The Bight

On 26 January 1627, the Guilden Zeepard a Dutch merchant ship was the first to to sight this coast (of what was then called Eendrachtsland). On this day 395 years ago the crew lead by Pieter Nuyts must have looked up at this shore with the same awe and amazement that Regina and I have from our vantage on this incredible line of cliffs and over the Bight. Yep - that was 150 years before James Cook landed on the east coast and made his claim for England.
Dutch sailor’s first priority was always commerce (make more money than the Poms) in the East Indies. They had little interest in exploration or colonisation (in the absence of said profitable trade). On this occasion, contrary to their dogma, and with the skipper flexing some discretionary muscle, they sailed eastward for 1000 nautical miles mapping the southern coast as far as Fowlers Bay near Ceduna. returning to Cape Leeuwin was an eight week detour, before heading to Batavia (Java) to conclude an 11 month voyage.
Our arrival at this free camp was considerably more comfortable.
And how amazing. Right on the escarpment 70 meters above the ocean. The only evidence of other people are the distant lights of the road trains on the Eyre Highway about a kilometre away.
Waking here is so cool.Read more