Thursday 17th December

We are close to the top left hand corner of Tanglemania now. Mal looks across the bay to the North and he can see the windfarms near Cape Grim.

We fill Vicki with water and watch a Pacific Gull cracking shells for breakfast, by dropping them from 100 feet or so onto the rocks below.

We drive out to the locked gate at Cape Grim where again we are not permitted to travel - the further gateway does not have a gate but a large sign outlining the legal jargon about trespass in no uncertain terms -

Mal conjures up an image of Tanglemania. It is a map of Australia with a large old fashioned pad lock replacing Tanglemania. There is a sense of intransigence here. Environmentalists on one side of the locked gate, pro development irrespective of the cost on the other. Mal reflects on the crocodiles which have survived for 65 million years - what chance has humanity of lasting a further 65 million years? In actual fact so help the solar system if we do, God it will be just one gigantic festering rubbish tip - well so much for optimism.

We head for Ulverton to pick up our modified trailer. The sun is out and the weather is beautiful. The opium poppies are blooming in the fields and we shop and wash before heading over to pick up the trailer. When we arrive Col has clean forgotten to fit the ventilation hatch on the roof to let out the petrol fumes. We arrange to delay our trip a further day. He will fit it first thing in the morning.

We camp out at a small place called the Blue Wren on Penguin Road West of town. We have a grassy patch looking over the bay. Toilets but no showers for $10 - there is only one other couple here, Brian and Angie from WA. In the evening we walk across the rail line onto the beach and wait for the penguins to return from their daily shopping trip. We see two chicks waiting but leave before the parents arrive ( it is 10pm and no sign of them).