It was already starting to heat up so we decided a swim was
in order so we hit the water beside the pier in Portarlington. I was amazed
that across the bay, even though it was quite hazy in the heat, you could
clearly make out the skyscrapers of Melbourne! The water was ‘fresh’ so it
didn’t last too long so we ventured out to the pier where a tall ship was
coming alongside to take people on a sightseeing trip. After checking out what
we thought are lobster boats we headed back but after a few now obligatory
dives of the pier, one where I even managed to complete a forward flip with only
minimal leg flopping, the boys and I decided to swim the 100 or so meters back
to the shore. Mum before you get to worried it was only about 20m before I
could stand up, but it was a fun adventure all the same. After a deli style
lunch, where I agreed for some unknown reason to let everybody choose what they
wanted on their sandwich (last time that will be happening) we continued along
the coast line.
For the next 10 or 15kms houses lined the esplanade and were
an amazing mixture of old beach shacks and McMansions, with each little hamlet
having their own caravan park on the waters edge that was busting at the seams!
We eventually had to turn inland and went to Queenscliff which is a very pretty
town that has an amazing amount of history. All through town were old hotels
and mansions that must have been the playground of the rich and famous in years
past. The wind really started to pick up, nothing like we get up in Queensland,
as we climbed up a viewing platform that provided a great view of the heads for
Port Phillip Bay.
We then headed to Point Lonsdale which is the lighthouse
right heads. There was a cairn on the way up to the lighthouse which was great as it gave the boys a bit if perspective.
By now the wind was gusting up to 50 knots (that’s 90kms/hr) and
the sand and dust stung our ankles and legs and we ventured forwards.
It was
amazing to watch two shipping container vessels (I am sure there is a real word
for them but I can’t think of it) ploughing head first into the wind. The
captain really earned his bucks today!
We also found Buckley’s cave and there
was Buckley’s and none of us going down to the fore shore to hop through the
rocks! As an interesting side note have you ever tried to walk in thongs in
90km/h wind? It is quite difficult as every time your foot leaves the earth the
thong turns into a spinnaker and drags your foot with it!
As we were leaving Queenscliff we went through our first of
four major right turns, the second will be in Perth, third at Derby and fourth
in Karumba.
We followed the roads through Ocean Grove to Barwon Heads where the
plan was to put Rufus in for a dip and catch dinner. Needless to say even I had
the common sense to realise that 50 knot winds are not conducive to fishing
trips!
There were no free camps in either of the books so we just
headed out of town and found a nice secluded beach and found the area that was
as protected as possible from the wind. Surely nobody will bother us here....at
around 8:30 there was a couple of knocks from two security guards saying we
couldn’t stay there. I pleaded with them saying there wasn’t a space in any
park within 50kms so they kind of agreed saying that we had better be up and
going real early as the council buys will fine us.
I set my alarm for 5:50 and jumped into bed and that night
the van rocked like never before!!!! It was amazing and De thought it was
pretty good to. You know what they say “When the vans a rockin’g don’t come a
knockin’, I think it would be hard to be out a knockin’ that knight considering
how the wind rocked the van even with the supporting legs down!
