No visit to Port Lincoln is complete without a trip to Coffin Bay and a tasting of the famous oysters.  We set off for lunch at a newly opened restaurant but first we took a detour to the beautiful Whaler’s Way and Theakstone’s Crevasse which is some 32 km from Port Lincoln.

Located on private property – owned by the same family since 1860 and old friends of the Ferry family – we obtained the key from Bob Theakstone and navigated the sandy, winding road first to Cape Wiles which was named after the botanist James Wiles who sailed with Flinders in 1802.  This is part of an area known as Whaler’s Way and an old whaling station can still be seen at Fishery Bay.  The Whalers made a living off Southern Right Whale blubber and  today these massive whales once again pass through the waters annually during the winter months.

                  

Cape Wiles is truly spectacular and dozens of fur seals are often seen splashing around the base of the golden sandstone islands just off the point.

It was blustery but a beautiful day – so the clan gathered for a photo opportunity!  Then we drove on to Cape Carnot which is at the southwesterly tip of the Eyre Peninsula and named by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin in 1802.  The waves are often freakish and have claimed lives.  The full force of the Southern Ocean meets some of the oldest rock formations on the planet and, well known to geologists, these rocks are some 2460 million years old.  We didn’t have time to climb down to them but the view was pretty spectacular.

Finally we came to Theakstone’s Crevasse, which I first visited in 1969 and it hasn’t changed! It is a deep fissure along a fault line formed over millions of years and is 1-2m wide and 13m deep.  The walls are said to be 9m high.  The crevasse has been scoured by the sea and extends some 30m underground.

Time was beating us so we made our way out of the property and on to Coffin Bay where we had booked lunch at 1802 – a new restaurant on the foreshore of the pretty village.

Matthew Flinders named the bay in February 1802 in honour of his friend Sir Thomas Coffin who was Naval Commissioner at Sheerness where the “Investigator” was fitted out.  The waters are calm and ideal for oyster farming which has grown over the years.  Surrounded by National and Conservation Parks, this is an ideal family holiday location with lots of fishing, kayaking, walking, water sports and fabulous scenery.  We were there primarily for the oysters and they didn’t disappoint!

Then it was back to Port Lincoln and a visit to the local winery – Boston Bay Wines which is located on the shores of Boston Bay.

Love the name of the Sav Blanc – this is the home of The Great White after all!  We didn’t have the time nor the inclination to swim with the sharks but hundreds do!

Makybe Diva – the famous racehorse, winner of the Melbourne Cup and owned by Port Lincoln identities.  The statue is on the foreshore and this was taken early in the morning on our walk to our breakfast spot.

Farewell to Port Lincoln – you have turned on the best weather and showcased the full beauty of the region which we have  managed to explore in just three days but we all vowed we will return.