I asked if he really needed the stick. He said ‘yes’ and pointed out that it was on sale. I said he couldn’t have it.
We then went our separate ways to look at various outdoorsy bits of ephemera – things like Thermos flasks with in-built satellite navigation, unbreakable disposable plates and twin-use signal flare/paintball guns (not safe for under 5s).
Later on we found ourselves back in front of the stick stand. I said he still couldn’t have one and that I would hold my breath, turn blue and fall down if he insisted on buying it. He promptly walked off to the checkout with it, while I duly fell down from self-induced asphyxiation. After being kicked a few times by large people carrying mounds of Occupational Health and Safety glow-in-the-dark lime-yellow camourflage clothing, self-inflating caravan park garden ornaments (I quite liked the pink flamingo model) and the campfire powered lava lamp, I decided that the tactic had not had its intended effect. I would just have to live with the fact that David had bought the stick.
Click on picture to enlarge
Time moved forward (except in Quantam Mechanics where it might proceed in a linear way, but only when you’re not looking).
This last weekend David got to finally use his stick. And he used it at every juncture possible. There are now little sticky prod holes all over the national park designating the peregrinations of our weekend stay.
We left Adelaide on Friday morning, Mini filled to the brim with useful outdoor gear, such as the tarpaulin and sand-sieve combo, and headed north, then west, then south. Just before turning west again we had a look at the Wind Farm at Wattle Point near Edithburgh.
We then travelled on to the national park at the other end of the ‘foot’ of Yorke Peninsula. After dropping all our useful gear at our primitive hut (complete with shower, hot water, gas oven, roof, fire place, in-house mosquitoes) we headed to the Cape Spencer Lighthouse where we had a glass of red and watched the sunset. In attendance was a character-ful Magpie.
The next day we set forth for a big walk from the Brown’s beach car park to Gym Beach 5km away. It’s a lovely walk taking you past huge sand dunes, scrub and clearings with indecisive emus who vacillate between coming closer to have a look or running away and they end up doing a bit of both.
When we neared the beach we were attacked by a crop duster, a la Cary Grant in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.
The beach itself was quite spectacular. After that we drove off and walked to many of the other coastal features, each one seemingly more spectacular than the last. Pondolowie Bay is just amazing with its islands, bays, huge rolling waves and boiling surf.
On the Sunday we watched the surfers at Chinaman’s and went for another walk, this time to Royston Head. We also had a look of what’s left of the wreck of the Ethel, a ship that sank in the area many a moon ago.
And the stick? It lived up to its potential and behaved in a very stick-like fashion all weekend.
Click on the pictures to enlarge them - Clickification = Amplification!
Don Quixote would have needed a longer lance to tackle these windmills
David in front of one of the windmills at Wattle Point near Edithburgh
Harvey in front of the windmills. See we were both there! Proof!
Just look at the size of the door
At Cape Spencer
The view from Cape Spencer across the bay looking towards West Cape
The character-ful magpie
David recreating that scene from Hitchcock's North by Northwest
David at Gym Beach
Harvey at Gym Beach
One small foot print for a man, one giant . . .
Still life with sand dune, Mini and dead branch
Pondolowie Bay
Roaring surf
Evening vista
The primitive hut - no ensuites
Surfer at Chinaman's
No, not Scott of the Antarctic! David at West Cape Lighthouse accompanied by light rain and occasional gale force gusts
The lighthouse with feature heli-pad. (Note to self: Suitability for installation at The Chateau?)
Harvey on the heli-pad. No lift off in sight - not in that weather
The wreck of the Ethel on Ethel Beach
Just don't do anything - it's too dangerous
Map of the area with places we visited
Here is a link you can click on which will take you to to Innes National Park website. Under the heading accommodation is a PDF you can download which lists the heritage accommodation available.
