The weather to was suppose to be terrible, rain, wind and thunderstorms with hail, looking across to the mainland in the morning it looked like someone was copping it.
Today's plan was to go have a look at a look at Kangaroo Island's 'best kept secret' Red Banks, then onto Kingscote, Emu Bay and with a bit of luck Stokes Bay. There were no signs to direct you to Red Banks, there was a Red Banks Road (dirt) that went in the general direction but you had to use your sense of direction and turn off onto Flea Castle Rd, dirt and narrow and still no mention of Red Banks. Starting to drizzle and on a clay sandy track with nowhere really to turn around we kept on going until the road ended at the coast. There was a small turning where the road ended but it was muddy black soil and I didn't think 'Zorro' would take to it very well so it was a quick 3 point turn over the grass edge. Anyway I had found the 'secret place', down the gully to the beach and there were the 'Red' banks, was it worth it......well yes.
The seals at Kingscote kept us amused and some of the other wildlife seen, while not 'firsts', added to the enjoyment of the drive. Heavy rain and time running out kept us from reaching Stokes Bay, maybe another day.
The ferry escaping the bad weather on the mainland in the morning.
The front of our hotel, we were in a cabin out the back. There was a good view
when having breakfast in the restaurant, which can be seen at bottom left.
A little more sun, better surf and 3 riders at Penninington Bay.
The surf had some good clean 'tube' waves.
Male (left) and female Australian Shelduck.
'Zorro' facing the way out at the end of the road (behind me/camera) to Red Banks.
Red Banks.
Red Banks.
A bleak sky at Kingscote.
The jetty had some colour.
Anti Slip and Mermaid's Necklace.
Some of the pole of the jetty need a little repairing.
Fur Seals near the Jetty.
Fur Seals at Kingscote Jetty.
An immature Pacific Gull.
Little Black Cormorants and Black-faced Shags.
Black-faced Shags with nice aqua-blue eyes.
Looking across Western Cove to Red Banks
'Penguin Reserve - NO ENTRY'
Could become slums in the future.
On the penguin walk at Kingscote.
These 4 Black Swans swam to a drain under the penguin walk to have a drink of fresh water and then swam back.
'The First Post Office
Commissioned in South Australia
Was Erected on This Site
in The Year 1836.'
This was at the Reeves Point historic site, Kingscote.
The Old Mulberry Tree, which was sent from England and planted by the South Australian Company in 1836.
This was at the Reeves Point historic site, Kingscote.
Hiding Shells.
These shells were in a bird-hide at Reeves Point.
I thought I might find some of my own.
Jetty remains at Reeves Point.
The colour purple. It could be one of the salt bushes.
A salt lake near Emu Bay. Not a good place to drive in.
Emu Bay.
Emu Bay.
Emu Bay.
One metre high sea-weed banks at Emu Bay.
The Echidnas down south are more straw coloured than the ones here.
This Echidna wasn't too put off by my feet and just kept on looking for some more juicy ants to eat.
A sign to warn motorist to lookout for wildlife just become another target. Someone really had it in for the joey.
Today's outing.
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It's overcast with showers when we leave the eastern part of the island and head for our next 2 nights accommodation at the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Resort on the south west corner, next to the Flinders Chase National Park.
Leaving the cabin.
Last look at the view from the resort and hoping all of that rain isn't coming our way.
Red lichen on the rocks below the park fence line.
Little stone cottage at Penneshaw.
Nepean Bay in Western Cove.
Peacocks were in the bush next to the road at Nepean Bay.
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo, a sub-species of the Western Grey Kangaroo. Appears to be darker and smaller than our Eastern Grey Kangaroo.
They had a nice collection of feral cats skins at Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery.
Old movie theater projector, old truck and Eucalypts at the distillery.
Receiving instructions on not getting too close to the sea lions at Seal Bay.
You can only go to be beach with a park ranger, at additional cost.
Accessing the beach to find some seals.
Windy, but worth it.
At first, we weren't sure if this seal was alive or dead, but as we approached, it rolled over in to another position.
It was a cold and windy day and these seals only have reasonably short fur and so feel the cold more than other species.
As you can see, it has all 4 flippers tucked under its body to try and keep a little warmer, and it was also shivering.
A young Sea Lion comes out of the surf and looks for its mother.
A young Sea Lion returning from a swim in the surf.
Cute, but have sharp teeth.
Time for rollie-pollies.
Gulls and Terns on the breeze.
Young seals in the dunes sheltering from the wind.
Young ones fighting (boys will be boys).
Tracks worn through the dune vegetation by the seals
This bull was blocking the path back to the park information centre.
These things have a large mouths full of sharp teeth so I ain't going anywhere. We were told to keep 10 meters (30 ft) away from the seals.................
..........so to get back we had to scramble between the seal and the vegetation on the left, a distance of only 2 meters (6ft).
To say I wasn't a little apprehensive would be a understatement.
The board walk is to protect the vegetation from us, and us from the seals.
I don't think there are elephants around here, so it must be the remains of a whale.
Snoring in the sand.
Correa species flowering in the dunes.
Two-thirds of the Sea Lion population is found within South Australian waters, with the main breeding colonies being on Kangaroo Island, such as this one at Seal Bay. It is estimated that only 12,000 remain in the wild today.
Yes, the wind was cold............
..............but we still enjoyed the experience.
Hang on there, Koala.
He didn't have a lot to hang on to.
This Koala was only about 6 meters (20ft) up the tree and beside the road.
The skies were still threatening at Vivonne Bay.
You may have noticed that every bay we went to had a jetty the same as this one at Vivonne Bay.
The water was certainly a nice colour when the sun came out.
Vivonne Bay was once voted 'the best beach in Australia'.
There was some shelter from the wind here.
But on the headland it was blowing a gale.
Windy at Vivonne Bay.
At last, Cape Barren Geese.
This Tammar Wallaby was just checking to make sure our room was to our satisfaction.
The lady at the park visitors centre said it wasn't much good going into the park as it was getting late (it was just on 5 o'clock) and hadn't we seen all the grey clouds and the rain.
I said that I we were only going to be here for 2 nights and as there is only 1 sunset a day and I need 2, I would still go on................
..........and aren't I glad I did as even the eastern sky was great, and it also gave me a chance to.................
...................fly like superman. The wind at the Remarkable Rocks was roaring through.
And to the west the sky was boiling.
We even had a volcano at Remarkable Rocks.
It was a pity there was no one else there to see all of this, we had the whole place to ourselves.
And the lady suggested we not go.
Remarkable Rocks.
(photo enhanced)
Remarkable Rocks.
It was cold, but what an experience.
Remarkable Rocks.
(photo enhanced)
Remarkable Rocks.
Remarkable Rocks.
Remarkable Rocks.
(photo enhanced)
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