DNLAROUNDOZ: 29th Jan

Not sure what happened to the magic weather, but we woke to an overcast, rainy, windy day. Esperance has been dubbed the Bay of Isles and has some of Australia’s whitest beaches. Agriculture, tourism and fishing are the main industries here. Even though it is a crappy day, we decide to take the scenic Great Ocean drive, approx 40kms. It takes us over 4 hours to do, believe it or not, as we make a number of stops along the way to take in the scenery. The sun does come out periodically during the day, but it is as windy as and chilly out there.

I try my best seal impression, it didn't work

End of Tanker Jetty looking back to shore

Rotary lookout towards Blue Haven beach

The drive takes us via Tanker Jetty and Sammy the Seal, we think that’s the statue but find out later it is a real seal that comes in every day to the jetty in the hope of finding a feed of fish from the fishermen cleaning their catch on the jetty. We go via Rotary Lookout and a number of beaches, some great for swimming, others great for fishing or just looking at. The nicest of which without a doubt is Twilight Beach, won best beach Australia 2006. Very popular today for wind surfers. The drive then winds back around past the Pink Lake (not pink today) and back into town.

Salmon Beach, bit too rough here

Twilight beach, perfect conditions for wind surfers

View looking down on Twilight Bay

The coastline looking towards Observatory Point and Island

Steps to beach at Observation Point

We head back to camp for a late lunch, then go out in search of Stone Henge, yes that’s right someone has built a true to life size replica of Stone Henge right here in Esperance. We found it, can see it from the road, though it is blocked by a bit of a fence. $20 entry to see a pile of rocks, don’t think so. Back to town and via Tanker Jetty again and Sammy is there! The afternoon is getting dismal, we get a nice cup of hot chips and head back to camp to watch a movie for the rest of day, Wyatt Earp, turns out to be an epic, too late to cook tea, tin of soup and we hit the sack.