the marina of the 1920s. Back then it was mainly professional fisherman who lived there.

 

Kev showed us some of the other spots, such as Barker Rocks, Port Rickaby and Bushes Beach, where you can camp. After that we went back for our beautiful King George Whiting dinner.

Next day I went fishing with Kev down on his beach. There was nothing around and after lunch we tried to catch some squid. Again, nothing. Kev and Rhonda had to leave for Adelaide that afternoon for appointments the next day. We stayed on and had the run of the house. Talk about hospitality. We did not want to intrude of course but it was good to be able to use their tele. Had to leave the tele though to grab this sunset at Parsons Beach. Here are some for those who have been missing my sunset photos.

 

Thursday we went for a drive down the west coast. Before being able to head off the Landcruiser would not start. I had to borrow Kev’s old hilux and jump start the Landcruiser. Hilux comes to the rescue again. We dropped into all the small towns for a quick look but then stopped at Point Turton.  There was a lone seal frolicking near the jetty. It was in a lovely sandy area with little weed so it was a great opportunity to have a swim with a seal.

We had considered going on a tour where you swim with seals when we were at Port Lincoln. It costs $180 each. We had been given money for Christmas from our kids and Rowan to be spent on  the trip but we decided to use the money to do a Harbour Bridge Climb. So when we saw this seal I could not resist to have a go. I got the snorkel gear out. I was a bit concerned as I was sure the females might be docile but I did not know whether a lone male might be a bit aggressive. I was more concerned that there might be a shark sitting in the weeds waiting for the right time to attack the seal. Oh well, you only live once, in this body. But it was really cool swimming with the seal. I got close a couple of times but it did not allow me to get close enough to touch him.

 

The history of the jetty was interesting.

 

After a couple more beaches Corny Point was the next main spot. The history was cool.

 

There was a lighthouse at Corny Point and the coastline was great.

 

On the way back to Parsons Beach we had to stop to get a photo of this eagle sitting on a post. Would have got more photos but it took off. Looks a bit like an owl but it was an eagle.