A Little Taste of Esperance
3rd February to 10th February
We left Bremer Bay full of exciting memories and headed off to make some more. As usual we took our time and had an overnight stop in Fitzgerald.
Interestingly, we had stayed at Fitzgerald six months earlier and Peter had done a thorough campground cleanup. Six months later there was another cleanup to be done but Peter estimates that only about a dozen or so grubs had left their rubbish behind – better that there were none but not too bad I suppose.
From there another roadside stop then on to Esperance before heading to Norseman three days later.
Esperance was not quite what we expected. At least the town itself wasn’t, it is above all else a working town, mostly mining, agriculture and fishery.
The town center was quite pretty, and the esplanade, with the turquoise waters and long jetty was lovely. We stayed a little out of town at the Bushlands CP, it was old and tired, but we had a huge space all to ourselves and this suited us well. Surrounded by bushland and very quiet, just what we like. We ran into Edith and Neil again, not surprisingly as we’re heading in the same direction, and it was great to catch up with them. We had a very enjoyable afternoon at the Lucky Bay Brewery, had a good chat and a few beers. What more could you ask for?
So, why all the hype about Esperance? Well, I think the amazing coastline and the Cape Le Grand NP has something to do with that. Absolutely stunning. We tried to book in at a couple of the campsites in the National Park but…they were all fully booked. First time we’ve come across this. And when we drove the Cape Le Grand Coastal Trail it was easy to see why.
Le Grand National Park is a beautiful place to drive through. It has broad sweeping landscapes, scattered with large granite rock formations, not least of which was Frenchman Peak, or as Peter liked to call it…Booby Hill.
It also offers you tempting glimpses of clear blue and turquoise waters waiting for you around every corner. It really is impressive.
Hellfire Bay was our first stop, and I think its safe to say, our favourite. The sand on the beach was so fine and white, the kind that squeaks when you walk on it, and the water so crystal clear, but still too cold for us to swim in.
It had been such a trying day, 😉 that we decided to stop for lunch after leaving Hellfire Bay and as luck would have it, we found the perfect place, complete with picnic table and a view to die for. Whistling Rock overlooking Thistle Cove. Whistling Rock is a large rock formation with a series of holes/cracks and when the wind is right, I’m guessing it whistles. When we were there, there was only a mild breeze, but even so, I could hear the wind moving through the cracks. Almost like when you let the air out through the neck of a balloon. I can imagine it would whistle like a billy boiling if the wind was strong enough and coming from the right direction.
After lunch we continued on to Lucky Bay. We had heard that this was the best bay along the drive, and it’s famous for all the kangaroos that come down onto the beach, but I guess you have to camp there to be there early in the morning or late in the evening to see them. I was torn about my feelings of Lucky Bay. On the one hand, the scenery is awesome. On the other, the beach was like a car park. When we first arrived there were a dozen or so cars driving off the beach, another dozen still exploring, and ten or so parked and set up for the day. I don’t know, I mean it’s great that you can do that, but for me…it takes away the serenity of the place. It was my least favourite area.
On to Rossiter Bay. This has been described as having fine white sand on a long and featureless stretch of beach. Ideal for driving or beachcombing, and with a bird sanctuary. This was another example of good marketing and/or being there at the wrong time of the year. The sand might have been white, but you had to dig through the layers of seaweed to get to it and the bird sanctuary was no more than a fifty-metre walkway off the beach, to a dead end and a park bench. There were plenty of New Holland Honey eaters there though.
Lastly, we called in to Le Grand Beach. It was the perfect way to end a great day. With the sun sinking low in the sky, we got that lovey shimmering effect on the ocean. We had a relaxed walk and a final paddle for the day before we headed back to camp for an icy cold beer.
After a very enjoyable three nights we left Esperance and drove through to Norseman arriving that same afternoon.
See you out there somewhere
On tow and on the go!
I loved the bay with the fine white sand and crystal clear water – and your feet in the water I think. 😊