Friday, 2 December

At Sea from Kangaroo Island to Melbourne, Australia

This 28-day cruise is winding down to its final four days as the Westerdam reaches Melbourne tomorrow and then disembarkation in Sydney early on Tuesday. Two major itinerary changes here:  originally scheduled for only one long day in Melbourne and then another day in Phillips Island, we will now spend an overnight in Melbourne, with two full days for seeing the sights--a good change in my opinion. AND, my flight home was originally scheduled for 11:50am on 6 December--a rather short time to get from the ship to the airport even under the best of circumstances. But given the difficulties the Westerdam has had getting in and out of Sydney on time (see earlier blog entries), I changed my flight to the following day and will spend one additional night in Sydney, returning home on 7 December.

But before all these changes go into effect, I still have lots more to blog about, including the upcoming two days in Melbourne, and the very long shore excursion yesterday on Kangaroo Island, to which I shall bring you now.

Thursday, 1 December

Kangaroo Island, Australia

Kangaroo Island is the third largest of all Australian islands: Tasmania is the largest and Melville in the Northern Territory is the second largest. Kangaroo Island is also the first place Europeans set foot on in their exploration of this continent.

I have signed on for a full-day shore excursion that begins at 7:30 this morning--and doesn't return to the ship until almost 5:00pm. We tender in from the ship--which is anchored in "Backstairs Passage," the narrow body of water separating the island from mainland South Australia--over the short distance to Penneshaw, a small town at the north-eastern end of the island, where our bus driver (also our guide) awaits us. As he drives southwest to the first scenic viewpoint, he points out the highlights of Penneshaw:  its old one-room school, its ancient post office and church, and all the sport facilities required in any Australian town, no matter how small.

The first stop is an overlook at Pennington Bay on the south coast. If you look out toward the horizon the only place you might expect to see is Antarctica, still too far away. But the views are pretty good anyway.

"Emu Ridge" is the second stop. A combination emu ranch-eucalyptus grove-tourist trap shop-cafe, Emu Ridge allows us a close-up view of a red kangaroo, native to the island. These animals are smaller than their mainland cousins and because they have no natural predators here are quite comfortable around humans. This guy below even likes to be petted:

This, of Course, Is an Emu

This long and winding road leads to "Remarkable Rocks" on the south coast. These strange forms burst upward through the magma of volcanic rocks several million years ago.

As a special bonus we get to see an adult female kangaroo watch us as we take her photo.

The final stop before lunch is at the very southwest corner of the island, Cape du Couedic, where a long series of wooden ramps leads down to a close-up view of the waves at Admiral's Arch. I make it to the first viewing platform but decide the slippery surface without handrails is a little too risky for me. But as the photos show, the views are pretty remarkable even from my vantage point.

Our lunch boxes were picked up back at "Emu Ridge" and we stop at a roadside caravan camp--trailer camp, to us Americans--to enjoy either ham-and-cheese or chicken wrap; both come with a very large and very tasty chocolate chip muffin. Lunch is served in a simple dining hall, with a very Australia Covid sign:

After lunch we catch a glimpse of a couple of cute Koalas sleeping in the trees. Our guide tells us that like the Kangaroos, the Koalas have no predators on the island, and no other animals will eat the plants Koalas eat, so they have no problem finding enough food. Of course, he adds, they have tiny brains in their large padded heads. This is helpful because they often fall out of the trees when they are sleeping. Because their brains are surrounded by so much padding they hardly ever suffer a brain injury or death.

The day is getting late and we still have one more stop to make before making it to Penneshaw by 4:30 to catch the last tender back to the Westerdam. But Seal Bay Conservation Park is too important to miss. 

Like at Cape du Couedic to the west, visitors must walk down a long series of ramps in order to reach the beach where male sea lions rest after three continuous days of hunting in the water, and female sea lions spend their time raising cubs and teaching them how to swim and hunt. Again, I opt for a viewing platform about half way down, rather than venturing a long series of steps and a walk on the wet beach, trying not to disturb the animals.

What at first looks like a beach full of stranded, dead seals, is actually a comfortable and protected place to sleep.

We board the coach for the 45-minute drive back to Penneshaw. But since it is now 4pm and we need to be back by 4:30 our mild-mannered and affable driver-guide revs up the speed over rather not very well-paved roads and does get us back in time to reach the Westerdam before sailing time. Of course, she wouldn't depart with a whole bus-load of passengers on the island; but this makes for more dramatic reading.