Adventure before Dementia.

Sandy Bight Cape Arid National Park

One bite away from the Great Australian Bight. We drove for hours along a blindingly white beach in Cape Arid National Park before we stopped for our breakfast of hard boiled eggs and chewy homemade sour dough bread. The Southern Ocean stretched out endlessly to the horizon, the lovely deep blue changing to turquoise as it bordered the white sand. Behind us lay the vast expanse of the Australian outback with Mallee scrub and Banksias covered with their stubby yellow candle flowers. The beach was empty and desolate as far as the eye could see. It was an eerie feeling and I suddenly felt panic. I was standing as far south as I had ever been .The silence was palpable and I felt isolated and very far away from civilization. Would anybody ever find you if you went missing on this far side of the ocean I wondered? For those early explorers it must have filled them with dread “water, water everywhere but ner a drop to drink” One intrepid sealer, James Manning on exploring this area in 1835 wrote “we subsisted on limpets and roots of grass” .......not good tucker mate............arid is a apt description for this stretch of coastline. But it has not all been like this.....

Native Dog Beach

For the last month we have been hugging the south east coast of Western Australia from Albany to Israelite Bay. It has taken us six months to do 700ks.......at this rate it will take us years to do the Big Lap! Where ever we find ourselves the place cries out to be explored and we can't move on until we have savoured it all. The magnificent coastline of Cape Le Grand National Park is a an area of outstandingly beautiful beaches, the sand as fine and white as icing sugar which squeaks underfoot. I started writing this looking out over the stunning Bay of Esperance and the islands of the Recherche Archipelago. The Aboriginal name for this area is "Kepa Kurl", 'the place where the waters lay down like a boomerang', but it takes its name from a French frigate L'Esperance which discovered the bay in 1792 whilst sheltering from a savage storm. 

Kepa Kurl  Bay of Isles Esperance

This place is also known as the Bay of Isles, and the 110 islands were once the haunt of Australia's only known pirate Black Jack Anderson........whose well known slogan "adventure before dementia me hearties" has become the mantra of
many a Grey Nomad ourselves included.
.Every day we discover an even more beautiful beach than the day before........I have discovered it is possible to get drunk on beauty and then an overwhelming inertia falls upon you, and like the roos on the beach at Lucky bay……the inevitable happens and its time to soak up the rays and laze the day away.

Lucky Bay, the whitest sand in Oz

Tommy as usual is not content to sit and dream ,where's there's water there's fish to be caught and he has provided us with Dhufish ,Tommy rough aka herring, and Breaksea cod which around here is called "blackarse" which despite its name is very delicious! I have rediscovered my calling and am now called "women who guts the fish" a primal urge which is totally rewarding. Fresh from the sea it is into the pan within minutes. Lightly dusted with flour and fried in hot nutty brown butter and a squeeze of lemon, this is is food for the gods and one of the greatest taste sensations to delight the palate.



Blackarse and Dhufish......no really!


Our favorite spot has got to be the Duke of Orleans Bay. We are staying at a wonderful caravan park affectionately called  "The Duke" by the locals. James and Wendy and their two sons run this little piece of heaven and it is a perfect place to sit back, relax or do a spot of fishing. The beaches are breathtaking with water so clear its like swimming through glass. You can be up to your neck in the pristine water at Wharton Beach and still see your painted toenails. I have spent hours snorkling and catching a few waves on my "boogie board". Unfortunately all this exercise is not having much of an effect, too many "happies" at happy hour, its still a chunky dunk as apposed to a skinny dip!
 

Duke of Orleans Bay



Surf's up so catch yer later!....................


Chunky dunking!



Soul Food Kitchen

Zucchini Fritata

This is a quick and easy dish, that's great to snack on at anytime of the day.....and perfect for picnics on the beach.


1 large zucchini cut into cubes (don't peel)
1 large onion finely chopped
250 gm streaky bacon chopped
1 cup self raising flour
2 cups of grated Cheddar cheese
6 medium eggs
1/4 cup of sunflower oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fry the onions and bacon in a little oil till cooked. Add to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into a square baking dish. cook at 170 for 30 mins or until a nice golden brown on top and filling is set. Nice hot or cold, cut into wedges and served with a fresh green salad of rocket, baby spinach and a sweet balsamic dressing.
Enjoy!

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