WA to SA

After languidly weaving our way in and around Margaret River, we thought we should sit down with our long neglected schedule and see how we were travelling. Oops. Seems we only had 4 weeks left to get from the far left corner to the far right corner. We were going to have to pick up the pace.

We were not looking forward to turning the corner and heading east, as it felt like we were going home. Like the rest of the trip would be like a month long Sunday night. We hadn't anticipated however, what an extra ordinary part of the world exists in the coastline between Albany and Esperance. 

Our first treat was Greens Pool, which we stopped in for a quick peek on the way to Albany, and stayed for hours. We have seen alot of pretty beaches on this trip but this had to be up there with the best of them. The only negative was the water, which was FREEZING!!!!. Luckily we were there on a warm, sunny day, so we braved hypothermia and jumped in. John, who is known not to commit unless the water is above 30 degrees, was even heard to say - "it's not too bad, definitely don't need a wetsuit". Seems it's not only the children who have built resilience!

 

Greens Pool, WA

Taking the plunge, Greens Pool



We didn't know what to expect from Albany, other than the remnants of a once thriving whale industry. We had no idea how charming the town was, set against a backdrop of spectacular rocky mountains, snow white beaches, aqua blue water, and an archipelago of offshore islands decorating the horizon. We could have spent a week there, but our new whistle-stop schedule had us only overnight. Whilst there we made time for a tour of "Whale World", which deceptively sounds like a whale themed adventure playground. It is in fact a former whaling station that now operates as a  rather macabre tourist attraction. It was fascinating and nauseating to learn of how the whales (up to 30 sperm and humpbacks per DAY) were caught and killed, and their parts sold and used throughout the world. It is extraordinary to imagine that the practice has been so ordinary, for so much of Australia's history.  Thank goodness that financial pressures saw the station close in 1978, allowing whale populations to finally recover and return to the waters around Albany.

Whale World, Albany.  Don't look too closely.

Esperance was our next port of call (again for one night) followed by a two day camp at Lucky Bay in the Cape Le Grand National Park. Again - one of Australia's best kept secrets. Beaches so outrageously beautiful they defy description. So I won't try. (I'm sure your tired of my hackneyed phrases boasting of white sand, turquoise water blah blah blah....)  Judge for yourself.

Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand, WA



Thistle Bay, Cape Le Grand

Lucky Bay

Lucky Bay



Cape Le Grand

  

Lucky Bay

  

I had one shoe off whilst taking this picture.

Astounding, no? But before you jump on a plane, I do have to let you in on a couple of minor negatives. Firstly, the water is so cold it is physically painful, and you fear your heart may stop from the shock of it.  Secondly, should you come here in early summer, you may be physically carried off by the flies. I have whinged about flies before, but we have NEVER seen them on this scale. They got in your eyes, up your nose, in your mouth (if you dared open it). We only had three of the veils we bought at Rottnest with us, and took turns to wear them, and those that didn't had to fashion beach towel burqas.

Trish Brewer, our resident bush poet, was inspired to write another of her famous ditties (We're predicting lucrative writing career on the horizon....)

WARNING - poem contains language not suitable for young bloggers, or people who appreciate flies.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _   BASTARD FLIES!

"This is dedicated to John Rapp, a mild-mannered lawyer from country NSW who, during a recent trip to Cape le Grand N.P., became somewhat maniacal (along with the rest of his party) thanks to a plague of flies."

I'M SURE THAT SOMEWHERE NEAR ME
THERE ARE RADIANT BLUE SKIES
THERE'S PROBABLY AN OCEAN
OR A SUN THAT'S ON THE RISE
PERHAPS AROUND THAT POINT
THERE'S SOME SPECTACULAR SURPRISE
BUT I CERTAINLY CAN'T SEE IT
THROUGH THESE _ _ _ _ _ _ _  BASTARD FLIES!

I'M TANGLED IN A FLYNET
WITH A TOWEL AROUND MY BOD
AND I'M THINKING THAT THESE FLIES MUST BE A PLAGUE THAT'S SENT BY GOD
I WOULD WANDER ON THE SOFT WHITE SAND
LISTENING TO THE SEAGULL'S CRIES
BUT THE ONLY THING THAT STOPS ME IS...
THESE _ _ _ _ _ _ _  BASTARD FLIES!

I DARE NOT TAKE A BREATH
OR SAY A WORD OR EVEN LAUGH
FOR I'M SURE TO SWALLOW FIVE OF THEM
PROBABLY CHOKE OR EVEN BARF
SO IN MY BURQA-LIKE ENSEMBLE
ONE SMALL OPENING FOR MY EYES
I STUMBLE BLINDLY, CURSING WILDLY
OH! THESE _ _ _ _ _ _ _  BASTARD FLIES!

I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW
WHAT THE HELL THESE _ _ _ _ ERS DO
APART FROM VOMIT ON MY FACE
AFTER EATING SOMEONE'S POO
THEY DON'T POLLINATE THE FLOWERS
NOR KEEP OTHER BUGS AT BAY
THEY DON'T WEAVE AMAZING WEBS
OR BUILD TERMITE MOUNDS ALL DAY
IN FACT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH COULD SAY
THAT CAN JUSTIFY THESE BASTARDS
RUINING MY HOLIDAY.

ALL I WANT IS TO ENJOY THE VIEW
TO BE STILL, ENJOY THE SILENCE
WITHOUT THE CONSTANT BUZZING
AND THE SWATTING, FLAILING VIOLENCE
I HAVE HAD IT WITH THESE BUZZY
LITTLE BASTARDS...THAT IS IT!
I'M QUITE CERTAIN THAT THIS "NATIONAL PARK"
IS REALLY ONE BIG PILE OF _ _ _ _.

SO GOODBYE TO FLY-INFESTED
WEST AUSTRALIAN COASTAL BEACHES
BON VOYAGE TO YOU MANURE-LOVING
_ _ _ _ _ _ _  BASTARD CREATURES.



Unfortunately, the flies chased us out of Cape Le Grand a day earlier than planned, so we soon were ready to hit the road for our three day trek across the Nullarbor. Various people had told us that the Nullarbor (latin for Nulla = no, arbor = trees), though often perceived as a 1200 km stretch of nothingness connecting east to west, is actually rather interesting. Errr....not so much. Pretty much nothing to see for days, except the back of the Brewer's van (number plate NVR 45G). We did entertain ourselves for part of the first day with quizzes over the UHF radio (along the lines of "how many litres of waste does the porta-potty hold") but by the third, we were pretty Nullarbored. That said, a wee stop at one of the coastal lookouts, was a dramatic highlight, as we gazed along the cliffs of the Great Australian Bight. The kids handled the endless hours in the car valiantly, thanks in part to an endless supply of snacks and electronic devices. In fact, they have become so accustomed to long drives, when we reached  the end of the road at Ceduna S.A., were heard to enquire "are we there already?"

The Great Australian Bight



The Eyre Hwy - 146km of dead straight road.



Close encounters with native fauna. Somewhere.