In which Garry gets crabby, we all get worms and have a visit from the Doctor!

We left Jurien Bay in a somewhat anxious state, knowing we were about to run into the scourge of the Grey Nomad, the much dreaded school holidays. Not just any holidays, but Easter. The Easter holidays are just about the worst time in the year to be caravanning. The parks are all full and the free camps are full of people trying to avoid the crush.And let me tell you Western Australians love their camping. They head out of their towns in droves, I have never seen so many 4x4s, vans, camp trailers etc going up the coast!
We were lucky to find our spot here at Cliff Head, north of Cervantes and Jurien Bay. Not only is it on the beach but it's free! Once Andy and Nola caught up we had a great deal of discussion about where to go next to avoid the rush. We decided to stay put and ride out the holidays right here, and it proved to be a good move. Today is Good Friday, we have been here nearly a week, and the holiday makers are flocking in so we are smugly pleased with ourselves that we got in early.

Our beachfront free camp

Garry set about baiting his crab pots and managed to catch a few blue swimmers, not before getting the fright of his life when a huge manta ray swam right up to him as he stood in the water. We saw him later, just cruising along the waters edge, missed a photo blast it!

 Fishing has been pretty good with Andy and Garry catching whiting and sea perch. Nola caught a flathead and my contribution was a seriously ugly, inedible cat fish. I asked Garry to supply some bait that would let me catch a more attractive fish, so we all set about digging the worms the whiting love.

One thing about being on the beach is the wind. The south westerly  called the  Fremantle Doctor blows up every afternoon and boy, does it blow. You have to have things well tied down that's for sure, watch out Barney! But then, just as suddenly it will die down around sunset. Also makes for some fluctuating temperatures, one minute you're hot, the next need a jumper.

The Pinnacle of our trip?

After farewelling the monks at New Norcia we headed back to the coast for 2 nights at Jurien Bay and a visit to The Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are sticky uppy rock formation thingys for God only knows what reason, (that's the geologist in me talking). We did a short walk around them, but I was disappointed that they didn't much look like the photo's I've seen. Have to go back at sunset apparently. Was also disappointed to see the ubiquitous toilet paper left by the backpackers lying around (have become very disillusioned with the backpackers/grubs!).

Had 2 relaxing nights at Jurien Bay waiting for Andy and Nola to catch up, including a picnic on the beach watching the sunset, they are just beautiful over here.

Jurien Bay Sunset

Yeah, I know, another stunning beach. I had a swim at this one, which is just near the jetty above. After my swim Garry tells me (courtesy of the bait shop) that they caught a big tiger shark there in January. Hmm, thanks Garry...... grrr.

Monk-ey Business

Yesterday we left New Norcia, about 150km inland from Perth. It is a small town owned by a self sufficient order of Benedictine monks who came in the 1800's. In its heyday it had 80 monks living there producing a variety of foods such as honey, bread, olive oil, beer and wine. Now there are only 9 and they aren't getting any younger, so while you can still get some of the produce, they get it made by other people. The bread was delicious and Garry took a particular liking to the Abbey Ale, consuming several, just to help out the monks of course. I even liked it and had 2, so with it being 7.5% alcohol it was an interesting evening!

The old hotel at New Norcia (all owned by the monks)

 Being interested in history we found the guided tour very good and learnt that the New Norcia monks are different in that way back  they chose to break away from the control of the catholic church due to 'philosphical and managerial' differences. Go monks! Unfortunately this means they have to be self sufficient, and change with the times to generate income.
 Part of the tour was the opportunity to join a 15 minute prayer service with the monks, purely optional. I was just about to decline, being a heathen and all, when blow me down Garry has a brain explosion says he wants to go! Those of you that know him will be just as astounded as i was ,he's even more of a heathen than me!. After I picked my jaw up off the floor we went into the chapel to quietly sit in on the service.
It was very still and quiet and the monks came in wearing their white cassocks (white for summer, black for winter), and they sat in their own spots, where some of them have sat for 50 years! While they didn't get up a full blown Gregorian chant session or anything, they did sing their prayers in a peaceful, harmonious manner that I found soothing.
Afterwards I asked Garry if he had been struck by the spiritual feeling that he dismally failed to achieve back at the desert sculptures in Broken Hill, and while he found it interesting, sadly he is still waiting for the feeling. Oh well, maybe a few more Abbey Ales will help.

Here I go off to one of the churches

Bits, bites and boats

From Margaret River we headed to Mandurah, with a blessed stop at Bunbury for a new laptop, yippee!! Life is so much easier with a working laptop, even if it does have windows 8 which is another tool of the devil designed to drive us bonkers :(
1 night in Mandurah at a rather dodgeyville park then  on to Fremantle.
Fremantle turned out to be quite unlike my expectations, was far busier and more citified than I knew. Was blown away by the port (2nd busiest in Aus) and all the containers.
I had a ride on the big ferris wheel for great views, Garry too cool/chickened out.
Next day went to Perth and saw and the beautiful kings Park botanical gardens and the Bell Tower. We also got to see a whole area which we had no intention of visiting thanks to blasted roadworks and detours that took us onto the freeway. Just made it in time for the bell ringing.

The Bell Tower

War Memorial at Kings Park looking over Swan River

The next action packed day was a trip to Rottnest Island. Caught a huge ferry over for the half hour trip, which thankfully was calm because I'm not great with seasickness. There are no cars over there so you can hire bikes, of which there were thousands or you can be sensible like us and take the tour bus.

 Yep, I'm not ashamed to say I did not ride all over the 11km Island, I sat smugly in the airconditioned mini bus instead!

The island is very picturesque with little bays all around, all different, and a seal colony too. The star attraction of Rottnest is the cute little quokkas that wander around all over the island, very tame.

"Quokka you lookin at?"

One of the lovely beaches at Rottnest Is.

Margaret River

Spent 3 nights at Margaret River at a campground that is also a working sheep station. The coastal areas around Margaret river were lovely but the town itself wasn't too exciting for me. Reminded me of Byron bay with the touristy feel it has. Maybe if we had toured all the vineyards I would have felt differently, haha.
We did the Jewel cave tour, which was great, being cave fans that we are. Barney the wonder dog caused a stir as he is the first dog ever allowed into it (being a companion dog), and he was very well behaved too.
Did a day trip to Busselton, which is really pretty, and caught the train out on the long jetty to the underwater observatory.