Sunday morning off to church - local Baptist - finally a church that sang songs that I know (except I was so snuffed up with a cold I couldn't sing). This church is similar to what the Tanilba Bay Baptist Church was in the 1980's - quite traditional with hymns, scripture in song, piano and organ (with the pastor playing guitar - not TBBC). Reminded me of our church because the Secretary was trying to get people to nominate for positions in the church for their AGM next week - he had 12 positions to fill and only one nomination. The sermon was very good by a guest preacher who preached on the word FIRST - Finances, Interests, Relationships, Schedule & Trouble - and that if we can manage to put God first in all of these areas we will be doing God's will in our lives.
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| Whistling Rock, Cape Le Grand NP |
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| Hughes Step, Dempster Head, Esperance |
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| Fourth Beach, Esperance - Charley & Cull Islands |
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| Another view of Whistling Rock - See the Dog |
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| Twighlight Beach, Esperance |
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| Unusual Ancient Formation, Twighlight Beach |
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| Rain Storm over Charley & Cull Islands |
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| Esperance Stonehenge in Sunshine |
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| Sunset on Pink Lake, Esperance |
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| Esperance Stonehenge in the rain |
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| Inside Esperance Stonehenge |
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| Frenchman Peak, Cape Le Grand NP |
We bought fish 'n chips for lunch and went to the closest beach to Esperance to sit in the car, eat get a feel for this part of WA, who boast that they have the best beaches in WA and is the best place to live in the world. Well, they could be right (about the beaches anyway) and the coastal scenery is quite beautiful.
There were sea squalls just off the coast amongst the Recherché Archipelago (105 islands) and with the sun coming from the right direction we got some rather spectacular photos. We were also watching for whales, but saw none, as we drove the Great Ocean Drive that passes all of the beaches and coves along the way. We stopped at Twilight Cove/Beach, which was voted the best beach in WA, but a lot of sand must have been washed from these beaches as when the tide is in, there just isn't any (or very little) beach at all. We found these rock formations that looked like they were some ancient sea anemone's homes - very large round tubular type constructions that I was able to stick my arm down to above my elbow as I removed the sand in one. Still haven't found out what they really are. The drive then heads inland towards Pink Lake which is pinkish in colour due to the algae in the water but it was getting late when we arrived so only got a sunset shot.
We still hadn't seen the No.1 attraction of this area - Cape Le Grand National Park - and an unusual attraction for Australia - Stonehenge! Well an exact replica as how it would have looked in its original state around 1950 BC, except it is made of granite whereas the original is made of 20 different types of stone, the main one being bluestone (dolerite) - all not as hard as granite. So we decided to stay another day here and left this morning in sunshine and arrived at the Esperance Stonehenge and took some good photos in the sunlight. It really is massive and was undertaken by a couple who decided that they would like to do it and it has became a major attraction hereabouts, and a business, as a charge of $8 seniors is required to see it. We took our photos and then took off as fast as the speed limit would allow us to Cape Le Grand NP as we could see the weather coming in behind us - alas we didn't quite make it - our first stop was Whistling Rock (but not for us) and as I stepped out of the car the first heavy drops of rain came down and basically that was the end of our sight seeing at Cape Le Grand. We got a few shots in between showers, but we finally left disappointed as we could see that there would have been some lovely sights if the weather had behaved.
On our way back, we stopped at Stonehenge, and whilst I asked permission to take some photos (for free) in the rain, Ruth nipped around the back of the barricade and took some shots and to my surprise they came out quite well - gave it some character, I thought. Later in the evening, the sun came back out around sunset time, so we quickly drove to Dempster Head and got a few more photos there.
Tomorrow we will be heading for Norseman and then we do the Nullabour!
