Day 12: Coward Springs to William Creek (via Lake Eyre)

We packed up camp and pushed further up the Oodnadatta track to the turn off to Halligan's bay, which is on Lake Eyre. We were told the lake was in a rare state - full of water, so we were planning to camp the night there. It was 62 kilometres in from the highway and the dirt road was heavilly corrugated and potholed. After 2 hours we finally reached our destinated, somewhat rattled and shaken. We climbed over a sand dune and found the lake. Unfortunately the water was about 70m from the high water mark on the shoreline, and when we tried to walk out it got too muddy. All in all not that much of a site.

One interesting thing was the kids found a big lizard - can someone tell me if this is a sand goanna (Hunter / Leroy - I think you guys would know). You have to look closely at the picture.

Well now what - 1pm, the sun beating down, hot wind, no shade and water activities out of the equation. We decided to head out the 62 km's back to the Oodnadatta and then stay the night at William Creek. On the way out I came over a rise - didn't see a rather large pothole and popped the van off the towbar - was that a shock. Thank god for safety chains.

That night had a few well deserved beers in the William Creek Hotel, but couldn't have too many after filling up for $2.20 per litre for diesel.