Kangaroo Island part 1 of Day 2

Well I woke at a sparrows fart 5am. Slipped out onto the balcony and watched the sun try to come out from behind the clouds but it just didnt happen. It was icy cold ( remember next stop from here is the antarctic) and windy. I made myself a hot cup of tea and had a shower. I patiently awaited for the restaurant to open at 7am and then made my way down. I felt starved and was going to get bacon and eggs with mushrrom and fried tomato yummm. I was greeted by the new brekfast cook (it was her first day) she was a lovely old soul and cooked a mean breakfast. It was nice and hot and sooooooo filling. Once that was over I sought our the owner and recovered half of my accomodation costs...I would have moved but there were no vacancies nearby on my ferry over there were a load of german,dutch,spanish and asian tourists, they were fun to chat with and we kept meeting up all over the place.
Anyway all the nasty side of the motel business taken care of I set off for my exploration.
First stop seal bay at Flinders Chase. WOW so many dead roo's along the side of the road.
Arriving at seal bay I had the option of two boardwalks to take, one was guided and oh so steep but it had the bonis of getting up close and personal with the sea lions. I chose the other, I could wander along the boardwalk that had a gentle decline and take my time.
The easy walk that I chose of course.


The Other boardwalk

Having chose the easy way I thought that I may not see any seals but to my surprise I got to see more than the other group even though they were able to get on the actual beach with them.
On the way I found a whale skeleton from a baby male humpback


I hadnt seen any seals at this point until a young boy about 9 pointed out that there was one layuing right near the skeleton. Did I feel old and blind LOL
I stood watching her for a while and then slowly moved on. Once one was spotted the rest became very easy the whole area was dotted with them but the one I loved the most was the seal pup in the next pics.
Just to beautiful for words.

The eyes were amazing and I tried to snap them while open but she was just too tired.


I took so many pics and when I looked I had more seals near me than the other boardwalk so I was happy on my choice of direction.

Sadly time to leave them sleeping and in peace. The tourist bus was just pulling in and I wanted to stay one step ahead of the crowd.

Still no live roo's to be seen. Back into my car and off I went heading for Remarkable Rocks. And they were truly remarkable.. My pictures dont do them justice. each rock is balancing on only two small legs.
Remarkable Rocks are a collection of rocks weathered by the sea which form fantastic and unusual shapes. One being a lions head from the right angle and another an eagles beak.
My favorite is the next pic. the rocks just look so sad.

It was here I met a lovely couple over from a place called Woolongong in New South Wales. They were driving an ivory 1951 Morris Minor with a 30 litre fuel tank so they were on the constant lookout for petrol or gas as some of you call it. We ended up unofficially travelling together and sat a spell at Admirals Arch to just chat about how devastating the 2007 fires on Kangaroo Island were. They lost 95,000 hectares of land in the fires that burned almost a month. 5 small fires started by lightening strikes I believe all met up to become one. Firemen lost lives, the Island lost live stock and plants.
As far as your eyes can see it is burned, with very little new growth and just a bunch of blackened dead trees standing in most areas.

Note the green patch in the middle the fires decided to just burn around and not through. The whole area was burned as far as your eyes could see and further. Both sides of the road.


I suggested this may have been the reason I had not seen any live Roo's but they assured me they had seen plenty. grrr
Anyway Off I went to Admirals Arch, a lot of fur seals here but when I look at my pics you cannot tell which is seal and which is rock. The rain started in heavy here so I skipped the Arch and went up to the light house that was closed to public. But I recalled seeing a storehouse just before so I drove back there and turned onto a dirt road. I was the only person here and everyone was avoiding it because it was a dirt road. This was the storehouse for the lighthouse and other families in the area back in 1907. The steep cliff didnt allow for climbing so the built a fox to drag supplies up from the small wooden jetty that still exists in its original form however unsafe to use. Not that I would want to. Everything was heaved up the 90 metre cliff face even people.