Travelling north from Perth, through the Sunset and Turquoise Coasts, you really leave city life behind. The road straddles between desert to your East and the Indian Ocean on your left. It is a spectacle to behold! A truly different Australia from that which we have experienced so far.
The road is dotted with sleepy fishing villages that hide little gems in the way of secluded beaches, some more popular than others, such as this one in the town of Guilderton.
The colors of the ocean are of an alluring azure/emerald, hence the name Turquoise Coast. But beaches and seashore certainly are not the only things of interest. At spotty intervals along the way are well marked paths to follow, where you can run into the occasional kangaroo or emu, or appreciate nature in its smaller forms, such as the thrill of spotting this Lancelin Island Skink in Nilgen Nature Reserve, one of the rarest animals to be found, as we learned excitingly, after encountering this little fellow.
Lamentably, roos and emus are also easily spotted dead along the roadside. This sign is to be taken seriously. The only one of the three we have not seen is the Echidna, a much smaller creature that we are told here abound.
Today is the much celebrated Australia Day, when Aussies celebrate their "discovery", also known by the natives as Invasion Day. Today I also had my first conversation with a local Aborigine, a most pleasant lad whom, as you would expect, does not partake in the festivities but has grown to accept that things on this continent are the way they are and time and events cannot be rewound. He was fishing for squid on one of our stops. For many others though, today is the day to show their Australian pride and the southern cross flag is seen flying colorfully, even in the most unexpected and out of the way places, such as Wedge Island, a tiny hamlet along the coast, surrounded by unbelievably white sand dunes.
The small town of Cervantes gets its name not from the author of Don Quixote, but from a ship so named that moored here in the 17th century. Many of its people dedicate themselves to crayfish trapping; crayfish here is what we call lobster at home, and not the their smaller cousin served on plates in Louisiana. It is also the home of a unique place, Lake Thetis, a salty pond, known for being the perfect abode for Stromatolites, the oldest organism on earth, that flourish in the extremely saline environment. The accumulation of Stromatolites, over the years, create cylindrical formations that are quite a different site. The lake produces so much salty brine that the wind carries it and deposits it on vegetation that is well suited for it, creating a surreal environment. Eric and I took quite a long hike around the water's edge, under the scorching sun, and commented on how simply unique the site was, but then again, this is Australia, home to flora and fauna, eighty per cent of which is found nowhere else in its natural state.
But the award for the day go to a site in Nambung National Park called simply, The Pinnacles. Millions of years ago, when much of the coastal desert was under water, shellfish piled up unto one another and sculpted these columns that stretch for miles along the desert. In spite of the severe heat and sun, here too Eric and I took a miles-long hike among the structures, marveling at such an uncommon landscape.
Exhaustedly, but content, we eventually made our way back to Cervantes, Crayfish on our minds. In a very modest, but not modestly-priced restaurant, we ordered this seafood plate; a most appetizing and satisfying choice.
Ultimately we arrived at Jurien Bay, our home for the evening, where we easily found our campsite. In a later blog I must detail the experiences of Australian camping in a "campervan", and the many interesting people you meet. For now, hopefully you will enjoy this Indian Ocean sunset from Jurien Bay to seal the recounts of today's amazing activities.
Happy Australia Day, Mate!
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