Vivonne Bay, Emu Bay & Penneshaw

Vivonne Bay

Only thirty-five minutes drive from Western KI Caravan Park brings us to Vivonne Bay and the mouth of the Harriet River on the mid south coast. Along the way we slowed for a koala leisurely crossing the road, and upon sounding the horn to get this little critter to hurry out of harms way, the response was a hiss, and we are sure that this fluffy marsupial gave us the finger as we passed by.

Vivonne Bay has a self-registration camping area with powered ($25) and unpowered ($15) sites, solar powered hot water showers, camp kitchen with barbeque, wash-up sink and eco toilets. Matilda’s solar powered batteries and on-board water supply allows us to comfortably set up on a unpowered site. Initially the Harriet River gives up undersized bream, so we head off to the local jetty. Nothing at all biting at his spot, but a later attempt in the river provides one legal-sized bream taking chicken as bait.

Stokes Bay

Next day we take a mid-island tour to our next destination, Emu Bay, via Kingscote for supplies, and the recommended-to-us Stokes Bay. The road to Stokes Bay is unsealed, but the very well behaved home-on-wheels behind us is unaffected by the bumpy ride. Although the Stokes Bay outlook is quite attractive, it is a rocky shore that appears to be difficult to fish from, and the camping ground is dry and uninviting. We continue on to Parndana in the centre of the island, stopping there for coffee provided by the very friendly owners of the local IGA and bakery.

 

Emu Bay

Emu Bay camping area provides unpowered sites only, although the self-registration charges list powered and unpowered site prices (same as Vivonne Bay). Toilet facilities are in the park opposite.

Bet goes fishing from the local jetty, and encounters grand-parents and dad with a four year old boy who has just caught his first fish, a tommy ruff. An unknown species of striped fish is caught by Bet, but being an unidentified variety, it is released. In the meantime, Ken prepares roast chicken and roast vegetables in the Weber Baby Q.

We return to the exact same site at the KI Shores caravan park in Penneshaw for an overnight stay to ensure that we won’t be late for check-in at the ferry terminal next morning. Left-over roast chicken from the night before provides a scrumptious filling for lunch sandwiches. Back to Christmas Cove for more fishing, Bet manages to land small whiting, bream, parrot fish, tommy ruff, and zebra fish. The trevally, bream, tommy ruff and zebra fish are keepers, and become the basis for dinner. (With the help of another fisherman and a fish identification book, the zebra fish is the identity of the previous unidentified fish caught at Emu Bay).

That’s it. Time for a bourbon.