20/1/2014 Location; Tied on to service jetty, Bandy Creek Boat Harbour, Esperance Western Australia
Today marks a week in Esperance and the 13th week of our
sailing Around Australia adventure. While it has been a normal port call for us
all, with shopping, washing and provisioning foremost on the agenda, we have
had a different aspect from the normal.
This started on arrival into Esperance, with Brian and Eva on Zofia
finding a berth at the yacht club which is on the shore line of the town and
Urchin and us coming right across Esperance Bay to stay at the Bandy Creek Boat
harbour. So for the first time we are a little separated.
Another different aspect of our adventure came in the form of a tour
by car of the bays that we were thinking would be our anchorage. Brian and Eva
from Zofia had some friends drive down from Perth to stay a few days. They
wanted to have a look around Esperance so the Urchin and Easy Tiger crews
followed them around in our little hire car.
Most were keen to have a look at the full scale replica of
Stonehenge. A local farmer has constructed this on his property. Apparently it
is an exact replica, facing the same direction etc… as the original. Sounded
like something worth having a look at. The value of having a look was quickly
tested when we found the admission price was $10 per person. A majority was
very quickly achieved and we turned around in the gateway. As it happened, we
ended up seeing it from the road on our return trip to Esperance.
Next stop was into the Cape Le Grande National park where we were
fleeced $12 per car for the pleasure of driving into the national park. I
thought that the government of the people owned and operated these parks, and
being one of the “people” I do object to having to pay to go in.
Next stop was at the place where the cruising guide said was a
really good anchorage, named Lucky Bay. B2 was quite excited to stop here as
the sign said there was a café and he was eyeing off another log in his sausage
roll journal. Turns out the Café is a
trailer on a ute with chairs scattered about on the windblown beach. Needless
to say we didn’t stay, just bought a few takeaway Ice creams and got back into
the car to escape the sandblasting.
From the on shore aspect the anchorage didn’t look at all hospitable
in the 30 knots of wind, waves breaking on the shore and the thick, thick weed
just waiting to get tangled in the anchor.
Around at Thistle Cove we saw great lines of swell entering the bay.
It would be fair to say that we were all taken aback. It also looked very
inhospitable and in fact quite scary from high up on the hill.
A drive around the Twilight beach side of Esperance on the great
ocean drive revealed much the same. Very windy, big waves created by the wind
and more bays though beautiful, very inhospitable to sail boats. The were a
dozen or so kite surfers in each bay who were obviously the only people
enjoying the conditions.
Further on we got a new aspect of the famous Pink Lake of Esperance.
I say a new aspect because Pink Lake was actually blue. No sign of pink
anywhere. I think they have had such good rainfall down here over the last
winter that there is too much fresh water in the lake for the algae to do it’s
thing.
That evening over some barbecued fresh fish and chips we talked
about a change of plans. We may now bypass all these beautiful bays with the
hazards they present and go to Duke Of Orleans bay where the best shelter is
available and then launch across the bight from there.
Then again, the locals say that in the right weather and conditions,
Lucky Bay, New Island Bay and O’brien’s beach are all lovely anchorages. It all
depends on what day you are there and from what aspect you are looking at it.
This little black duck is either lonely or lucky to have the beach all to himself. Depends which way you look at it. |
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