Our big drive after Tumby consisted of around 15k's where we pulled in and stopped at Lipson Cove. As we drove over the rise looking down at the camping area & bay with Tern Island in the near distance we thought this is more like our kind of place. There was ample spacious camp sites, a couple of Eco type drop toilets a lovely clean white beach and around the corner a walk track along a rough and rugged cliff facing the ocean.
A sign describing Lipson Cove and it's history greets you as you enter the camp area.
The remains of some old ruins and water well, it was approximately 2 - 3mt deep and full of old rolled up fencing wire.
The old jetty post's stand still and make for some interesting photographs, I fished the beach morning & afternoon with the only catch being two small herring [Tommy rough] I gave it another go after tea for some Shark but was driven crazy by all the sand crabs stealing the bait. It didn't matter what rig i used the crabs found the bait so i gave up and headed home to the van.
A photo of the overall camping area, we were about 1/2 way down.
Seated under the awning looking out at our view, there was a walk way down onto the beach not far away.
Now here is where we stuffed up, i had arranged to catch up with a friend who lives at Whyalla on the following Friday, Talking to one of the other campers he told us that Port Gibbon which was further down the coast was a lovely spot to stay, we decided to leave Lipson Cove and head there to spend a night or two before getting to Whyalla. Well 1st impressions usually count and we were not impressed with Port Gibbon, it was a camp area [gold coin donation] but mainly fine dust and a beach that was covered in sea weed most unattractive looking, to be fair there is a drought on and it is a 'free' camp site so what do we expect? Well had we not just left Lipson Cove then we may have thought differently about the place, it did have a dump point which i used and i donated a $2 coin for. Two converted buses, a Boroma and a new looking Bushtracker were camped there but we still decided to not bother for the night and move on elsewhere.
Our mistake because elsewhere meant nothing else did we come across on the drive towards Whyalla. We called in at Arno Bay, a lovely seaside town with a Caravan Park but we wanted a bush or coastal 'free' camp, it irks us that our van is fully self contained living and need for nothing that a van park can offer so we feel slightly robbed paying just to park the wheels so to speak.
We drove down to the township of Lucky Bay, here is where the ferry leaves for Walleroo which is on the western side of the Yorke Peninsula. We drove down to the groyne put the kettle on and settled down in our camp chairs to watch the ferry UN-load and load up the next lot of vehicles, The town site is a typical seaside / holiday shack village i wonder what they think of having their serenity changed by large ferry's 3 times a day. The SA Ferry company has some special deals on at present with 1/2 price travel on Tuesdays & Wednesdays with the cost around $150 for a one way travel for a small 4mt van & car, considerably more for a BT & Effy.
Our drive has taken us into Whyalla, where again we are camped in a Van Park, at least we are down on the foreshore and have 180 degree views of the ocean. Another morning spent re-stocking with provisions and this afternoon we will do some site seeing. Tomorrow we meet up with a mate and stay the night camped on his acre block.
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