20150920 WA & SA Esperance to Lucky Bay

20150920 I read that Esperance has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with its squeaky white sand and turquoise water, whilst just offshore there are more than 100 islands making up the Recherche Archipelago which protects the coastline.

The sculpture was created reflecting the Esperance region and community,  this sculpture signifies the tail of a Southern Right whale created from industrial steel from the port and the original Tanker Jetty, the timber sections are made to look like boat hulls as well as filter plates, known as baleen, from inside the whales mouth.

Strolling along the esplanade the plaques detail the history of the town.  Once a whaling & seal station, whales were killed for their bladder (fat) and seals for their fur. Bladders were turned into oil for lamps & candles while seals were used to make leather pelts. By 1830 so many seals were hunted they were on the brink of extinction & the trade came to a halt. Today the sightings of seals & whale playing in the surf fills us with joy at the beauty of nature.

The Esperance Tanker Jetty
Built in 1934 and was once used to upload bulk fuel and load grain for export.  The tanker was in need of repair and in 1988 the Apex raised $163.589 and the government donated $150.000 to have it restored.

The Great Ocean Drive commences at the town centre and provides a 38 km scenic drive that is just remarkable.

The salt looks like mist across the road as we take the Great Ocean Drive.

On our return we camped in the sport grounds and were lucky enough to find some free power so we took advantage and had the heater going all night.

21-09-2015 On to Cape Le Grand National Park where we were told the peaks of the park are formed from massive Precambrian granite and gneiss, exposed by erosion and movements in the earth crust over the past 600 million years when sea levels were at least 300m above their present level and these peaks would have been submerged.

As we approach Lucky Bay all I could say was “WOW” this is the most awesome beach I have ever seen.

This was my favorite rock, each afternoon I would grab a beer or wine and my little tin and climb the rock and watch the sun go down over the bay, it was my private part of the world for a few days.

Check out this unusual sea plant growing off the rocks.

I noticed many broken shells on the rocks, then one day while sitting on my rock, I watched this Pacific Gull return from the see with a shell and carefully placed it on the rock, then pick it up, fly up in the sky and drop it, breaking the shell and exposing the creature that lived inside to eat, well! I thought it was the funniest thing.

Located about 3 ks along the Lucky Bay beach is a viewing platform where you get a great view of the bay.

If you walk a bit further, which entails climbing over rocks you will come across this big rock which stands as the memorial of Capt. Matthew Flinders who landed at Lucky Bay in 1802.

I have my cautious eyes on checking for snakes as we walk the trail, which for some reason since being in W.A I am very wary of, that's why I always let Des go first.

I called this one the dinosaur rock, Da! where ya going, can I come to.

OMG! check this out, this is just a spectacular part of the world, love it.

Thistle Cove, well worth the walk, just breathe taking.

I love climbing these rocks, just the mere size of some of these boulders are astonishing.

Now this is what I call a balancing rock, it’s just mind blown how they stay upright.

24-09-2019 I packed a book, water, camera and a banana and went rock climbing and found a secluded cove out of the wind to read my book.

I took a selfie sitting on top of a rock overlooking the bay.

The caves are thought to have been either formed by wave actions and under water currents when sea level was much higher.

The New Holland Honeyeater, these birds flutter in mid-air and are fascinating to watch.

25-09-2015 Time to leave this amazing part of the word and just when I thought it couldn't get any better we called into Hellfire Bay and, O.M.G. 

Hellfire is thought to have been named after St Elmo’s fire – a bluish, flame-like electrical discharge that sometimes occurs above ships masts.

We decided to try our luck at some fishing but I lost my hook on the rock ledge so I went to climb some rocks and left Des to it, maybe I need to talk dirty to the fish like Karen does.

Be still and listen carefully … when the wind blows amongst the rocks at Hellfire Bay you may here our ancestors crying for two children who were carried out to sea by mother walich the eagle.  She was angry when she saw that the children had stolen her eggs and taken her future from her.  The early morning dew on the rocks and hills are the tears of the parents and family who watch and wait in vain for the children to return. 

This is part of the Walich Dreaming Story as told by the Nyungar aboriginal people.  The story encourages children to always obey their parents and elders.