Day 190 - Coffin Bay to Cowell

Au-revoir Coffin Bay and 263 km later, hello Cowell.  This morning we were on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula and now we are on the eastern side.

We left Coffin Bay in a miserable condition, cold and windy, and arrived in Cowell in a miserable state, colder and windier.  The sun did struggle out during the day which was a great help.

Port Lincoln is the southern most town on the Peninsula, about 45km from Coffin Bay.  It is the centre of SA's fishing industry.  The Peninsula has 2.2% of SA's population and produces over 60% of its seafood.  The grain growers produce 30% of the state's grain production.

131014 Containment pens for tuna fish farming

131014 A small part of the fishing fleet in Port Lincoln Marina

There is a high lookout behind Port Lincoln, Winters Hill Lookout, which was by no means a misnomer.  It provided tremendous views of the town and all points N, S, E and W.  It was fun trying to keep our feet while we took our pictures, so strong was the wind at the summit. 

131014 Looking NW from Winters Hill Lookout, behind Port Lincoln

131014 Port Lincoln from Winters Hill Lookout 

131014 Looking south from Winters Hill Lookout

The Peninsula's eastern coast has a number of small towns spaced every 50km or so. They are primarily fishing towns, for professional and recreational fishermen.  The first one was Temby Bay and it did provide a perfect lunch for us - hot pies, which we ate hunkered down in the car while overlooking the beach.

130914 The beach at Tumby Bay

131014 Tumby Bay and the compulsory jetty

Next town was Port Neill.  It was ever so small but it did have a long jetty.

131014 Port Neill

Arno Bay popped up next, a little larger.  It had an unusual feature, a Centenary Park.  It is used annually for athletic events.  The activities extend to the beach too and the spectators sit on the sand dunes to watch the events.  It was a well presented town.

131014 Arno Bay Centenary Park - used for annual athletic events

131014 The foreshore at Arno Bay

131014 Arno Bay Pub

We are now settled at the Cowell Caravan Park, where the wind is still giving vent to its spleen and making a decided nuisance of itself.  Well, as in previous instances, tomorrow is another day.