Two great days on Kangaroo Island. The island is 13 km off the cost of South Australia and is a wildlife wonderland of birds, native animals and ocean based creatures.It is about 115 km long and 55 km wide with 540 km of  spectacular coastline with rocky crags and cliffs as well as white sandy beaches with turquoise sea. The interior of the island contains native forest and bush and thirty percent of it is protected. Kangaroo Island was the site of South Australia's first settlement but, after struggling with the lack of water for almost two years, most people moved over to the mainland to Adelaide. Many island names are French, after the explorer Baudin who surveyed the coast in 1802. Having looked into the different ways of visiting I decided to go on an organised tour with Adventure Travel and it was  the best choice I could have made.

After the 45 minute crossing by Sealink (the most expensive crossing in the world apparently -$280 return for car and driver; 14km!)

we arrived at the ferry point in Penneshaw

and met out guide, Jen, and the other members of the group, sixteen in all. First stop was at Rob's Place, a sheep and cattle farm near Penneshaw. Here Rob gave a very informative talk on the economy of island farming and also showed us his sheep dogs at work and afterwards gave a sheep shearing demonstration. (Remember the Big Sheep, Linda?) 

followed by a spinning lesson.

Leaving the farm we drove along the coast to Pennington Bay

with its crystal clear water,

and on to the Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery where we were shown the process of extracting eucalyptus oil from the KI narrow leaf mallee. Chemical free beauty products and delicious eucalyptus drops are just two of the many items on sale. At the Distillery Jen prepared our lunch which we ate on the verandah, relaxing in the shade of the gums.

After lunch we went for a guided tour with a ranger to Seal Bay to see the Australian sea lions, and walked along the beach amongst them, whilst trying to remember all  the information he was sharing. 

The male sea lions weigh around 300kg, and all the sea lions spend up to three days at sea searching for food and then return to the beach for three days to sleep.

This of course makes the young ones very vulnerable; and also very hungry. The young pup we saw was desperately chasing its mother for food!

Back on the bus and time for a little human exercise! Jen took us to Little Sahara , a vast expanse of white sand dunes rising above the mallee scrub, inexplicably about 7 kms inland.

Here we had chance to try some sand boarding on the dunes.

After a long climb to the top

It was a great ride down.

(Emma looking rather more elegant than me!)

After several climbs up we were all ready to make our way to the hotel at Vivonne Bay.

The common room at Vivonne Bay Lodge.

Whilst Jen cooked a superb barbecue (of course!) supper we had a choice of cycling, beach walk or kayaking and along with two new friends I decided to do the latter. We had lots of fun up the river , saw masses of beautiful birds and some koalas up in the trees, and returned home just as it was getting dark.

After supper we went for a penguin walk, looking for Little Penguins (renamed from Fairy Penguins in a pc move!!). Although it was difficult walking over the rocks in the dark we were rewarded by seeing some of these native birds. (No flash allowed as it blinds the penguins.) By this time, after our 5 a.m. start most of us were ready for bed.......

The next day we made another early start, travelling west along the island for a koala walk. Being nocturnal most of them were asleep, but we did spot quite a few,

as well as kangaroos,

parrots,

and galahs.

Apparently calling someone a stupid galah is a common form of abuse. My source? Parliamentary question time on  tv, one of the most entertaining programmes on Australian television!

Next we moved on to the Flinders Chase National Park and Remarkable Rocks, a collection of huge weather sculpted granite boulders on top of a dome which slides directly down to the sea and rocks below.

From here we took the road past a 1906 lighthouse on top of a wild and rugged Cape Couedic. Several of the lighthouse keepers here went mad , apparently because of the mercury in the beacon but the remote location was probably not helpful! A boardwalk leads down

past the rocks and the New Zealand fur seals,

to  Admirals Arch, a spectacular archway formed by the sea. From the roof hang the fossilised remains of tree roots.

After climbing back up it was a fantastic place for a few minutes  quiet contemplation,

then off to the Flinders Chase Visitors Centre where public barbecue areas provided Jen with the perfect outdoor kitchen whilst we visited the exhibition.

After a delicious lunch we had an hour on the beach at leisure to swim , walk and explore.

Hanson Bay.  So crowded!

Reluctantly leaving this idyllic spot, we made out way to the honey farm  where a reviving honeycomb ice cream was followed by a quick drive to American River to see the pelicans.

And the sun began to set on our last night on Kangaroo Island.

A truly memorable trip and all thanks go to our informative, funny and entertaining guide Jen! A wonderful place.