Lucky Bay 14th – 20th December 2013

We left Kalgoorlie with the intention of having a free stay close to Cape Le Grand and then hitting it early the next day. We stopped at Grass Plains about 300 Kim's from Kalgoorlie, had a break and a look around and thought what the heck let's keep going to Cape Le Grand and try our luck. Cape Le Grand was full so we headed towards Lucky Bay, how lucky can we be. We pull in and we meet the camp host Milly, what a scream. She only has one site left but she said leave it with me and I will be back. Within 5 minutes she returns to let us know that 2 sites side by side will be available in the morning so as long as we didn't mind putting 2 vans on the 1 site for the night we would be sweet.

The first night we had sore faces from laughing, we caught up with Barry and Bonnie and Milly just kept us entertained.

People here are fantastic fun but how crazy is the weather, dressed in winter PJs & track suits only 11 days out from Christmas. We haven't had the best weather so far but it is sure to improve soon, at least the wind has gone.

The next day weather has turned and is beautiful. The beaches are picturesque, the colours of the water are almost iridescent and the whitest of white sand, how good is this?

We all went for a hike today across to Thistle Cove, another beautiful little bay. A bit of a tough walk, the sign did say easy, no way. John and I put a line in, Johnny caught a big Sea Pike, bloody ugly fish. Milly the camp host was over the moon as it was her favourite fish when John gave it to her, she swapped him the fish for a lollipop.

We noticed a sign which stated that Matthew Flinders named this bay in 1802 after seeking refuge from a storm, hence the name.

We decided to explore east of here and drive to Cape Arid National Park. More beautiful beaches, sandy bright and long, just gorgeous. We went for a hike around some large rocky outcrops along the coast. Time to head back to a beautiful lamb roast and a few beers, what else do you do on a Sunday night.

I needed to try and get phone service, we had found when we went for our walk to Thistle Bay that we got some service on the way back. I climbed looking at my phone, Trice decided not to climb with me and go to the beach, I had the key to the van. Still no service, so I climbed further and further until I was on top of the huge boulders on the right of Lucky Bay, phone service at last. I picked up some messages and returned a couple of calls and then the service dropped off again so I decided to head back. I had been wandering around not paying a heck of a lot of attention and then found that I didn't know where I was. I was also in my best rock climbing shoes, my thongs. For 2 hours I wandered around looking at how I could get out and each time I either came across a vertical cliff or bush that you could not get through. Finally I found a track and pushed my way through to the sand on the beach. I was embarrassed scratched and exhausted but I got out. I staggered up to the van looking for sympathy from Trice, she was not happy as she could not get into the van.

We decided to go for a swim to recover, just bliss, when John and Wilma came down in their car and asked us to go around to the other end of the bay.

What a great opportunity to take the kayak out so we went back grabbed the car and off we went along the sand.

We arrived at the far left of the cove where a memorial to Captain Flinders lies along with a massive round boulder on the water's edge. Instead of the low rolling waves in front of the camp site, we had dumpers rolling in on the beach. What the heck let's see how this kayak goes in the surf. Into the waves I go and the kayak performs well rising in the front and crashing down over the waves, I am past the breakers, or so I thought. All of a sudden these giant waves come rolling through and I am smashed to oblivion. The mornings events of getting lost and now this, what has happened to my day? Each time I tried to get back on I got barrelled again, John was standing on the beach laughing at me, I did call him a few choice names. I finally got back in, dragged the kayak up the beach to the car, sat down and went to sleep, I had had enough.

Today was the day that we are climbing Frenchman Peak, John, Wilma, Trice and me set off packed with water, cameras, mobile phones. We arrived at the parking area, the view is impressive, the mountain is even more so. The start of the walk has a sign to allow 2 hours, down the wooden decking, I am thinking to myself, this is going to be easy. We turn the corner and the incline increases quickly, heights are not my strong point. About half way into the walk Patrice is starting to have a panic attack over the steepness of the walk and the height itself, her legs start shaking and a severe desire to vomit makes her decision to sit down and wait an easy one.

Wilma decided to stay with Trice, John and I head of to the summit. It is not an easy walk but we are making good progress passing foreign backpackers going the other way. You can't help but notice the severe lack of young Aussies out here. It just seems to be grey nomads and younger foreign tourists, both singles and families. We made it to the summit after numerous stops and some searching for oxygen that has disappeared from my lungs. The climb is steep but safe and I am sure we were travelling too quickly, the view was spectacular. On our left Cape Arid, through to Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove, Cape Le Grand and Esperence. A beautiful mixture of the blues of the ocean, greens of the flora, the white of the stunning sand, greys, browns and blacks of the rocky outcrops and lines of red of the dirt roads, purely magic. Under the peak of Frenchman Peak is a gigantic cave, the whole top of the mountain is just this cap sitting on the top of the solid rock mountain. The mountain has huge fractures with large masses of rocks that look like they are ready to fall. The cave has this musty smell and is the size of a giant ball room, the view out to the ocean is framed by the opening to this giant cave.

We returned down the mountain to where Trice was and after a sit she was feeling a lot better. The total trip up and down and a visit to the cave only took one and a half hours.

Our next stop was Hellfire Bay and Little Hellfire Bay, more pristine sand beautiful blue water and large rocky outcrops extending out to the sea. This area has approximately 110 islands off the coast, here is nothing like this anywhere that I have been before.

Back to camp to have a rest and help Barry and Bonnie with their bus. We are going fishing this afternoon John promised to take Barry but I don't like our chances.

Our last night was a hoot with Milly the centre of attention, yet again. Overall the stay at Lucky Bay was the most memorable of our trip so far, plenty of lovely people and Milly the camp host was a bundle of fun. You have to take your hat off to camp hosts, it is a volunteer service and all they get is a free camp site. The toilets were kept pristine clean and she made the stay there an event of fun and adventure. Thanks Milly, you are a darling.