I knew today was going to be a good day but I didnt think it would be this good.
I have always wanted to travel south of Busselton to Margaret River and this year I finally did.
A 530am start and I was on my way, I stopped in Margaret River grabbed a coffee and did a little research, I really wanted to visit a winery, see the famous beach where so many Surf competitions had taken place and check out more of the beautiful west australian coastline.
First stop Prevelley Beach, it didnt really grab me for photos, however the place has this calmness about it, in particular Gnarabup lookout, I just sat and watched the waves roll in while I wrote a couple of blog entries.
While sitting watching the pro surfers do their thing a car pulled up in front of me and who would get out to have a quick sticky beak? Kelly Slater of course, at one point I did think about knocking on his window and asking for a selfie of us, but alas that would have been a bit much .
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After spending most of the morning at Prevelley Beach a lunch stop was next on the agenda, I thought why not combine a winery and lunch. I found a nice little winery called Hay Shed Hill, really helpful staff and not to mention they had home made pizzas, ill take one thanks, but the price! $27 for essentially a medium, ok back to bread and water for the rest of the rally 😉
Next stop, The Margaret River Chocolate Co. My good friend Alan Beattie recommended this place quite a few times, I dont know what all the fuss is about personally 😉 if I am honest, I think Melba Chocolates in South Australia is better, but I had to get some gifts anyway.
The rest of the day was spent trolling the coastline, I drove along Caves Road towards Augusta, every road that looked like heading toward the water on my GPS i took, by far my favourite place was this, Hamelin Bay, wow, an old Jetty, white sands, turquoise water, an island, no tourists, perfect, I had my sunset spot, but I wanted to head further south to the South Western most point of Australia, Cape Leeuwin.
Apparently there are quite a few scumbags around :), I must say it would be very easy to break in to a car, the carparks are a good 200-300m walk down to the water, you wouldnt even hear your alarm if someone broke in, hence why I didnt venture down, not with all my gear in the car.
Just outside of Augusta and near the end of Caves Road, i came around a bend and was greeted by this site, I am not sure what the trees are, but with the sun shining on the bright yellow trunks It made for a pretty cool photo.
Next stop Cape Leeuwin, off course you have to pay to get to the edge, but for $12 it was worth it, until i got to the very edge and was greeted by the sign below, not to mention the staff member who issued my ticket also said (twice) stay behind the fencing, yeah right, I drive all this way and I am not even going to get to see the waves breaking on the rocks? Sorry the sign says ‘My responsibility’ so over I went, kids dont try this at home unless you are an adult and are responsible, its quite surreal standing there at the edge of two great oceans and the very tip of Australia.
A quick selfie, panorama and I was off back to Hamelin Bay, however on the way I was greeted with my very first Rainbow Pot of Gold, there it was in all its glory, I was shocked nobody else was stopping.
Hamelin Bay, and yet again the sun had eluded me, the storm was rolling in but I managed to capture the shots below, I would love to go back there when the sun comes out.
Tomorrow I will spend some time editing all my photos, writing these blogs and taking it easy before Testing begins on Wednesday. I hope you are all enjoying Behind VM, I certainly am :).