Exploring Kingscote and the North East Coast.......

The next morning we decided that as we were going to be leaving Kingscote the next day we had better have a look and 'see the sights'.  

Our first stop was coffee at Chocol'Art.  This is a small gallery run by a local photographer and as Bill had the camera with him they got talking.  Bill asked for suggestions of best bird picture opportunities and Pete very kindly shared some of his spots with him.  

Our first stop was to the Jetty and while Bill was playing with the many Terns, Pacific Gulls and Cormorants I wandered over to the rock wall to see a group of seals just rolling around in the shallows.  

Just below me on the rocks three of them were sleeping in the sun without a care in the world.  This fellow looked like he was settled in for the day.

Bill joined me then took some pictures and just as we we leaving another one came in just in front of the car and hopped up onto the concrete wall.  Obviously we didn't leave quite so soon. 

Another little snippet here was we kept seeing signs about Little Penguin tours but on approaching the office I found a sign on the door stating that the tours had been cancelled due to the Seals eating the Penguins!  Nothing like softening the blow eh! So while we tourists loved the photo ops the seals gave us the Little Penguins had suffered with their arrival.

From here we followed the directions given to us by Pete and soon we were driving along a track right beside the Bay of Shoals.  We were hoping to see the Osprey that he said could be found there most days.  We saw the huge nest as we approached the end of the road but no birds in sight.  

Just as we got out of the car to walk a little further, four of the most magnificent birds flew over the cliff beside us and just soared above for about 20 mins.  It was such a privilege to be just standing there watching them.  Of course Bills trigger finger was going a hundred miles a min and he had many shots to choose from.  Finally they turned and flew back over the hill and we too turned the car around and continued our look around Kingscote.  

We took a look at Reeves Point the sight of the first official European settlement in South Australia and it was here we found the 'old mulberry tree' said to have grown from a cutting one of those first settlers brought with them.  Still alive, it is now held up by wire supports, but nearby are other trees planted from cuttings from the original one so its descendants will continue to live on.  Here we found relics of the old jetty, first well, the quarry site, landing site, German row and old Post Office!  The flag flys proudly at the top most part of the hill!

We ate our lunch in Memorial Park looking out over Nepean Bay and Kingscote Beach.  A little further along the road was the John Downing Reserve and it was here that the town baths were.  

This is a sea pool and later that evening as we were on our way home we found a seal there just settling in for a grooming session on the pool edge.

After lunch we called into the Island Beehive to learn about and taste the famous Kangaroo Island Honey.   The island is a bee sanctuary for the Ligurian Bee and has strict quarantine measures to keep the bee population pure.  Here you can watch the bees at work in a glass hive and of course buy any of the many different flavours and types of honey products available.  Sadly many tacky souvenirs as well!  

Our next stop was to the Island Pure Sheep Dairy.  Having tried sheep cheese before in WA we were looking forward to tasting some more.  A very muddy drive to get there and once there it was a little underwhelming.  If you didn't want to pay to take the tour, or pay to do the tasting then it seemed like they weren't that interested.  We did leave with one cheese, still to be sampled at the time of writing this, and a sheeps milk yoghurt with Ligurian Bee Honey.  It was delicious and I would loved to have gone back if they had been friendlier.  If only they sold it in Melbourne!

From here we drove a little further afield to the Stokes Bay on the north coast where we found a tiny little fishing village and a sign pointing through the rocks to the Secret Beach.  

From this little bay you can walk through this narrow pathway in the rocks and come out to another tiny little bay.  We did walk through but could not get out the other side as the tide was coming in fast but I did manage to just get a glimpse of the secret beach before we turned and hi tailed it back to dry land.

We drove back along the North Coast Rd to Emu Bay, apparently the only beach on Kangaroo Island where you can drive right onto the beach.  We parked at the jetty and had fun with the many Terns that were lined up on the railings.

We drove back into Kingscote to shop for the next few days.  We visited the supermarket, the local butcher and the local fishmonger before going back home for some R and R before dinner.  As it would be our last night in civilisation, so to speak, we were going back into town to have dinner at the Queenscliffe Family Hotel.  This lovely old limestone building dates back to 1884 is still catering to the hungry people of Kangaroo Island.  

The next morning we were up bright and early and soon after were packed up for our move to American River.  We had enjoyed our few days here and while the park had been adequate it had not had that 'special' quality we have found in many other places.  At least it had been quiet and we never had to wait for the bathrooms - the Ladies was Pink!

We popped into Kingscote for a coffee and then turned the car around to drive back to find a new home at the American River campground.  

This is a council run camp right beside the water.  They have powered sites for $25 per night, complete with hot showers, flushing toilets and an amazing camp kitchen with a huge gas bar-b-que.  We were in heaven!

And so while we get settled here I'll leave you until next time ..........