DAY 41: Day off in Venus Bay

Thurs 15th Nov 07
Hot and sunny, SE breeze

pic on right = praying mantis some 70mm long

Nice to be able to have a lie-in this morning and not have to pack up. In the morning I revisited the Rohloff and dismantled the inner cables to try and get the ‘missing’ 2 gears. I appear to have only 1 missing as a result, so really need to find out exactly how to set the inner hub up - I couldn’t check e-mails today to see if Andy from Thorn had got back to me about this. While I was at it I swopped the rear and front tyres to even out the wear after 3000km+.

Spent some time on the sun tan lying on the beach (around 30 degC); watching with binoculars a school of dolphins moving around offshore; watching the odd antics of some of the 100 or so pelicans hanging around the beach, and reading the local paper over coffee and cakes.

After speaking to a few people I think i will take the ferry from Lucky Bay to Wallaroo in a few days time to avoid what appears to be a somewhat unrewarding ride up to Port Augusta and back down to Adelaide. The ferry will keep me ‘on the outside’ and drop me off at the start of the Yorke Peninsular which is supposed to be much more attractive. After a few days there I will then go to Adelaide, where I hope to be able to stay with a WarmShowers host all being well.

I have really enjoyed my stay in Venus Bay and thoroughly recommend it as a place of peace and tranquility. Elliston tomorrow, then it’s a long haul to Coffin bay which might take me w days depending on wind direction. I’ve been told that coffin bay is even more beautiful than Venus Bay so I’m looking forward to seeing it.