Kangaroo Island

Taking the ferry to Kangaroo Island.  Mainland Australia on the left.

First View of Kangaroo Island

Kangaroos seeking shade on Kangaroo Island.

Australian pelicans

I walked down this road by myself for ten minutes to get to the lunch picnic.

Male koalas have Roman noses

Australian sea lions

Crested terns

View from my hotel balcony.  I think those are Norfolk Island Pines.

Today I left my suitcase at the Breakfree Hotel.  With two small bags I waited outside for my ride to the ferry.  Anxious to get going I stood outside for 15 minutes in the pre-dawn traffic.  Customers left the Pokie next door.  A street sweeper went by along with many taxi's.  A bus pulled up and 4 of us got on.  We stopped at the Adelaide Bus Terminal where the rest of the seats were filled with customers.  As we drove the 90 minute trip to the ferry the driver told us stories about Adelaide and the surrounding community.  As we left town the traffic from the suburbs was very bad.  This particular highway heading south was once part of a government plan to relieve traffic congestion.  All six lanes used to be two directional - coming into to town in the morning and leaving town in the afternoon.  What a novel idea!  I can just see how much easier our major highways would be in the morning and the afternoon if all the lanes were one way.  But the people didn't like it.  Not everyone was going into town in the morning and out of town in the afternoon so they switched it back to a two direction highway.  Once we got to the peninsula where the ferry was, we departed the bus and got on the boat.  As we pulled away from mainland Australia toward Kangaroo Island, I explored the boat.  The ride was only 30 minutes and we could see both shores at all times.  I stood near the railing next to a man who was missing a finger.  He pointed out to sea.  I got a glimpse of a whale breaching.  As I got off the boat I saw a woman holding up a sign with my name on it.  I love seeing my name on a sign like that.  I think the next time I pick up someone from the airport I will make a sign with their name on it.  My guide was Nikki and she was awesome.  When I mentioned I was a birder she got very excited.  She rearranged the day so we could see more birds.  We saw kangaroos and wallabies and koalas and monitor lizards too but to tell the truth, the 15th kangaroo of the day is just not as exciting as a "first time in my life" bird.  And it was so nice to be the only customer on a wildlife tour.  My friends were going to be jealous of me for sure.  We saw 33 species of birds on this day.  Nikki had an awesome camera and she took many shots of birds and animals.  We stopped at a beach to admire the Australian sea lions. She made tea while I walked the beach.  I enjoyed a cup of lemon tea while Nikki and I chatted with her high school teacher while her teacher's husband, a chemistry teacher, went surfing.  When you live on a small island you know everybody. The chemistry teacher wore a helmet as he surfed.  When I asked why he wore a helmet they explained there are a few rocks out there but the helmet keeps the ear canal warmer.  In this cold water, repeated exposure causes a bone to grow over the ear drum.  This teacher had just had surgery to remove the extra bone and restore his hearing.  We stopped off at a couple other great birding spots.  About 1 o'clock Nikki drove into a large private compound.  She dropped me off on the road and said she was driving on ahead to prepare lunch.  I was free to explore the area and walk down the road for about 10 minutes and I would find the picnic spot.  With just my hat and my camera I was dropped off.  I was all alone in the Australian bush.  Awesome!  What a great feeling to be all alone and unable to see any sign of civilization except for tire tracks on a dirt road.  How many people get to experience this?  I am so lucky.  I listened for sounds but didn't hear much.  The temperature was in the 90's and all wildlife was seeking shade and coolness.  I walked down the road and in ten minutes I saw our SUV and a white tent.  Under the white tent was a picnic table and a full lunch.  There is no bathroom here, no running water, only a picnic shelter and prawns, chicken, bread and butter, three kinds of salad, red wine, white wine, sodas, water, and for dessert - an apple muffin with custard and caramel sauce.  There was enough food for at least 5 people.  Nikki said the leftovers were not wasted.  What she didn't want to take home would be put in the worm compost.  Nikki put out a little bowl of water for the birds.  Eventually a group of three supreme fairy wrens came to take a bath.  After lunch Nikki and I did more birding.  She was involved in a glossy black cockatoo restoration project.  She took me to an area where volunteers had built nesting boxes.  Glossy black cockatoos are endemic to Kangaroo Island and there are only 200 left.  A population of at least 500 is needed to ensure they won't go extinct.  Lucky for me, one glossy black cockatoo was hot and she poked her head out of the nesting box.  I was pretty excited to get to see one.  About six o'clock Nikki helped me get registered at my hotel.  I was on my own for dinner.  The hotel had a restaurant but Nikki showed me another restaurant a block away where everyone in town frequents.  She also showed me a grocery store a block away and told me it would close in an hour.  After I put down my bags I headed to the grocery store.  I had tabbouleh salad, yogurt, popcorn and a Cadbury chocolate bar for dinner.  It was delicious.  I took a shower and walked around the hotel and the marina. As the sun set I wrote in my journal while sitting on a park bench.  Not only was this a great day (that totally made up for the day I spent in airports getting from Port Douglas), I didn't have to be ready in the morning until 9 o'clock in the morning.  Such luxury!