Tuesday March 18
Our
three days in Denmark have been very pleasant, although it hasn’t had the ‘wow’
factor of some of the other places we have visited.
We
have walked along the Denmark River which runs into Wilson Inlet, visited a
timber products business which had the most amazing collection of WA timber,
especially the large slabs of superb jarrah, wandoo and marri and enjoyed the
scenic drive which took us up to Mount Shadforth and through farmland,
vineyards and magnificent karri forests.
Murray
had a go at fishing from the beautiful rocks at Wilson Head and today we spent
some time in William Bay National Park. Unfortunately it was drizzling off and on
and remained quite overcast, so between the clouds and the substantial swell, the stunning colours we have become used to were not on show.
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| Wilson Head looking across to Nullaki Peninsula (Wilson Inlet is behind this) |
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| Looking towards Surfers Beach |
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| The view further along the Head |
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| Surfers Beach - late afternoon. Lots of surfers taking advantage of the swell. |
Madfish
Bay was still incredible as we happened to be there at high tide so we marvelled
at the confluence of the water as the waves rolled around each side of the
offshore island which creates the bay and converged in the middle. Sadly though
we did not see any of the ‘mad fish’ that are reputed to jump out of this
turbulent water!
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| Madfish Bay |
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| and again . . . |
Once
again, the granite rocks were spectacular and featured some gorgeous colours,
whilst Waterfall Beach with its namesake waterfall was rather lovely.
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| The western end of Madfish Bay |
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| Waterfall Beach |
A
planned walk at the Wetlands Centre was abandoned due to the wetlands not being
even a little bit wet and all birds having decamped. The old paperbarks were
astounding though – absolutely huge and we noticed this banksia growing out of
the trunk of a large dead paperbark.
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| Not sure what happens when this banksia becomes bigger! |
Tomorrow
morning we will go the short distance to Parry Beach for a day or two and do some beach
fishing (well, Murray will!) and explore a few more natural attractions before heading towards
Walpole and the great forests. The tourist brochures tell us that 'nature has
been flaunting her beauty here in the Great South West Edge for millions of
years', so we are looking forward to taking up their invitation to 'commune' with it all!
This comment should be on the last page but it refused to post there, so I'll put it here before reading this post.
ReplyDeletePhew, that's a relief. I'm so pleased that it really wasn't around on Sunday night when I was looking. Thought I was going to have to run and catch up. Again. It's a descriptive word that gives that sense of sensory oneness and empathy when you feel totally overwhelmed by the vastness and beauty of nature. It wasn't of latin origin, but from an ancient tribal language and I'm thinking that it may even be from an indigenous tv program Trent's been coming here to watch. Sadly the word was spoken and was gone before I could write it down and I really needed to see it printed. Your search reminded me.
This gorgeous little bird (from your last post) does not look pleased, Heather. "Beautiful but what species am I????" Those are crabby eyes that seem to be criticising you and that thing pressed to your face, "Whattayathink you're lookin' at?"
Words escape me too and I am so grateful to live in an age when we have this technology that enables you to let so many of us join you on your travels. There is no need to compare because each place you've taken us, has proven to be spectacular in unique differences more so than similarities. No need for contrast or comparison.
Gammy legs aside, you have the photographic evidence of time resting and what it brings if you open your eyes. The birds once more, belong in their own blogosphere as well as committed to photographic records. All the flora and fauna deserve a wider audience. How spectacular is this land! The shingleback was there first. Why shouldn't it lay in the road-sun? Get the trucks to make a detour! What a great place to have a Thai meal and talk politics (grrrrr) and share great food with local wine. Hmmm. You are certainly filling these years with the very best of life. And I'm happy to sit back and share, although I almost fainted clear off my desk chair seeing the photo of the sky walk in the distance. Vertigo is weird!
A very quick acknowledgement of your comments Wendy - we are ina coffee shop in Manjimup so I am going to take advantage of the signal to update the blog & will converse more fully with you after tomorrow, when we will sift camp to Augusta.
DeleteToday's blog post. I'm on the right page for this one. I'm not sure which wow factor you're talking about or are you becoming desensitised by having so many wow-factor-vistas to enjoy? I am laughing though because there we've been rabbitting on about needing a word for the "wow-factor". Sounds like we're trying to put our natural treasures on "Australia's Got Nature" or one of those obscene competition tv programs. Let's find a word! I'm going to look right now. That poor banksia! It doesn't know! OR will this banksia turn into an amazing plant and share some characteristics of a dead paper-bark? Ok.... still thinking about the lorax.
ReplyDeleteconfession, I honestly thought I had replied to the previous blog but obviously my imagination tricked me. It had me go get the map out cos I had you on the other side of the world briefly. Thankfully with Wendy`s company here I need not get into any lengthy wow! factors for I am totally blown away and am practicing that new word `eutierria` you have added to our repertoire of this most astounding environment we inhabit. It works for me if I pronounce the ti as chi, not that I mean to do any injustice to its meaning or heritage pronunciation by giving it some kind of spanish ring, just to give it a sound effect that enables me to convey a personal meaning. However I will stand corrected when I hear it pronounced in its vernacular. My imagination has me using it before eating/drinking like the Japanese do with their `itadakimas` meaning thank you for the good food/ lets eat and `kampai` for cheers and `sogoi` so beautiful. Everything you describe, photograph, convey is breathtakingly beautiful, even with sound effects of those black galahs and like Wendy those views from the top of the knoll gave me vertigo, Tis like being a virtual road trip! But Murray do you not think you may be just a wee bit close to the edge. Reminded me of the time at Halls Gap when a group of us all went for a walk to the Pinnacle half a doz adults and about 20 kids running on ahead despite our disciplinary calls of wait up. On catching up to them there they all were lined up across this precipice of a thousand foot drop. None of us dared yell as we walked very quietly up to each of our offspring to urge them back, before screaming at them. How none of them fell/tripped/pushed/stumbled is amazing, still gives me the jeebies today. Going now to get my sketch pad out, those little wrens, landscape views, loraxes and post fire flowering stalks have got my fingers itching. Simply spectacular as I say ditto to Wendy`s reply. WOW! is the only word I can up with too, said with every emotion of beauty and amazement it can represent. What a backyard we have, any wonder people chose to settle and make a modest income from their garages with so much natural beauty on hand. Thanx again from the silent one in the back seat :-) xSq
ReplyDeleteDitto for my comments to Wendy Squires - will be in touch tomorrow.
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