OK . Well it would seem after the last post all went pear shape, after I stated we would be ok with the impending storm.
You have probably seen it on the news and know more than me, but here is my experience.
After I last wrote we decided to pack up the junior Red Elephants bed and made a fun new bed on our table. If you don't know our van our beds pop out the ends and fold in for travelling our roof also pops up and down for travelling. The junior Red Elephants bed was facing into the wind so this explained us packing it up and popping it in. Early in the evening we lost all power. Through out the night the wind consistently got louder and stronger rocking and buffeting the van. We where all a little scared. I was lying in the darkness listening to the wind whipping about alternatively listening out for a crack of a tree falling on top of us and working out a way we could all safely make a run for it and hide out in the toilet block. At one stage we packed in the bed end of the senior Red Elephants and pulled in our roof. We then had 2 Red Elephants sleeping on the table and 2 Red Elephants sleeping on the floor. When I say sleeping I mean lying there waiting for the worst. We could hear metal blowing down the road, not sure if it belonged to someones van.
When daylight finally came we emerged to find lots of trees and branches down throughout the park. Fortunately no one had received damaged. We found out no one in the park had power. A lady came to tell us she had spoken to the local Police Officer who told her the whole state of SA was in a black out, roads out of Coffin Bay where untravellable, more severe winds where expected for that day and night. and the Police Officer would call into the park later to check if we where all OK. He understood we had no mobile phone access or Internet access as the tower had been taken out in the storm.
I tried stalking the Police Officer to see if he could get a message out to the outside world,mainly my family to let them know we where OK. But I could not find him.
With more winds forecast we very quickly decided to go into a cabin. We grabbed blankets, food bears, Uno, my crochet and books and headed for the cabin. We where still so exhausted I thought we would just hang out in the cabin in our pyjama's. But it was so cold with out power. We put our trackies on over our pyjama's.
We then found out that the local yacht club was an emergency drop in centre. So of we went they had a generator going and where providing hot tea and coffee, toasted sandwich's and pies and sausage rolls. There we sat tired and shellshocked in our pyjama's with our track suits on as well. They also had a heater going. The local policeman called and gave us a update. The whole of Port Lincoln was shutdown with out power, no shops , no petrol , nothing open. He was not sure when power would return.
We returned to the caravan to find that our fridge had defrosted itself and leaked out all over our mattress. I think at that stage I cried.
With out power we could not charge our phones, could not call out anyway as towers down, Could not check internet for further updates, Could not have a hot cup of tea, could not have a hot anything including shower. It was to cold and windy to light our gas BBQ. The park only had electric BBQ's so we could not make ourselves something hot to eat and it was so cold thats all we wanted. So back to the lovely people at the lovely warm yacht club to spend the afternoon and have dinner.
We found out on Friday that Port Lincoln had fuel , they could only take cash payments, some new friends went in and qued up for 2.5 hours. These friends also provided me with hot water for a cup of tea and hot milo for the junior Red Elephants.
Also on friday I must have been looking a bit ragged as the lovely lady at the Yacht Club asked what we where doing for showers and said we could have a hot shower there. I could of kissed her. So down I went with my basket and had a lovely hot shower and changed into some new clothes.
This all happened Wednesday night, power was returned to most of the Eyre Peninsula last night as we left Coffin Bay this morning, Coffin Bay was still with out power. They are so isolated and really the end of the line down the Eyre. One of the stories in today's paper called it the Super Storm. We survived the Super Storm and Coffin Bay and especially the Yacht Club and its lovely people will always have a special place in our hearts.
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