Sun, 5th Nov, 2017 Bruce & Julie’s, Jurien Bay to Tuarts Reserve, NE of Cervantes, WA (Cervantes & Stromatolites)

7.30 am 23.4 degrees, sunny. As we were getting ready to leave a swarm of bees flew over us. Bruce said this has happened a few times, once into the van!!

Bruce & Julie gave us some Dhufish fillets, cooked crayfish and Bruce’s special fish paste. I know what we are having for dinner tonight.

We drove back into town to the dump point then down to the foreshore as the land breeze was keeping the sea looking perfect this morning. People were enjoying themselves and not getting blasted by the wind. We walked out onto the jetty. Certainly looks nice when the sea isn’t all whipped up. View over Favourite Island in the north, down the beach then to the south and Escape Island and Long Island out from the point.

We had a cuppa and watched the parachutists gently come down and land on the beach.

Got the TV going to watch the hour highlights of the V8s race yesterday in NZ. It rained so much they cancelled qualifying and the grid was worked out from the times they set in the two practices – pays to always do your best time. The rain held off for the race with NZ born Gizzy winning.

Continued south on the Indian Ocean Drive to Cervantes – great entrance sign.

Turned off the main road – great wind vane and information as we head into the township.

Drove down to Thirsty Point and found a space to park the truck and van. They aren’t missing anything with this sign. Not too friendly here to us nomads though the shire has allowed some 24 and 72 hour spots well inland but at least they are free.

Walked up to the lookout on top of a sand dune. Good view over Hansen Bay to the south then around to the west over Cervantes Islands then north over Ronsard Bay and around to Cervantes township.

Zoomed in on the islands.

Good info signs and a great aerial photo of Thirsty Point and Cervantes. You can Lake Thetis in the background where the stromatolites are growing.

Good time for a selfie.

Another sign about shells – that pretty purple one I got is called a Violet Snail Shell.

Decided to go looking for some more shells. The waves are eating away at the beach on the southern side of the point. Nearly looks inviting enough for a swim!!

Continued north around the point where the beach is littered with seagrass and no nice shells. Only found this one. A small island offshore.

Back to the van. Made some lunch and had it in the little shelter shed. The sea wind had come up making the iron on the roof rattle. Obviously the morning is the only time for beach going in WA!! Pretty flowered bush.

Drove back to the Hansen Bay dirt road and turned off to Lake Thetis to check out the stromatolites.

Followed the boardwalk down to the water’s edge. Interesting formations created by bacteria – Steve has his doubts!!

A few fish came to check us out.

Continued along the boardwalk to the next sign about birds – no birds here today!!

The boardwalk turned into a dirt track around the lake. Across the other side we found a platform and info about sand dunes. Needs redoing.

I thought the white we could see was salt but it was just foam blown up by the wind.

Continued down the track to the lookout over Hansen Bay. Oh no – stairs!!

More info boards and good views – looking east to sand dunes then south then west over the bay, Cervantes Islands, Thirsty Island, the township and finally Lake Thetis.

Drove back into town and then north to the boat ramp on Ronsard Bay. Not very nice here – the sea grass is banked up high.

Parked up so we could get TV reception to watch the V8s Sunday race. Great racing with Jamie winning today and Scotty second which makes them now only 30 points apart in the championship and there is only two more races at the new street circuit in Newcastle, NSW. Should be a great finish to the season in a couple of weeks.

Back through town to the Anchor from the 1897 wrecked Europa, found in 1986.

Headed back out of town. There is an ongoing art project by members of the community. This one was worth a photo.

Headed north-east into the Beekeepers Nature Reserve South. Our camp for the night is a 72 hour free area in Tuarts Reserve (named after the Tuart trees here)10km north east of town. Only a small area with a narrow drive in off the road but plenty enough for us.

A few more ‘not self-contained’ vehicles arrived – hence the toilet paper in the bush. If they could only take it with them we wouldn’t have the problem of the shires closing down these free areas. We always drain our water onto a plant or catch it in a bucket and water the plants. It is the toilet issues that cause all the problems rather than dropping shower water. Steve is going to put a grey water tank under the van now as so many places now say ‘fully self-contained’.

No TV so back to the hard drive for a movie after a game of 3 to Kings. Steve nearly won!!

Enjoyed the Dhufish for dinner.