Western Australia 2011: To the coast

First day we drove to the coast. The landscape is incredibly expansive. 40 percent is parkland and consists of scrub. The soil varies but is quite sandy in parts? The Grass Trees punctuate this. An ancient plant that has a column from which a fountain of green erupts. If they have any height i.e. 3 to 4 ft, they are ancient.

The flower is long thin column that erupts from the middle that has small white flowers on it.

Eucalyptus (gums) is the predominate tree. Though there are others: banksia, bottle brushes, malaleuca etc.

It is wild flower season. I am in heaven. They are every where,
- All colors and shapes,on bushes, on the ground.

I would say the landscape is undulating flat and it feels like you can see the curve of the globe. Expansive farms of thousands of acres. We arrived at the coast and there was the blue of the Indian ocean. Traffic is one other car and a crowded beach has 3 people on it. The beaches are fine white sand.

We started at Jurien Bay with coffee and then a swim

Walking back to the car, I stepped on a Goana. Startling both of us. Scaly and what was a surprise, had ticks on him.

Then it was on to Cervantes for fish and chips for lunch at The Sea Breeze Cafe. Twas very fresh and delicious, because,

Lovely coastal views

We stopped at a look out and braved the flies. That is why we were given our head nets on arrival. They are ever present. Can have 30 or 40 on you. Luckily, they are not the bitey kind.

Finally we went to The Pinnacles. They are calcified trunks of the ancient grass trees that stick up from the sandy soil. We had brought chairs, wine, nibbles for a picnic as the sun set creating amazing shadows with the pinnacles.