To Penguin

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Wed 20 Jan 2016 22:57
To Penguin on the North Coast
 
 
 
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Overnight the bushfire smoke cleared and we got up to a bright morning. The plan – to drive up to Beauty Point to do touristy things, then on to Penguin to free camp overnight.
 
 
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When we arrived here yesterday the couple next door looked as if they were in an ordinary trailer tent, we assumed they had a car parked the other side. We got up this morning to see them all packed up and all their stuff fitted into two trailers behind their motorbikes. IPhones loaded onto front racks, communication wires plugged in and off they went. Deep respect..........
 
 
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Out on the West Tamar Highway we see a sign to Grindelwald, said in a higher pitched voice. We pass pretty little chalet houses and then a windmill, said almost in a shrill voice. On we went beside the docks, marinas and out into the country.
 
 
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Today we would fit in a stop at the Tamar Lookout, Batman Bridge, Beaconsfield Memorial Park, Beaconsfield Gold Mine, Platypus House, Seahorse World and a bimble to see the nests of the little penguins at our campsite.
 
 
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 Fun to see Exeter and Devonport on the sign. We entered the cherry growing region of Latrobe and saw massive cherries used to advertise the fact.
 
 
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Exeter High Street complete with Animal Hospital and a Chainsaw shop.
 
 
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All Saints Church Exeter.
 
 
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We took a side road after we had been over Batman Bridge and back to get a picture from down the river, here we saw a lighthouse.
 
 
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Next to the lighthouse was the Auld Kirk, Sidmouth. The auld kirk is a well known historic Presbyterian landmark in the Tamar Valley. Building was commenced early in 1843. Built in freestone by convict and free labour.
 
 
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We could be at our River Tamar in Devon,England.
 
 
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Next significant reminder of home was as we approached Devonport.
 
 
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As we crossed the river we could see the Spirit of Tasmania docked, she is the ferry service to the mainland.
 
 
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Back on the main road we saw our first sign to Penguin.
 
 
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Soon we were crossing the goods rail line and there we were at our camp.
 
 
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The view from Mabel, tide out, time for a game or two before the penguins come home. No sooner than the engine was off various campers came over for a chat and told us where to look for the penguins and to use a torch with a yellow tee-shirt over it.
 
 
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Mabel parked happily in the bushes.
 
 
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Bear did some seagull whispering, I made some carbonara and the tide came in. Beyond the bushes our neighbours, a potential ‘one careful owner’, with owners – if we ever have a people category.
 
 
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Before dusk the bushfire smoke came over us thick and fast giving everything a grey pink tinge. Very soon we smelt like we had been tending a bonfire but off we went to explore.
 
 
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This fine looking beast parked away to our left was so comfortable to its users that they bought it in England and had it shipped over.
 
 
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We learned more about the geology of the area.
 
 
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Hall Point, our camp is an important area, when we awoke the following morning we found the rules and regulations under our windscreen wiper as the warden had paid a visit to strictly uphold the forty eight hour rule. Next to the Hall Point sign was a bird information board.
 
 
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Things became pinker as we walked left from Mabel, turned right down a little track to get to the Point.
 
 
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Some fairy penguins, now known as little penguins come ashore in front of Mabel, many more come in here and build their nests beyond the rocks and through the track that we had just walked. A local told us to “simply look for the white paint.”
 
 
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Tell-tale white paint, also known as poop and a ‘des res’.
 
 
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We still had an hour before dark so I had time to engage in a bit of wave watching.
 
 
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We bimbled back to Mabel and took a cappuccino to watch events. Loads of people arrived from various camps and motels. A lady appeared with a million candela torch with just the vaguest yellow tinge that did nothing to blunt the floodlight effect or dazzle, we lost our night vision and clambered into bed. It was my wish to hear the little troopers not so much as see them. At three in the morning I woke Bear, I had been muffling my giggles quite successfully but a full blown laugh escaped. One of our little friends disturbed another – under or very near Mabel, the kafuffle it set off was so comical. We both sat up laughing. The argument went on and by the time they settled it was nearly half four and time for all the chaps to back out to sea. What fun.
 
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL A VERY BUSY DAY AND A FUN SKIP THROUGH THE COUNTIES
                     A GOOD JOURNEY IN CLEARER SKIES