Moving East

A short walk out to Norman's beach was very nice this morning.  It was very rough, but the shells and sand weren't dangerous, and I avoided the enormous blue bottles that must have been washed up overnight.

We dawdled around, crocheting and drawing, and slowly packing up.  It was nice to take it easy.

When we headed off, Grant investigated climbing Mt. Manypeaks but we couldn't find a road that was open to traffic, so we headed off to Jerramungup where we filled up with fuel, and had some lunch in the lions park across the road.

Driving east along the South Coast highway, we saw the Stirling Ranges in the distance on our left.   We'd decided not to go there but they looked very impressive as shadowy purple outlines in the distance.

At Ravensthorpe we turned right to Hopetoun on the coast.  The scenery was much drier and scrubby again, it looks like we've left the big tree forests behind.  We have seen several fields planted with silver leafed shrubs, and yesterday in Albany, a farmer we spoke to explained they were blue gum trees, planted as a crop.  He was unsure what the long term effect of the crop on the soil would be.  These fields were cleared a hundred years ago with bullocks and by hand, and now they are being planted with trees again!

Left at Hopetoun and out to 12 Mile Beach to camp, we drove through a bushy green stretch that looked just like a whole forest of broccoli!  Very tall broccoli.

Tonight we are camped next to Val and Tony from the Gold Coast.  Tony is a retired printer.  They left home 5 months ago, planning to be away for 12 weeks.

It is very windy out on the beach, but behind the dunes where we are is very sheltered.  There is a rock shelf about 10 metres off shore, and the waves crash over it, leaving the water closer in a bit more calm.  But the southern ocean freezing cold....not sure if I'll be swimming in it at all.

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Vicki