Fitzgerald Bay and Point Lowly Oct 2010

  After a few lovely days at Port Broughton catching up with our friends, Nicky and Bob we headed north and west .

 In the "bible" Fitzgerald Bay looked a good sheltered spot at the top of Spencer's Gulf, however when we arrived it was quite windy without much shelter and the wind kept shifting so it was very difficult to set up camp with a sheltered side so we could sit outside.  It also wasn't very warm as the wind had a real bite to it.

Story board at Fitzgerald Bay

 Fitzgerald Bay was also the first place we ran into the masses of flies that were around. I  went for an early morning walk along the beach as far as the shacks at Fitzgerald Bay but it wasn't very pleasant because of the flies.
 We stayed overnight but by mid morning as the flies and the wind weren't abating Lynn decided that we should perhaps move to Point Lowly/ Port Bonython.
  The move was only about 8klm back down the sealed road and past the Santos Gas Plant . At the free camp we found several other rigs camped in various places , but we decided to camp on the flat to the left of the bay and in the shelter of a large 2 storey house.

 Again the wind and the flies were a problem but at least we now had an outdoors sheltered area . To rectify the fly problem when we went into Whyalla the next day I bought 2 fly nets to make things more comfortable.

 On the way to Fitzgerald bay at the top of the hill there is a good view of the bay and we saw an aquaculture farm with several pens set up . We had  also come past a Cleanseas Tuna  factory which is just on the Point Lowly side of the gas plant. So when the work boats appeared in the bay at Point Lowly we were not surprised.

Santos gas plant in the background

Most days there was activity of some kind either the small work boats going out and coming back in to tie up for the night or the bigger boats coming in to pick up fish food and drop off the harvest. The bigger boats had hiabs on the front of them for loading gear which was taken off the lorry with a large crane .

Point Lowly Lighthouse

 busy loading the boat

 heading back out

 The area around Point Lowly is noted for its fishing and several of the campers were there for the snapper  which in this area are quite a size. However the snapper season finished just after we arrived there .

 The waters near the gas plant are protected as there is a major giant cuttlefish breeding area there. 

 We had quite a good time there with great company but the weather didn't improve much and was mostly cold and windy. We also had some big thunderstorms with quite a bit of rain.