Jurien Bay

A bright and sunny day to take me up to Jurien Bay this morning, only about 25km to the North, just along the west coast. Mind you, not that I see any of the ocean while I am driving, its about a kilometre to my left, all white sand covered with a low kind of scrub, beginning to bloom in yellow. At Jurien Bay I pick up a few bits from the local IGA store and also enquire about the stranded whale I heard about in the news. "..No, they have not seen it themselves but it’s about 5km to the south and I should be able to get access to the beach about 2km back towards Cervantes, where a new housing development is in progress."

I have seen the sign posts with the usual "FOR SALE" signs on my way up, so I drive back a little way, through the new streets with many vacant lots, heading towards the visible sand dunes that separate the flat land from the ocean. A dirt track leads into that area and I follow it as far as I dare, getting stuck in loose sand is not my idea of fun, so I leave my van in a free space by the side of the track. I walk down to the beach, sure enough, right around the bay, a good kilometre away, I can see several vehicles standing together near the water. I walk along the beach, using the tyre tracks left there by the big 4-wheel drives.

When I finally get there, I see a Ranger who has put up an exclusion zone with plastic tape on some poles in the sand. The whale is in the shallow waters where he beached himself. There are a few white scratches on his back, but those seem rather superficial, don't look life threatening at all. The Ranger tells me that no-one knows exactly what might be wrong with the whale at this time. We are at high tide while I am there and I can see that the whale's head is coming up every so often, exhaling and inhaling before putting his head back under water. The top 20cm of his back are always out of the water but I can't see him using his tail to help propell him into deeper water and back out to sea.

Just about 30 metres from the shore, a stranded whale.


A few more rubbernecks have arrived and I decide its time to walk back to my van.

I check into the trailer park and get a nice private spot along the fence with green grass beneath my van and my feet. Because the sun is good and strong, I start a load of washing, have some lunch and sit under my awning, enjoying a nice cold beer, reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". Life IS Good!

After stowing all my freshly washed stuff, the wind is becoming gusty once again. I stow my awning again before the wind will tear it off and I have already decided to drive on to "New Norcia" a Monastic community, tomorrow morning.

Cervantes and on to Jurien Bay

I arrive at Cervantes, late Friday Morning, drive through a modern and seemingly growing town. Easy to see that some of the commerce is in Crayfish harvesting with several large fishing boats in evidence and several jetties along the coast. The largest one populated by fishermen with their lines in the water. I go to the tourist info to get some brochures, check out the local caravan park, which looks nice and green.
Rather than checking in, I decide to drive out the 17km to the Pinnacles, check out a 'wild' campsite out of my book and discover that in this area 'wild camping' is now prohibited and so head back to the caravan park and book myself into an unpowered site for a few day.


A look at the Pinnacles, limestone formation coming through the yellow sand

The Pinnacles are very interesting to see, arriving early in the day also makes it a rather peaceful event, only a few vehicles are actually in the park when I drive through. I quite enjoy taking it all in, the morning light adding a particular quality to the place as well. To be recommended! When I have setup my van in the park, I get on my bike to discover mora about the township of Cervantes. Many newly constructed roads and new houses wherever I look. Many of the street names have Spanish origin, like Talavera Road or Malaga Circuit, or Majorca Street. There are 4 Restaurants/Cafe, two of them in Clubs. Should like to try at least one of them later.

Its Sunday today and after getting up early, I take a bike ride out to the lookout on top of a high sand dune, about 2km from my camp ground. I only see two people there and it’s a great spot for a good look along the waterfront, up and down the coast line.

View along the coast from the lookout

Lots of blossoming shrubs on the way, again, just two cars on the road this early hour.

Dead tree formed by the constant winds near the Lookout

When I return into town, I take a drive down to the jetty, being Sunday, lots of kids throwing a line into the water, hoping to make that catch.

One of the three jetties at Cervantes

Back at the trailer park I chat with my neighbors, a couple with their young son, about 10 from New Zealand, but now living in Perth. They came up to Cervantes for the long weekend, just to get away from the city. He has to be back on the job on Tuesday, so tomorrow, Monday they will need to return. Another couple that arrived this morning, are from Frankfurt, have been here for the second time, this time to explore the West. They are heading south to Perth and beyond and fly out again on the 8 October.

For my travel plans, I have decided to leave in the morning as well to drive up to Jurien Bay, about 25km to the North. The news also reported that a whale was stranded on the beach, south of Jurien Bay, something I really want to check out.

Heading South from Port Denison

Started out real well this morning, clouds finally clearing after a day of rain, spent mostly at my computer, indoors. I drive down the highway and turn right into the coast road that leads down to Cervantes at the southern most end. My planned next stop is only about 35km to the south, "Cliff Head North" and I find it with ease. A short dirt road, right down to the beach. Two Caravans who spent the night there are just leaving. I am the only vehicle on site. There is no wind, the sky looking as though it is about to clear, promising sunshine once again.

I am putting out my awning, sit in my chair and start reading. Several campers and trailers are pulling in but each one leaving after a quick look around. By the time its 11.30 the wind has picked up again, getting stronger by the minute, my floor covering getting blown away. What started out as a promising morning has turned into another extremely windy day here on the water and I decide to move before I get blown off the beach. What I need is a place, away from the water, sheltered from the strong wind gusts. I drive further south to a campsite at Lake Indoon.

Great location, Lake Indoon

A nice spot actually and I also find some shelter from the wind, make some lunch and eat. No sooner have I washed my dishes, the wind has turned somewhat and its beginning to rain, the temperature dropping. If I had power, I could turn on my heater. I move again and finally get to a trailer park, back off the main highway, where I book myself into a powered site to help me keep my house warm with my electric heater. The wind has now really picked up and feels COLD!!!!

The sun has finally gone down and, guess what, the skies have cleared. With luck on my side, I will head down to Cervantes to take a closer look at the Pinnacles. Tonight, no phone connection, no internet connection, so tomorrow I will need to catch up with the world.

Dongara / Port Denison

Coming from around 100km inland its real nice to see the ocean again, even if I have only been away for a few days. It’s a bit warmer than inland but the forecast says clouds and rain on the way. Dongara and Port Denison are really only one township, stretching along the ocean front, separated only by the river.

Having spent 2 nights at Port Denison and unable to extend my stay further because of bookings for the upcoming long weekend (Queens Birthday) as well as the beginning of the school holidays, I will head out again tomorrow morning before the Friday afternoon traffic from Perth will clog the highways. There are 2 rest areas about 35km south of here, where I intend to spend the next few nights until the end of the long weekend. I do hope that the rain that has settled into the area at the moment will clear up by tomorrow.

The nice and warm weather I had when I arrived has certaily cooled down a bit, 21 dgrees at the moment, not cold but unfriendly and quite dark. At least the van gets a superficial free wash, rinsing off some of the accumulated dust. Unfortunately, there is not much I can do with the rain coming down. There were a few hours around lunchtime when the rain had stopped, when I took a ride around town, went to the lookout to checkout some of the views.


Looking South to Port Denison from Dongara Lookout on an overcast day

Mullewa to Port Denison

The map of this part of the west coast as far as Perth


A smaller section of map showing my route

Another cool night at Mullewa, but the sun is out, blue skies with a promise of higher temperatures. After breakfast I pack up and drive to the town centre, re-fuel and head out to Morawa. The lady at the local Tourist Centre told me that there are still lots more wild flowers to be seen along that highway, going south toward Morawa.

Very colourful, as it turns out. Quite a variety of colours and 'carpets ' stretching in all directions away from the road, whites, shades of pink, blue and a lot of yellow. The road I am on is a low-order road, yes, its sealed but its mostly just single lane with dirt shoulders on either side. No Road Trains, which is good but for the few cars that come the other way, it also means that everyone has to move with the two left wheels onto the dirt shoulder when passing. It’s a pleasant drive, sometimes just scrub by the side of the road, then fields of wheat or just grass land with a few sheep.

Morawa is just a small township, so I only stop to buy something to eat at the bakery and continue on my way, now heading west again toward the coast and the town of Dongara / Port Denison. Here the country opens up, revealing an expanse of wheat fields, from horizon to horizon, either side of the road. The fields are green, looking very healthy and what dams I see along the road are filled with water. I also note that finally, the river I cross, contains water as well.

Looking out to my left


This is what I see on my right

Its really enjoyable to drive in open country like this and before I know it, I arrive at Dongara, continue through to Port Denison where I book into a caravan park, right along the beach. Its been getting steadily warmer as I drove back toward the coast, so, having arrived its real nice to be sitting outside in the shade, drinking a nice cold beer...