ESPERANCE to ALBANY

Saturday, 9th June 2012

As we were leaving Esperance, a pair of dolphins arrived in the bay just opposite the Caravan park to say farewell.  These two guys were really very large but unfortunately the camera was on the back seat.

We spotted a car wash on the way out and after yesterday's driving all over the place on red dirt in the parks, we decided to give the car a wash (and the van too as it was hooked up and in the right place at the right time *lol*)

This funny cloud formation was on 

the way from Esperance to

 Ravensthorpe.  Quite unusual!

This morning was a beautiful sunny day when we left, but as we got closer to Bremer Bay the weather seemed to be declining and the wind had whipped up again too.  Arriving late in the afternoon, the shadows were starting to creep in as we booked in to the caravan park, but we decided to go to the Hotel for dinner tonight and not cook so we took a little drive about first to see what was around.

 Fishers' Beach Jetty and the seagulls found us really losing light, but I have to give it to my Nikon - it really does try hard for me doesn't it:-

These pics were taken with very little light

 

A nice little spot opposite a caravan park in the lower section of Bremer Bay that we didn't know about til just now.

Short Beach

The Coffee Express Stop!

Lots of wind whipped the waves up from the lookout above Wild Dog Beach.

A couple of shots showing just how these waves were forming and how the developed.

Tonight's dinner was at the Bremer Bay Hotel Restaurant.  We got a drink, ordered and went to sit down outside and enjoy the evening when the chimney caught fire (not just a little chimney fire, but a full blown, honkey-dorey blaze, complete with the a fireball coming out the top).  The fire brigade arrived and after helping the girls mop up the mess and wipe down the bar, tables and chairs of the soot and ash, I was given a few free drinks and the offer of my meal free also.  Very nice offer, but they didn't need that on top of all that happened to them.

The chef, to his wonderful credit, produced not only our meals deliciously, but everyone else's also who were there.

The next day

How unusual - dinner and a show all rolled into one!

Following dinner, I was about to upload some more here, but we got a black-out that lasted almost three hours and the wind and lightning was a little too strong to risk switching on the computer *grrrrr*

The next day we rose to light rain and drizzle but went for a look about anyway.  We found the museum closed -

and can you believe the colour on this old man Emu! 

 Heading off to Albany the next day, we drove through some huge wind gusts which buffeted the van about no end.

So, until next time.........  sleep well & sweet dreams all xoxox







ESPERANCE, W.A.

As you are all probably aware, I have been updating our blog periodically, when we have a little spare time.

Well, at the moment it is 8.15pm in Albany, WA and we are expecting cyclonic winds up to a Category 2 (or 125 - 140kms/hour) tonight from about midnight on.  We have had dinner and have just now lowered our pop-top on the van and cleared any articles away from outside in case of the weather forcast being absolutely correct.

Just thought you ought to know this in case I get disconnected unexpectedly (or drowned out completely, or both, or something far more drastic than even Greg's pocket knife or wheel brace can fix *lol*)

We arrived in Esperance in quite a lot of wind (not from Greg's side of the vehicle fortunately), but the guy in the next 'van said the previous night did the same thing, but the morning was beautiful.

 Just across from our Caravan Park

 

 These two pics are from the lookout over Esperance in W.A.  It was drizzling rain, so not as clear as I would have liked, but you can see quite a large area.  The 3rd pic is also from this look out also to the south.

WEST BEACH (Western View)

WEST BEACH (Eastern View)

Tip of West Beach on eastern view with seagulls











Salmon Beach (where the Salmon just jump into buckets too small for them!)

                                                                 Hope he didn't mind his pic being taken :D (The salmon that is - kinda embarrassing pic that, with yer tail in full view)

FOURTH BEACH (Sth West View)

Twilight Beach (South View)

 Twilight Beach (West view and East View with cold-tolerant learn-to-paddleboard people)

 Twilight Beach with the Southern view again

and No! I do not fully trust Greg not to tell me when that next cold wave comes in :O

Next stop on the tourist route was Observatory Point.  It was behind these islands off the point that the de Esperance in 1792 anchored and took shelter in the lee of the islands from the wind.

 From Observatory Point and Beach, we saw 9 mile Beach and above here was where Australia's first trial Wind farm was established. 

Behind the mountain lies Pink Lake (which is caused by the algae in the water which contain very high levels of carotenoids)  Incidentally, it is this same algae that is in Lake Nakuru in Africa that gives the flamingoes their brightness from there.

Friday, 8th June 2012

CAPE LE GRAND NATIONAL PARK

Today we got our pass for the National Parks and headed into Cape Le Grand.   On the way we stopped and had a look at Frenchman Peak

 Frenchman Peak

 

Hellfire Bay

Little Hellfire Bay

                                                                WHISTLING  ROCKS

 

And this is overlooking beautiful Lucky Bay from Rossiter Bay Lookout.

Unshown in any camp book/caravan park book etc, (probably because it is in the NP), this beautiful spot is well worth a visit.  The area just above the bay has caravan and camping sites, a shower/toilet block and is just a haven of wildlife and flora.  Truly lovely

This was the view of Rossiter Bay from the lookout. 

Oh yeah, on that subject of wildlife, this critter still thinks distinguished is handsome!  Man I know he is only keeping it to rub me the wrong way - hah!  It'll get soft soon *snicker, snicker* but I bet he shaves it off then 'coz all the fun will have gone out of it!!!

 Going down the mountain we came into Rossiter Bay wich was really nice too.  There are so many beautiful places along this coast area it is too hard to show all of them.

 LITTLE WHARTON BEACH in Duke of Orleans Bay was picturesque, to say the least.

 

These two pics are just a little overflow from the bay into a back area.  Not too sure if it gets much of a wash out very often, but appears to be a really good place for birds and small animals to grow.

The seaweed and kelp washed up here was amazing.  Just masses and masses of it, and so many dead crabs in amongst it with beautiful coloured sponges, sea-pens and assorted types of soft corals.  The seas must have been very heavy recently.

       And the water was just too inviting so what else would a girl want to do in a beautiful place like this.....