Albany

The beach at Cozy Corner

Robbiebago in the campsite at Cozy Corner. The beach is just behind that hedge you can see behind the van

The beautiful coastline of Albany and surrounds started for us with a couple of days at a wonderful beach side free camp spot called Cozy Corner just about 15 km east of Shelly Beach and 30 km west of Albany. It is a very popular place for camping and we were lucky to get such a spot.

Looking down on Shelly Beach

We enjoyed some quiet walks and time out in general and of course a swim and as mentioned in the previous blog entry it included the drive to Shelly Beach with its clear blue waters in 2 distinct colours, azure blue and turquoise. Of course the young hunks hang gliding off the top didn’t detract from the scenery at all.

The Robbibago surrounded by roos at Kalgan River, Albany

Bob petting the 2 White faced Kangaroos

After a few days in a semi paradise we moved onto Albany to the Kalgan River Campsite which boasts a 9 hole golf course, direct river access for boats and dozens of kangaroos including some unusual white faced kangaroos. We came here to meet up with friends, Helen & Tony whom we had met back in Bunbury. Lo and behold their next door neighbour at the park are Sandra and Laurie whom we had met back at the Big Brook Arboretum near Pemberton. Tony offered to teach Bob how to fish. So when the guys went off for a day of fishing in Tony’s boat, us girls went shopping as most of us needing warmer clothes for the approaching winter. Well Bob caught the first fish and then the last one , which was a poisonous blow fish, and nothing in between. He is very good at feeding the bait to the fish rather than hooking them. Still Tony & Laurie shared their spoils with us at dinner at night that Helen and Sandra cooked up for us all.

We attended the Church of Living Water in nearby Oyster Bay with another couple from the caravan park whom we had befriended. It was a very friendly contemporary Anglican Church though they still follow a modern Prayer Book service and the minister dressed up in the robes. We were made to feel very welcome there and were invited to stay for coffee afterwards. They have a very healthy attendance though there is still a bit of a gap of youth age kids but not completely absent. They have a very talented worship leader who led on acoustic guitar and a keyboard and a bass player too! (There is a drum kit in the background but no player this morning!)

The waves pounding at The Gap

Almost next door to The Gap is the Natural Bridge

We also did some sightseeing trips around Albany including the Gap and the Natural Bridge and some beaches in the vicinity. The blowhole was a disappointment; it was a lot of noise but no spray. Tthe rocks surrounding it were not even damp. I kindly called it Puff, however Bob had a more impolite name for it that I can’t mention here. The Dog Rock is visible anytime you go into town. We finished with a visit to the War Memorial on top of a hill which is also a great place as a lookout over the town.

One of the many beaches around Albany

Another one of the many beaches around Albany

Sandra taught me how to crochet. I am starting a lap rug for my first project. I can’t make any more explosion boxes as I have no more room to store them in the Robbiebago. So this is what I will be doing whilst Bob does the driving from now on.

View from the Albany War Memorial over Albany's Port

View from the Albany War Memorial over Albany's beach