Warrnambool to Yambuk lake

Warrnambool - Yambuk lake = 52km
Cummulative total = 356km

We had a lovely rest day yesterday - didn't do much apart from chat to mum and Sharon, watch the last episodes of Survivor Samoa and packed the food panniers. And every now and then I went outside to see if Kouta and Sooty were alright.

Sooty is a lovely friendly dog that ate all Koutas food! definitely had a liking for Pedigree dry biscuits rather than Aldi dry biscuits so I think he was trying to tell Anthony something!
For dinner last night we got Pizzas from down the road and Anthony drove Neil and I in his MG - just how cool is this car ... I felt like I should have 'beehive' hairdo, wearing a frock and Neil should be in a suit with slicked back hair dragging on a cigarette (so "madmen"!!!).

Later on in the evening we went down to the Breakwater (I think that is what it is called) for a walk around the beach front (and every man and his dog was there!)

I always thought Neil was a fast walker but Heather and Anthony are REALLY fast so I just did my usual 'fast dawdle' behind them and blaming Kouta for the reason for being so slow - he was stopping and sniffing everything!

At our turning point we came back along the beach which still had quite alot of seaweed still on the beach from the last storm and you could see where they have bulldozed it up against the dunes.

By the time we were getting close to the car it was starting to get dark but it was a lovely sunset - I could definitely live here in Warrnambool and I think Neil could too!
Since we didn't have to pack anything this morning we left Heather and Anthonys' place quite early (7.45am!) and made good time to Port Fairy for our cuppa. To get to Port Fairy we took a combination of A1 and back roads. The shoulder on the A1 is quite good to Port Fairy and there wasn't alot of traffic. To get out of Warrnambool is just too easy as there is a bike line and service roads all the way out! (see why we could live here!). We arrived at Port Fairy around 9.45am and it is a nice place - but far too expensive to live there!

To get out we took the back roads passing the 'pea soup' and there is alot of new houses going up around there - in fact there are some really big houses!

We had to take the A1 all the way to the Yambuk lake turnoff and unfortunately the shoulder was really bumpy, not full of crap mind you, just uneven, lucky there wasn't much traffic so when it became too much we could duck onto the lane and come off when a truck came past us. At the turnoff to Yambuk Lake you can see the windmills that line the horizon and they a slowly turning. The campground at the lake is around 5km from the main highway and is a small council ran one. The Amenities are spotless, it has a very basic kitchen in the laundry (small fridge, microwave and kettle) and costs $15.50 for an unpowered site and I tell you our view is just great (despite the giant windmills!).

You probably can't quite see but this was taken as we were unpacking and Kouta is already in the tent trying to sleep! I don't know why he thinks he can sleep - it is only 1pm and we are ready to go for a swim ... which means he also has to go for a swim!

The lake is not great to swim in because of algae and weeds etc. so we went up and over the dunes to the beach which had no one on it! Kouta loves chasing the waves. We went in and the water is very cold! so we just went knee deep and Kouta kept wanting to come in with us and was constantly chased away by the oncoming waves!

The current was quite swift so we just swam around mid thigh height so we could still keep our footing. Neil tried to ride the waves a bit but I just went in up to my shoulders (I hate going under seawater - it might have something to do that I can't see without my glasses!) briefly and got out!

Eventually Kouta gets sick and tired of being chased by the waves and really wants to go back to the tent to sleep.

But he has to wait for us!

Tomorrow we head for Portland and it is around a 50km ride to the campground which is about 6km from Portland central and the closest one that will take dogs the rest are either too far out or don't take dogs.
Happy cycling!