Kangaroo Island Ride

Sunrise - Kingscote

"Life is a journey, not a destination". Everyone knows this cliche right?  Because it is so true we try and abide by the sentiment and balance some time amongst our work, family, long and medium goals to smell the roses along the way. Sometimes however, life has a way of taking the statement and slapping you in the face with it!

In my case it was my trip to Kangaroo Island, 160km's south of Adelaide and at the foot of the Fleurieu Peninsular. The Island itself, at 150km x 60kms is the third largest island in Australia behind Tasmania and Melville Island off Darwin in the North. With my bike being stored in Adelaide and the opportunity to attend a work conference I stayed for the weekend and planned my trip to the Island famous for its New Zealand Fur Seals and Australian Sea lions, the Admirals Arch and Remarkables rock formation, a smaller scale version of Ullaru.

With my work commitments completed I headed off expecting a leisurely jaunt south. What I got was so much more. Adelaide is surrounded by hills and the road quickly left the suburbs behind and gently undulated through grazing land leading toward the coast. The roads are wide and smooth and the the bends sweeping with the hills gently giving a glimpse of ocean before angling back into  the valley's only to reappear closer to the deep blue ocean.  I marvel at Australian town names and its so cool to travel through towns such as Myponga and Yankallila! Before you reach the coast the trip has another little surprise in the form of Mclaren Vale, a town renowned for its world class wine.

Meandering through the hills

Myponga Reserve Wall

After Mclaren Vale the road leads back to the coast and hugs the coast, escorted in with pine trees lining the sandy shore on one side and the hilly, grazing land on the other through to Point Jervis and the jump off point  to Kangaroo Island. After checking in I had some time to appreciate how nice the trip had been and was still buzzing at its beauty. Whilst checking in I was greeted (again) by super friendly staff who had been admiring my bike and commenting on the QLD numbefr plates produced more maps and tips of magestic rides in the area. Sitting down pouring over them a biker on the next table sat down and reitterated what I had just been told and my natural enthusiasm went into overdrive as Ray, a retired 70yr old local showed me his favourite rides around the whole peninsular. Suddenly I couldnt wait to get back and continue exploring! 

At the ferry

Soon enough the Ferry arrived and a easy passage was made on a glassy ocean basking in the fading sun. The ride from Penneshaw, the ferry,s landing spot to Kingscote where I was staying is around 60km in length and as the sun set over the water (unusual for us East coasters) I didnt have time to check for the green flash as the sun touches the horizon for I was was on high Kangaroo allert. Like most animals their favourite time to graze is sunrise and sunset and knowing their unpredictability I certainly didnt want this adventure to be ended prematurely by a twitchy kangaroo.

Saturday morning broke calm and clear. Looking out my window at first I thought I was seeing the reflection of the radiator burning in my room, but my heart leapt when I saw it was the clouds over the wharf not my heater creating the spectacle outside! In a flash I was chrging across the road to the park to witness a most beautiful sunrise. The local seals seemed to be more intigued by me and leisurly swam around my vantage point even lifting themselves out of the water to get a better look. The look was completed by a cocking of the neck accetuating their large brown eyes and thick whiskers.
Keen to make the most of the day I braved the morning chill for breakfast at Pardana, the settlement in the centre of the island. Typical of this places not much was open and the local pub everyone recommended was not open but looked like a spot much more suited to a couter lunch or dinner so I filled up with a big serve of bacon and eggs at the bakery just down the road.
I had left early as I was keen to get to the commercial sites before the tourist buss's arrived and so by 10 I was at the Flinders Chase National Park. Home to the Admirals Arch and Remarkable Rocks. After paying my entrance fee I left taking on several Cape Barren Goose birds making me think of my own Cape Barren Goose "Wild Goose" swinging happily on her mooring back in QLD.

Cape Barren Goose

The 15km ride to Admirals Arch was windy and fun and before I new it the closed in brush made way for a windy and exposed cliff face with its small hardened scrubs and rocky outcrops being hammered by the powerful swell rolling in from the southern ocean. As if by design, areas of smooth rock paved its way up from the depths making an ideal landing point for the seals littering the foreshore. Also adorning the point was an obligotary lighthouse now fully automated behind the timeless structure

Arriving at Penneshaw

Cape Du Coedic

Admirals Arch

Leaving Admiral Arch I headed down the road to the Remarkables, a unique rock structure formed by molten rock slowly cooling under pressure to leave hard granite that over millions of years surfaced to form these maginificent structures. This was the same process in forming as Ularoo, and although no where near as large remains an interesting and bold structure. The rocks themselves are topped off with a covering of Lichen which give a red tinge like a natural color co ordinator finishing off a ornamental feature!
In trying to get involved in some photography here I came unstuck when my new camera and stand were picked up by a large puff of wind and smashed it against the rocks!

Road leading out to the Remarkables

The Remarkables

My next stop was appropriately named Seal Bay and it was fun to watch these curious animals surf in the clear ocean, rest on the beach and follow playful cubs wrestling on the beach.

I returned early enough to miss the sunset animal peak hour and settled into an early nights sleep after pizza. As a gale blew up with rain squalls blown in by the ferocious wind I rested in peaceful ignorance!

There was no doubt about my clothing for the sunday ride back to the ferry. Everything warm I had under my wet weather gear! I was pleased to be sitting on a 350kg bike and not on a sporty featherweight as the strong gusts of wind buffetted through the trees lining the path back.

Having seen Kingscote I was keen to explore Penneshaw so I thought I would breakfast there. Unfortunately, nothing was open and I was only saved by the friendly lady at the bottleshop who moved some chairs and a table inside and kindly allowed me to eat my pie and drink in the shelter of the bottle shop! Hardly a classy act but I was hungry enough not to care.

My ferry ride back was the opposite of the one over not just in direction. Sitting waiting to enter the ferry I was covered not only in rain but spray from the waves breaking on the rockwall giving some respite for the ferry. Having secured the bike in the hold and taking my seat upstairs we headed off and as the catamaran ferry punched its way into the considerable swell that had developed it wasnt long before most of the passengers were reaching for the sick bags provided. 

Conditions on the mainland were no better and as I wound my way back I found some sadistic pleasure in the wind and fog and rain, simply enjoying the fact I was on an adventure and had been lucky enough to witness so many great and beautiful things over the past weekend. I decided to put the suggested routes on hold for a better day head straight back to Adelaide, a warm shower and a plane home where the sun shines and it is considerably warmer!

Meandering through the hills