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.

Tail end of Albany and Bremer Bay

We are still in Albany and it is Thursday 10th November. We went to have a look at the first day of the sheepdog trials but we were only there about 40 minutes when it started to rain so we came home. We have decided we are leaving here on Saturday, parcel or no parcel. We went to try to find out where it was and were told that they can forward it on when it shows up in Albany. So even though Albany is a nice place, it is time to move on. We went to have a look at the ANZAC Memorial which was erected to remember the mounted soldiers who served in WW 1 from 1916 - 1918. It is right up on top of a hill overlooking Albany.

It is now Saturday and we are heading to Bremer Bay. We sat out in the sun all afternoon and it was lovely. We decided to go for a look around on Sunday and before that we went to the local shop and bumped into some Bushtracker people. They told us that the Fitzgerald National Park was closed from the Bremer Bay side and as it is about 120km to get around to the entrance on the other side we decided not to do that this time. When we were here 10 years ago, there are quite unique wildflowers in the park and we were going to look for them again. But not this time.
Instead we decided to go and have a gander at some of the beach areas. First we drove out to Point Henry and a lovely little beach called Little Boat Harbour.

Then on to Native Dog Beach and Blossom Beach. At Native Dog Beach the surf was pounding on the rocks but the sand is so white you could see many different colours in the water.

Blossom Beach

Then we drove up to Tooreburrup lookout where there were 360 degree views of the area. Although you are surrounded by native bush, there are houses scattered all over the area. All on 3 or 4 hectares and some are mansions, some are small beach houses and one we looked at resembles a pizza oven!!!

Next stop was Fishery Beach marina, where the fishing fleet is based.

We then came back to Bremer Bay and went up to the lookout closer to town.

Today, Monday, has not been nice. It is quite windy and cool. We are just hanging around the van today before we move to Esperance tomorrow.