Esperance

We moved from Bremer Bay to Esperance on Tuesday 15th November. We met up with Terry and Sue at the Esperance Seafront Caravan park. It is a great park overlooking the Southern Ocean and about 2km from the town centre. Esperance is surrounded on the water side by the Recherche Archipelago which consists of about 105 islands. Most of these islands are uninhabited but are a home for sea lions and many types of birds.It is a very pretty place with two National Parks, Cape Le Grand to the east and Cape Arid to the west.

On Wednesday, although it was a bit overcast we decided to go out to Cape Le Grand. We knew that there were a couple of camp spots out there so we went to have a look. The first stop was Le Grand Beach. The camp spots were very small and lots of flies around.
We then drove out to Rossiter Bay and then to Lucky Bay. Lucky Bay was beautiful with fantastic white beaches and clear water.

Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand

We stopped at a lookout and I saw a flower called a Fringed Lily. Extremely beautiful.

Fringed Lily

Once again there were flies everywhere so we were glad that we had decided to stay in town. On the way out we stopped and took some photos of Frenchman's Peak. We think it is called that because from a certain angle the rock is supposed to look like a Gallic, Frenchman's nose.

Frenchman's Peak

After coming back to camp in the afternoon, Ray and Terry went down to the jetty to try and catch some squid but it started to rain and they came home. While there they took a photo of a sea lion which resides under the jetty. He is called Sammy. Sometimes he is there and sometimes not, but him and his partner sleep there in the shade of the jetty.

Sammy the Sea Lion says Hello

On Thursday we had a lovely clear day and went for a drive west, out along Great Ocean Drive. First stop was the Rotary Lookout which looks out over Esperance and the islands of the Recherche Archipelago. It is a spectacular view.

Esperance from Rotary Lookout

Recherche Archipelago

 We then drove to various beaches and lookouts around the coast. Blue Haven Beach, Salmon Beach, Twilight Beach, Picnic Beach. Observation Point and Nine Mile Beach.

Blue Haven Beach

Friday we caught up with washing and shopping as we are heading to Norseman tomorrow and then across the Nullabor.
We stopped at Tank Jetty on the way into town to see if Sammy the Sea Lion was there and he was. He was having a little snooze under the jetty. It is amazing that no one disturbs him.

Esperance Harbour

Sammy Sea Lion snoozing

Anyway this will probably be the last blog for a week or so as we are unlikely to get a signal while crossing the Nullabor.