On the Way to Albany

From Margaret River we took the coast road to Albany, stopping off to see the elephants rocks,

and some dramatic coast line. If you think this sea looks angry, hold on, you ain't seen anything yet.

I cannot make up my mind which of these to compositions is the best. So I have put up both. You choose.

Kate

This is Kate, a 1800's puffer, and was used on a local narrow gauge to haul timber to the coast. Before the vine yards there was extensive logging of Karri trees which started around 1870. The timber was shipped all the way to England for road pavings, so I have read. Seems a strange use of an expensive timber. Needs more research. The little engine could be a friend of Thomas.

Kangaroo Paw.

Kangaroo Paws come in all sorts of colors.

We never saw one with all the flowers out at once. They seem to grow ever where.

Chocolate Factory.

Chocolate fondue. All sorts of goodies to dip, including licorice.

Margaret River

Margaret River is about wine. Vineyards all over the place. We did buy and yes it is very nice.

Water shortages are becoming a problem in this part of WA. A lot of small dams have been built to help retain some of the run off. If it did not rain before the end of October there was to be a total ban on home owners watering thier gardens. Summer is here!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughing_Kookaburra, cute and noisy.

Hilarious noise.

Much cuter and not so noisy. What a place to relax. Babbling brook and rustling trees. Time for tea.

Cape Leeuwin.

The most south westerly point of Australia, Cape Leeuwin is where Australia considers the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. Nobody else does apparently. Lots of ships lost off the coast here.

I was getting tired of photographing the sea. One wave looks much like another. This brave little plant caught our eye.

Where North meets South, East meets West. Boy, was it windy. The kind that blows and blows and makes you feel tired.

Yallingup

We stayed in Dubsborough a couple of nights. The town is pretty, but didn't get photographed for some reason. Yallingup beach was a sunset opportunity. This picture is not a rock garden but a cliff top flora.

In the sunset wait, I was made bag captain,

whilst the youngsters went for a paddle.

The long and the short of it was we had had a brilliant day.

As had she.

Sunset on the Indian Ocean, 29/9/2010.

Film - Eat, Pray, Love.

The most irritating film I have watched for a long time, if ever.

Galileo Galilei is reputed to have said,

"You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it in himself."

Today he might have said,

"If it isn't in your gene bundle, you will never get it."

This film is proof positive. Perhaps evolution will eventually make all humans empathetic Spock's.

Orcas kill whales you know.

After the surfers, we walked along the cliff top at Dunsborough Head on the look out for whales.

This Southern Wright whale was in a small bay about 200/250 mtrs from where I was standing, just round the corner from the surfer dude.

And then there were two, mum and calf. I thought at the time that the calf's head looked blooded,

Then 60 seconds later this huge black fin rammed into the mother whale. I estimate it to be 6 feet high. A killer whale dorsal fin.

The camera was set on action shooting at 3 frames a second. The whole thing took less that 1 second. Needless to say I was a bit stunned.

I watched this drama for 15 mins in which time the orca made at least 7 surface runs at the mum or the calf.

Before I could get the camera to my eye, it would be all over. I did get 7 runs on film. These last two show the orca going for the calf's head. I couldn't be absolutely sure, but I think there were up to 3 orcas down there.

This video clip shows what a pod of orca's can do. My experience was no where near as dramatic as the these tourists, but I was left feeling much the same as them. In disbelief and despair. Still feel it now when I look at these pictures. I doubt I will take such affecting pictures ever again.

Dunsborough - Surfers

3 seconds in the life of a Surfer.

We were viewing from a cliff top. He survived.

Abingdon Miniature Village.

Having been joined by Harry and Sandie, we all headed south towards Dunsborough. But had to stop at this place on the way http://www.abingdonvillage.com.au/miniatures.html. Yes, 1/12 scale models of houses you can find in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. Yes it gets very confusing....which Abingdon?....Where? well this little set up is in Mandurah.

All set in to scale gardens. wonder how I can achieve the same effect? Huuummmm., Let me see.

Clearly a husband and wife team at work here. Miniature houses and model trains. This was the first model place we visited. More of this Anglo-Saxon weirdness later.

Perth Hills.

Perth Hills to the east of the city are the citizens natural recreational area.

The early Victorian settlers built the dam and in those days there was a railway track laid to bring the city folks for a day out.

Of course, that meant there had to be something to enjoy, a grand Victorian Park. The bust of the chief engineer on the dam project. Quite right too, Victorians treasured their engineers.

It being spring, we were lucky enough to have the flowering plants in full bloom.

Beautiful.

Kangaroos. Now how does this work? Hopping around in a forest? Would you let your kids loose in a forest on a pogo stick? Surely sprung legs are not at their best in a thicket of trees. We saw Kangs in almost every type of environment and most notably, dead on the road. One car passing every 5/10 mins and they still get hit. No other road kill seen, just Kangs. Very odd.

Fremantle food

Terrible isn't it? Go all that way and on the first night eat Asian. Well, the other choices were Italian or some other European fare and anyway, we are not used to paying European prices for out dinning. Had to be done, given the name and all.

Fremantle, definately Anglo-Saxon.

In fact, the whole of SW Australia is Anglo-Saxon. Faces, the architecture, even the farms look A-S.

With palms in the grounds brings you back to where you are.

The old prison. It wouldn't look out of place in Chester. And that brings me to place names. Perth and Scarborough on the same road sign?

Could be Brighton, yes.

and then there are these wonderful Victorian houses.

Fremantle Arts Centre. First opened in 1864 as the 'Convict Establishment Fremantle Lunatic Asylum and Invalid Depot.' Now it is much nicer place to enter. On the day we visited there was a meeting of ladies on the court yard lawn having afternoon tea. All were wearing floppy sun hats. I rest my case!!!! This is England's far south county. They are keeping the place well too.