Esperance and Cape Arid

After the sweltering heat of Kalgoorlie we headed 400 kms south to the coastal town of Esperance, where the temperatures were max 23ºC, so we were again cold and also back into the wind. This is typical of life on the Great Australian Bight. But the day before we arrived in Esperance it was warmer!

Esperance has fantastic beaches with pure white sand and blue surf, so we did the tour of the beaches without going in for a swim. We certainly are seeing varying different climate conditions this trip, but it could be worse, we could be in Sydney!

We went to the pub for dinner and enjoyed a “Bronzie”, which was 2 huge slabs of Bronze Whaler Shark with chips and salad. Just too much food! The next night we were enjoying dinner in the van when we heard this loud singing, it was a German guy in the shower singing at the top of his lungs! I reckon everyone in Esperance could hear him.

As it was 4 weeks since my thumb was set my cast was due to come off and a removable split put on. I was really looking forward to getting out of the cast. The doctor at Esperance Hospital was impressed with the clean break and also my neat hand cast. After the x-ray the doctor said to me “This cast isn't coming off today!” The break has started to separate and the bone has moved out of alignment. His words were something like this was really bad and they couldn’t offer treatment in Esperance or anywhere in WA other than Perth.

So with the new x-rays in hand, cast still in place and me being really disappointed we scanned them using my iPhone and emailed them to the Hand Specialist in Sydney. The outcome of that is we’re coming to Sydney to have it pinned. The alternative was to get someone in Perth to do it. Aren’t iPhones amazing?

As we were already going to Sydney to see Alexis on her return from Canada in 2 weeks so we thought it was just easier to take a flight a week earlier. Therefore the operation is booked for Friday 23^rd March and we’ll be flying to Sydney on Thursday 22nd. We’ll probably return to Perth on 28^th, but this is dependent upon the surgery and recovery etc.

We spent the weekend in Cape Arid, camped in an amazing place. Finally we find paradise to camp in and we have to cut it short to drive to Perth! But we’ll get 3 nights here, so it’s really quite enough.

We then have 3 days easy driving to get to Perth, we’ll leave the van in a Caravan Park about 300 kms south of Perth and drive in with just the car.

In Cape Arid we went 4WDing along the pristine white sandy beach, and it was amazing, but too cold to swim, which is a shame. Of course we’re back with the March Flies, which follow you around waiting for you to stop so they can attack. But there aren’t any other mossies etc. which is good. Our friend Mr. Wind is also back with us, and as we are camped on a hill so we can enjoy the view, it’s a bit windy, but not too bad.

A group of aboriginal school boys were camped near us, about 25 kids plus teachers. They were from Gibson which is 30 kms north of Esperance. Quite a group and they certainly were having fun. I have to complement the teachers for forfeiting their weekend to get these kids out, otherwise they possibly would be up to no good back home. Besides laughing a lot, they didn’t disturb us.

Tomorrow we’re off to Fitzgerald River National Park and more beach camping. We’ll have two nights there if it’s nice.