May 2022 – photographyperthwa

If you look closely at this you will be able to see the seals.

Today is our departure day (Friday), but we don’t leave until 3.30 p.m. hence counting this as a day on the island. We were all up early, Eversley is working as a guide today (she has been volunteering here for a few years now) and we wanted to get our main bags packed for 8.00 a.m. pickup. All was managed and it made it easy to be ready to leave our cottage by 9.00ish.

We’ve hired a locker for our valuables, which we didn’t want to put into the main baggage, which means we can enjoy getting around without carrying too much on our backs. Stephen has headed off to Parker Point by bus with his binoculars to do a walk and observe ospreys. I had a short walk along the quokka trail by the lake.

Our location has been ideal for catching buses and enjoyable walks and being close to shops, pubs and cafes. Along with ideal weather this has been quite a wonderful stay. Eversley chose the cottage. It has a good view of the bay from the front windows and, being an older building, has high ceilings and a large living room.

Stephen and I agree that we have fallen in love with Rottnest from this visit. We are staying where there are trees and greenery. My memories of the island are that is was windy and scrubby, and as we travelled on the circut bus yesterday we saw that aspect of the island as well (without a strong wind and in cool weather still pleasant), but our main environment is in and around the settlement.

Yesterday we took the circut bus out to West Point. It is a hop off hop on type of service, running every 45 minutes. I wanted to see the seals. Our best view was using Stephen’s binoculars. I have a long lens, but not actually long enough as they were on a rocky outcrop offshore. With the binoculars we could see them swimming around in the waves as well.

Yesterday evening we walked to the lighthouse, about 1km away, so that we could be on the side of the island where we could see the sunset. We didn’t get a full afterglow, but it was still lovely and we had a bench to sit on overlooking the beach. We see the sunrise each morning from our house and a couple of morning I’ve walked out in my PJs to take photos.

We’ve been incredibly fortunate with the weather. Eversley booked for May as the weather is usually good, but the storms over the weekend and cancellation of early ferrys on Tuesday did not really hint at how nice it would be for the four days of our visit. We had rain on the first night, but just a little cloud, a breeze, and lots of sunshine since.

I’m on the verandah of the Dome Cafe, the fencing is to keep out these fellows. All of the entrances around the island have little gates to discourage quokkas, but this is the only verandah that is crow proof.

I almost forgot that we had lunch at the Rottnest pub yesterday, much nicer food than out at Geordie Bay and probably around the same price as we didn’t choose the more expensive food.

Quokka begging, he was so cute. The diners did not feed him, but there is good picking on the ground around the dining area.

Pelican on a pole. Obviously all poles are really pelican perches.

Stephen and Eversley arriving at the lighthouse last night

Our ferry was delayed due to storms on Monday and early on Tuesday. We originally would have caught it from Elizabeth Quay at about 8.30 a.m. Tuesday, but that ferry was cancelled and we chose the next available option, a 12.00 noon ferry from Fremantle. To catch it was fairly easy, we caught the 960 to the Perth train station, then the train to the Freo Station, then walked over to the B Shed jetty.

Our ferry was packed with people, workers returning to the island on the first available ferry for the week, plus visitors. Although it was a bit rough we took advice from Eversley to sit on the lower deck as far to the rear as we could. I sat next to a window, not recommended, but I had taken a Quell and kept my eyes on the horizon, and was able to enjoy the view of the waves and ships waiting to go into port.

We arrived ahead of Eversley who had booked our accommodation. After heading in the wrong direction (thanks Google) we found the Settlement and had lunch. We generally lazed about until E arrived and let us know she was at our cottage. We have three bedrooms and a nice port area, with a view of the bay. There is a large gas heater, not much needed, but as it simulates a log fire it is comforting.

In the evening we went to the general store for pizza, salads and wine for our tea. We are very close to the shops and cafes.

This morning (Wednesday) we were ready to go out at about 9.00 a.m. We took a walk up to the Vlamingh Lookout and along by the lake, then a bus around the accommodation areas to Kingston Barracks finishing at Geordie Barracks where we met Eversley’s daughter-in-law’s parents for lunch. We have a lovely time getting to know them.

After lunch Stephen went a bit further along, met up with Lou and Cheryl again and saw their cottage, then walked back. Eversley and I walked back to our cottage mostly along the beach, with a stop for coffee at Pinky’s beach bar, and we saw the glamorous camping area, which was lots of grey canvas and didn’t look glamorous.

After resting we went to the general store for food for our tea. When we came back we realised that we had forgotten a couple of things and Stephen volunteered to go and get them.

So far, I haven’t managed to get ‘the shot’ that I’d be happy with. But, the photos help to document what we’ve done.

Month: May 2022

Rottnest: Days 3 and 4

Rottnest in May: Days 1 and 2