EDEN TO BATEMAN'S BAY

28th August, 2011
29th August, 2011

Sunday 28th August, 2011

Looking Across Twofold Bay from the Lookout

e slept late and footled around, putting WW points and mileage details into the computer until after morning tea, then we went off to drive around some lookout spots in Eden with the aid of the Tourist Information Centre and their map. There are some lovely views of the Twofold Bay foreshore and we also saw some shipping. They have a timber industry which still exports woodchips and there was quite a large freighter loading up.

hen we went down to the Port, quite busy with tourists, police, customs, fishing boats and a large contingent of Marine Rescue operatives and their vehicles and vessels. We decided to have lunch at one of the cafes at the Port, the Wharfside. Mac had a steak sandwich, Geoff had a very large Fisherman's basket and iced coffee and I had a delicious Cajun style fish with salad, light and very tasty , just what I wanted.

"Cat Balou" at Eden Wharf

e noticed that the "Cat Balou", a boat that takes whale watching cruises, was having a two hour cruise tomorrow morning at 9:30. We decided to ask if we could have another night here (and since we are the only guests I don't think that's a problem somehow!) and booked to go on the cruise. Since we are playing it by ear from now until home, it won't be a problem for us either.

fter lunch we went to Pambula, the next town (about 18 kms) to visit Graham and Maureen Roberts, ex Blaxlandites who relocated down here about 15 years ago. Pambula is a cute small town with lots of historic shops and houses. Graham has prepared a booklet on the historic buildings which is available for tourists. The Roberts have five acres which they use to grow organic veges etc, agist their daughter's horses and keep down the grass with a couple of sheep.

adly, Maureen has been diagnosed with bowel cancer with secondaries on the liver since last Christmas. She is looking rather frail and has lost a lot of weight but is trying to put it on again before an operation later this year. It was good to catch up with them and our wishes go with them for a hopeful outcome.

Came home in the kangaroo hopping twilight to reheat the remains of last night's pizza and have a quiet night.

Monday 29th August, 2011

Fishing Boats at Eden Wharf

p early, although not particularly bright this morning. After breakfast we headed down to the wharf to pick up our boat cruise. This was really great. The lower deck, inside, was filled with a coachload of geria....elderly people and we had most of the top deck to ourselves, only a young couple and one not so elderly couple from the tour.

Seals on the Rocks at Eden

e headed off into the bay with no real expectations, the operators said it was too early for whales so it was going to be a cruise around the various points of interest. Like at Lakes Entrance, the first wildlife sighting was of seals on the rocks. There were lots of them and as soon as our eyes adjusted to it we saw more (they are much the same colour as the rocks), some really big oldies. So that was good.

e headed out to their normal tourist route around the bay, until with a bang we found ourselves among two small pods of humpback whales! This was a real bonus, they don't expect whales this early generally although there had been sightings over the weekend. The skipper took us a bit further out to sea than usual so we could get a good look at the whales. Two surfaced just in front of the boat. It was the closest I have come to whales. Just great.

Panamanian Woodchip Freighter

he rest of the tour was good, showing us the woodchip depot and loading facility complete with a large Panamanian freighter. Also the Naval Dock where munitions loading was transferred from Sydney not long ago.

Historic Edron House, Eden

e passed historic Edron House, a lovely old home that the government, in its wisdom, used as a prison farm, and equally historic Boyd's Tower, built highly expensively as a lighthouse by Ben Boyd (a local pioneer)but the government refused him permission to put a light in it. So it was eventually used as a whale spotting tower to tip off the whalers that there was a whale in the offing.

Boyd's Tower, Eden

fter we returned to the wharf we bought some lunch and went off to find the tower on land. This was about 20 kms away in Ben Boyd National Park. It was very well built in Sydney sandstone, but basically a folly, really. We walked around it and down to lookouts over Red Point. The rocks really are a fierce red colour and are geologically very interesting, being all twisted up and even spiral in shape.

Red Point, near Boyd's Tower, Eden

e had a whale of a day and came back to do some shopping and return to rest. We are going out to dinner at the Lamplighter Cafe in the local Best Western Motel as the restaurant here does not open on Mondays. Tomorrow to Bateman's Bay for two nights, then one at Bowral, then home!

Later:

e had quite a good meal at the Lamplighter - Geoff had mushroom soup and entree size curried prawns, Mac had entree chicken strips and salad and entree Thai beef salad. I had filet mignon with mushroom sauce and lots of vegies. A bit overdone. I asked for medium but it was definitely well-done and a bit chewy. Good flavour though and a free mini loaf of hot bread. Good.

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