Australia
Point Wakefield (historical)

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    • Day 77

      Albany

      January 9, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

      In der Hoffnung Orkas im Meer zu sichten fuhren wir am Morgen nochmals an den Strand. Doch leider sind diese laut einem Australier erst weiter aussen zu sehen. Weiter gings zu einer Sanddüne und bei der Rückfahrt entdeckte Marco eine Kängurufamilie. Es waren für Ronny die ersten Kängurus seit er in Australien angekommen ist. Vor Albany machten wir einen Stopp beim Little Beach, ein traumhafter kleiner Strand mit perfekten Wellen. Für uns war es jedoch bei 23 Grad Lufttemperatur und festem Wind immernoch ein wenig zu kalt zum Baden. Mit hungrigen Bäuchen trafen wir beim Appartement in Albany ein. Da alle Restaurants die Küche bereits geschlossen hatten, mussten wir auf den Supermarkt ausweichen. Gegen den Abend machten wir nochmals eine Erkundungstour. The Gap ist eine Kliffformation mit einem tiefen Riss im Fels, wo man auf der Plattform 40 Meter direkt über dem Meer steht. Die Naturalbridge liegt gegenüber und ist eine mit der Zeit geformte Naturbrücke und von der Windfarm hatte man einen super Ausblick auf die Küste.Read more

    • Day 2

      Day 2 Albany 6km

      February 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

      We arrived yesterday afternoon in Albany.
      On the way to Albany, we had rest stops in Williams, an antique shop in Kojunup and Sandalwood factory in Mt Barker.
      Airbnb accommodation has beautiful harbour views and we met up with some friends at Venice Pizzeria for a yummy Italian dinner.
      Whilst having a cuppa, Ruby burnt her foot with spilt hot tea. So we decided not to do a long walk tomorrow.

      We spent our day today at the Torndirrup National Park. We went to Misery Beach voted Best Beach in Australia 2022 by Tourism Australia. Had a look and a short walk at Stony Hill then a hike at Peak Head and a cool down at Whaling Cove.

      Misery Beach is a lovely stretch of beach flanked by boulders and a tiny island in front. It was too choppy, windy and cold to swim. There was only a car at the carpark and 2 people in the beach when we arrived at 9am. By the time we left just after 10am, the carpark was overflowing and the beach quickly filling up.

      Peak Head was a short but challenging walk. Turned out a lot longer than we anticipated. It took us 2 hours 15 mins to hike 4.8km. Lots of steep inclines with soft sand tracks but the amazing and magnificent views. A previous bushfire cleared the views as the new growth were still small. Vast views of Southern Ocean, Peak Head, coves and bays tracking to the summit of Peak Head.
      Ruby managed to start a conversation with a fellow tracker when we were almost at the summit. Due to the steep incline, her deep sharp breaths had her inhaling smoke from the cigarette he was holding. He was smoking pot/ weed / marijuana. Poor Ruby was rather dizzy for a few minutes after, but did not admit to feeling high.
      The swim at Whaling Cove after did well for recovery from the hike
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    • Day 3

      Day 3 Albany 11km

      February 22, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

      I decided to clock the days walking as a hike so that we can see how much walking we do today.
      We started our morning by walking to town for breakfast at Fredricks then walking back to the accomdation as Ruby forgot her mask.
      On the way back, we took a different route and Ruby found a walker friend to get ideas on the Mass Rock hike.
      After changing into bathers when we got back, we headed on the path to Middleton Beach. Ruby reckoned she saw a sign that said 800m to Middleton Beach, but I think that was the sign to the path to Middleton Beach.
      It took us 2hours15mins to get to Middleton Beach and 45mns to get back. We investigated every turn off and came across some pretty historical sites. We found 2 bunkers, an old haunted lighthouse keepers cottage with magnificent views of the King George Sound, a bronze busk of Baudin the Explorer, and Ataturk.
      Had a quick dip to cool off at the beach then made our way back.
      Finished up doing 20000 steps, 11km all up today.
      Might walk into town again for dinner, if the weather holds.
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    • Day 7

      Albany Day 3

      December 29, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      We went for shopping and cooked the start of Christmas ham variation. Ruby made a soup with the ham bones. We also got some Coffin Bay oysters and Nannygai fish for lunch.
      I also did my first treatment after my hand surgery and treatment and hand went well.
      We did a short walk into the town centre and back.
      Now just resting and preparing water and food for the Bald Head hike tomorrow.
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    • Day 11

      Albany Day 7

      January 2, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      Mount Melville
      Ruby walked all the way back to the accommodation from Mount Melville this morning.

      Garnet Hunting
      Warrick took us to The Sound just after Attaturk memorial to look for garnet rocks. We had to do some scrambling over rocks to get to the place where garnets are found.
      He showed us gneiss and dolarite dykes before showing us garnet in granite rocks.
      Before we found garnets, Warrick showed us sea salt crystals and also the carcass of the leaf dragon. After we found garnets, we continued clambering over the rocks to find shells and find crabs in the rich pools.
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    • Day 10

      Torndirrup NP

      April 2, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      Next stop on the Albany adventure tour was Torndirrup NP, including The Gap and Natural Bridge with their outstanding views of the Southern Ocean and some of WA’s most exposed coastline 40m below! Then off to stunning Frenchman's Bay and the old historic Whaling Station.

      Fun Fact: The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company was the last whaling company to cease operations in Australia, closing in 1978.

      Interestingly, we've learned that 'up' - a suffix commonly found in place names in south-western Western Australia - means "place of" in the local Noongar dialect. Places tended to be named after their distinctive features, whereby the place names could be used to create a 'mental map' allowing Indigenous Australians to determine where water, food and other raw materials could be found. These sites were often located near sources of fresh water, leading to the common misconception that 'up' means "near water".

      In this case, Torndirrup - meaning ‘white sandy’ or 'place of white sand hills' - is a fitting description of this spectacular area of coastline, with its dazzling powder-fine (almost) pure quartz dunes and beaches.

      After returning to Albany and checking in at the BIG4 Middleton Beach we drove up to the National ANZAC Centre and Memorial with just enough time to absorb the stunning views over the town and port before heading back to the van for ‘happy hour’ with Lou, Harry and Darcey.
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    • Day 9

      New Year's Eve

      December 31, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

      Saturday morning in Albany is for visiting the Farmer's Market. We almost missed it as Grace directed us to a very subdued and small craft market in the main York Street near the town hall where we bought 3 huge zucchinis for $1 each. One is a yellow zucchini, something different to try. Fortunately Ruby drove back to the accommodation and instead drove to where she thought the markets were. We felt the bustle of the market as we turned into the street. It was a small but busy market, and was so lovely as everyone queued up. When it was our turn, the stall holders took time to explain the produce to us, and there was no rush. A very pleasant experience indeed. We bought eggs, tatsoi, pakchoi, English spinach, blueberries and cherries, bread and almond croissant. On the way back to the accommodation, we passed a Buddhist monk and nun. We remembered that once a week, Venerable Mudu from the Albany branch of Buddhist Society of Western Australia does a pindapat, when monks walk through the streets with their alms bowl, accepting the generosity of the public made through offerings of food. We quickly parked, stood on the pavement and offered some cherries to the them in exchange for a blessing and a Christmas card. A very privileged experience indeed.

      Lunch was at Chanya Thai near the TransWA bus station with Mimi who just moved from Perth to Albany just over a year ago, Warrick and Kai who moved from camping at Bremer Bay to Albany. Chanya Thai is small family run restaurant with homely food. Our friend Mimi chefs for the owners at another establishment, 6 degrees Pub, so she knows the kitchen staff. We feasted so heartily that Grace and I needed a walk after lunch. We walked along the path outside our accommodation, Lilydale Cottage, towards Middleton Beach. Plan was to walk 20 minutes and then turn back. The whole walk took us just on the hour. We went a bit off track up Mt Clarence looking for orchids, and saw more Slipper orchids. In keeping with serendipitous encounters of the day, we met one of the fellow walkers from yesterday's hike at Bald Head, a lovely young lady who broke her wrist in 3 different places whilst rock climbing (ouch!) and still came along this rock climbing holiday as she'd booked it before her accident. She was looking for her friends who were climbing on the cliffs along that path. She did Bald Head hike yesterday as the climbing spot yesterday was too difficult for her to access with a wrist in cast.
      Another quiet evening in Lilydale Cottage eating through our large stash of food from Perth, and spinach from the market.
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    Point Wakefield (historical)

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