Phillip Island

11-17-2008

Here we are on Phillip Island south of Melbourne. We drove in from Apollo Bay yesterday, beautiful drive along the Great Ocean Road. This road is lined with great surfing locations - better than California for sure and they aren't crowded. We stopped in a town named Loren when we saw about 70 people on the beach. It turns out they were there for an adventure race practice. They were going to start the practice with a 1200 yard swim -I almost jumped in for the swim but we had a ways to go to get to the island. We took a ferry from Queenscliff to Serento avoiding Melbourne streets.

As is our custom we always stop at the "I" Information building, to line up accommodation and in this case we made arrangements to see the penguin march. This takes place along a beach on the south part of the island at about7:30 pm.

We wound up renting a cabin in what the call a camper van park. The cabin is a nice little pre-built mini building, new a very comfortable.



By this time it was 4:00 I was tired of driving and ready to get in the cold water and see if I could still swim. I put my wet suit on and went for a 50 minute swim, keeping an eye out for shark fins. I know there aren't any but when you are by yourself in strange cold waters you always have an uneasy feeling. The swim felt great.

This morning the news reported on a huge storm north at Brisbane and Sydney 180,000 homes without power.

The economic downturn is on all the news station, but from what I can tell it really has not hit here. The big concern is that if China slows down then it will affect the country. So US purchases of Chinese goods or lack thereof is how our economy will affect Australia.

The weather has been cool sweater and jacket weather with periods of sun. Tonight it is the Penguin Parade and we will light 59 candles for yours truly. Another year spent disregarding what is considered the right things to do in life.