At 6.45 am, we heard the other campervan start up and drive off (perhaps to avoid the park ranger?). We all then separately confessed that we had envisaged in our mind some horror story as to why the campervan had appeared to have been "abandoned". In fact the guy had probably gone to sleep very early!.
We took a lead from him, and feeling slightly guilty left the park at 7.30 am - well before any park ranger!.
First stop was Smokey Cove Lighthouse - 2 minutes down the road (the area was named by Captain Cook in 1770 as it was thick with smoke due to Aboriginal burning). The sea was completely calm, and there was no wind, and the sun was out. This meant that we could comfortably be in T-Shirts. From the lighthouse we could see migrating humpback whales - this time much closer to the shore than at Byron Bay.
We then had a picnic breakfast by the lighthouse - watching a couple of huge Kangaroos.
From there we went onto a Gaol museum (built to house transported prisoners who were building a breakwater), and at 11am went into South West Rocks village and checked into a campsite which is right on the sea shore (indeed if there is any coastal erosion our van could end up in the sea!).
Having been in free camps and rationing water for the last 3 nights we were all desperate for showers (E and K were probably in the shower for 45 minutes - J & J know because they were waiting for the shampoo), and it felt good to be clean again.
It was also good to be back in mobile phone range for the first time in 3 days, and to be able to recharge phone and computer batteries.
Had a lovely day at South West Rocks, although the wind got up in the afternoon which made it a bit cooler - although it remained very pleasant if sheltered from the wind.
We are about 7 - 8 hours drive from Sydney. The plan tomorrow is to drive at least half way towards Sydney so that the next days drive to Sydney (we are returning the campervan on Thursday) is manageable.
Stayed at Horseshoe Bay Beach Park, South West Rocks, NSW 2431
Early morning Kangaroo
Joseph after spotting whales
8am picnic breakfast
Tree teeming with parrots
Lizard spotted near beach by Joseph
South West Rocks - mile after mile of beach
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