Fri, 11th Mar, 2016 Vivonne Bay, Kangaroo Island, SA (Seal Bay’s sea-lions)

20 degrees with heavy mist again. Quite wet overnight looking at the ground.

Our fridge had gone out in the early morning so I kicked the gasfitter out of bed to see what the problem was as it wouldn’t relight. He cleaned the jet – must have glugged up with the dust and very humid area here. Then Leanne called out that her fridge had stopped too. So off he went – what’s the call-out rate at the moment!! He had trouble getting it out but got it working again but her’s had gotten a lot hotter so now the worry about what food was ok.

Put the genie on as we are getting no solar power at the moment. I continued with my blog and checked the V8 Supercar website to see what was said about the wet Sunday race. I think it was confusing because Race Control didn’t make an announcement to everyone about starting the race and confirming that if it doesn’t go to full race length, as they knew more rain was coming, the fuel amount still need to be put into the cars – which is what everyone was arguing about and some teams got caught out by. Anyway they will now amend the rules now they have experienced the situation. It was just a shame it happened right at the start.

Had some lunch hoping the mist will lift. Headed off towards Seal Bay – still misty.

Then out onto the main road the sun comes out.

Turned off for the 10km drive down to Seal Bay. Looks like we are heading back into the mist.

Info boards as we walk up to the centre. Paid our money – got discount for our National Seniors cards. Boys are only doing the boardwalk while Leanne and I are going to do the beach tour too. There are about 1000 Australian Sea-lions in this colony. Sea-lions usually spend three days at sea hunting and feeding without sleeping and three days on shore at Seal Bay resting and renewing energy levels, ready for their next hunting trip. From 1803 until 1836 sealers almost hunted the Australian Sea-lions to extinction. Today they are one of the rarest seal species, with a total population of about 14,730 animals. Approximately 85% live around the South Australian coast and 15% around the south-western coastline of Western Australia. Sea-lions hunt alone, diving 900-1200 times during their three days at sea. Bulls have been recorded diving up to 275 metres and staying underwater for approximately 12 minutes. Females usually dive to around 80 metres and remain underwater for 4 to 5 minutes. Sea-lions have an amazing agility and speed, useful not only for chasing their prey, but also escaping their main predators – large sharks. The mating and pupping seasons occur simultaneously over about a 6 month period. Females mate 7 to 10 days after their pup is born. The bulls are aggressive throughout the breeding season, fighting for dominance and the opportunity to mate. Sometimes the pup is killed while the bull is mating with its mother. The sea-lions pups are born every 17-18 months and are generally suckled until shortly before the birth of the next pup.

The mist is low on the hilltop but clearer down at the beach.

Zoomed in the sea-lions as we headed down the boardwalk – there were some surfing the waves too.

Lots of information plaques along the long boardwalk.

Looking across to the other boardwalk that will take us down to the beach for a 45 min tour.

A juvenile Humpback Whale died about 6km up the beach. They brought the bones back here as a display.

The boardwalk view is great – there are heaps of sea-lions to watch, lazing, sunning themselves and surfing the waves. Took heaps of videos too.

Looks like the sea-lions climb up there and slide down the sand dunes.

Bubby having a drink from mum with dad lounging beside them.

A pup was making its way down to the beach under the boardwalk so got a close up look.

 He tried to get a drink from that mother but she and the pup barked at him so he headed for the water. Obviously his mother is away on her feeding trip for 3 days. He got to the water’s edge and flopped down.

The other pup promptly went back to suckling while mum had a scratch.

Nearly time for our tour so we headed back up the long boardwalk to the info centre. Lots to look at in here too.

On a table they had lots of items to touch. The long-nosed fur seal (NZ fur seal) pup’s pelt was so soft compared to the sea-lion.

The adult female has some long toe nails.

Headed down the other boardwalk with our guide. The mist is lifting.

The sea lions climb up the sand dunes and rest beside or under the shrubbery to warm them up as they get very cold in the ocean. Looks like penguin and mutton bird country. The guide said as it was a colder morning they were slow making their way down to the beach this morning. Sometimes in winter the tours can’t get down to the beach as the sea-lions are all over the path warming themselves.

The markings left as they climb up the dunes.

Lots to watch as they moved around.

Another little fellow waiting for his mum. He looks so sad.

This mum has been out teaching her pup how to fish. She is pregnant with her next pup.

We had to move along the beach to give them room. Bub had to stop for a drink on the way up the beach and over the sand dunes.

Nobby Island covered by the mist.

Zoomed in on Rick and Steve on the other boardwalk.

Watch out for sea-lion poo – very smelly. The guide said the silver gulls love it when it is fresh – fish tartar.

Me and the sea-lions.

They are so great to watch.

A couple of teenagers having a wrestle.

As we headed back up onto the boardwalk – spotted mum and bub warming themselves up. I was surprised how quickly they move on the sand.

Back in the 50s a chap who was passionate about the sea-lions was bringing tourists over the bumpy roads in his jeep to see them. He would get in the water and swim with them while the tourists took photos. He would get very upset when he found fisherman killing them to use as bait so he petitioned the government to get the area made into a sanctuary. The National Park tours have been running here for the last 30 years. Looking across to the other boardwalk and above that the walk to the lookout.

Met up with the boys and walked up to the lookout. The fog hasn’t lifted high enough to expose Nobby Island at all this afternoon.

Looking down the other side – the exclusive club or is it the nuddy beach!! Could write and interesting caption to these photos!!

What a great experience and we pretty well got what the sign said we would.

Drove down to Bales Beach for a cuppa. A couple of Rosenberg Goannas were trotting along the road.

The carpark was well back from the beach so just Rick and I walked down for a look. We are on the western side of the Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area.

Shipwreck sign about the You Yangs which was wrecked near here but all the crew survived.

Headed back and spotted another goanna. Great entrance to Raptor Domain. So sunny here.

Next stop was Little Sahara – wow they got the name right.

Signed an insurance form at the office then headed across the sand. Didn’t bother with a toboggan – will just watch the others.

Up and over the first hill then across to the main dune.

The kids were having fun just crawling and rolling down the dune.

The boys raced up the dune – yeah Steve wins. He won the sand dune race on Great Keppel Island on our honeymoon.

I climbed up then waited for Leanne – not too keen on heights but she made it up.

The dunes keep going – the sea fog is still hanging in the distance.

Great views.

The boys headed along the top of the dune.

A toboggan slide.

Rick headed straight down.

At the highest point looked across the dunes then zoomed in.

Walked down to the saddle for the easiest way down. Looking back across the dune.

Steve headed down – Leanne wasn’t too sure. I went down in Steve’s footprints on an angle then Leanne followed.

That warmed us up after being cool in the misty ocean fog. Love the ripple effect on the sand. Some roos have been here too.

Back along the highway and back into the fog and coolness again at Vivonne Bay.

Turned off before the river and went down to the beach through lots of holiday houses. Some surfers were having fun.

Found some roos on the way back to the van.

Eagle head at the 4 wheel adventure office.

Had a drink then Leanne put a potato bake in the oven and I did a sweet potato gratin and some corn on the cob. The boys cooked the pork chops on the electric BBQs in the camp kitchen – first and last time Steve said!!

Very tasty dinner.

The mist is rolling in again and feels cold and wet. Headed back into our vans which we had closed up, 24 degrees. I worked on my blog (of course) and Steve found another movie on the hard drive.