Port Denison to Yallabatharra via Geraldton WA

Saturday 28th April 2018
Well I realised just before we went to bed last night that I had left my gold watch in the shower cubicle. I went to check out my luck for it still being there but was nosiree I was unlucky. It is probably the first time I have ever had a shower at 5pm, getting in before the grey nomads and the families. Unfortunately this was to my disadvantage as the watch was gone. I had a shocking sleep disappointed at my loss. Well my luck changed in the morning as someone had handed my watch in at the office. Yay!! No divorce before I even get married as it was a present from DB.

Well moving right along, we headed off to Geraldton for a swim in the 50m outdoor pool. Unfortunately it wasn’t heated and it was too cold but we did it none the less. It was a fast swim to keep you as warm as possible. The facilities in these country pools is amazing. Outdoor 50m pool with water polo pool at the end, 25m 12 lane indoor pool, hydro pool, baby pool and enclosed tunnel slippery dip into another pool. Fantastic.

Then we headed to the H magnificent HMAS Sydney II memorial, completed in 2001, has become the country’s premier site for honouring the 645 Australian sailors who were lost off the Western Australian coast during a World War II battle with German raider HSK Kormoran. The location of both wrecks remained a mystery for over 66 years until they were located in March 2008. It was quite spectacular.

Then we went to the St Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral. This was really unusual on the inside. I have never seen the inside of a church like it.

Then onto some housekeeping, food shopping and odds and sods we need for our adventure. I finally convinced DB to buy some Maxtrax to enable us to go on to the soft, white, sandy beaches without the stress. Yay ME!!

That was about it for Geraldton, we headed on our way hoping to make Kalbarri tonight but unfortunately, yet again we didn’t make it. We visited the pink Lake at Gregory and then decided as it was 5.15pm that we would stop at Linga Longa Campground on Lynton Station so that we would be setup in the dusk light as opposed to in darkness at Kalbarri. Boy are we getting better. Quite a shock to the system.

: Port Denison Beach

: Yay. Back on my wrist. Phew!!

: Another James Baroud tent. But this is a hire camp outfit at only $200 a day. Doesn’t take many days to reach $5000 at that price.

: Geraldton Harbour

: Entrance to HMAS Sydney II Memorial

: DOME OF SOULS: Dome-of-Souls This is the centrepiece and inspirational heart of the entire complex…

: The formation of the domed roof by a flock of stainless steel sea gulls, ( Larus novaehollandiae- “Silver Gulls”) comprising 645 individual elements, representing the Crew of the Sydney

: ..These birds are symbolic of the Souls of the departed, expressed in this ethereal way, serene, elemental and as spirits flying free, between water and sky. Historically, the souls of drowned sailors were believed to be embodied in Sea Gulls.

: The Podium of the Memorial is circular in form, echoing the shape of the Dome above. It is composed of cut stone from all the Seven States and Territories of Australia, symbolising the National composition of the crew of HMAS Sydney II. From the podium at the centre of the circle, an altar rises. This provides a formal place for wreath – laying on ceremonial occasions.

: The Wall of Remembrance. A semi-circular wall in West Australian Black Granite, embedded with flecks of natural gold, encompasses the South West sides of the Memorial. This represents the ‘encircling arms of the Nation’, welcoming home its Lost Loved Ones. The interior concave sides bear the names, rank and home base of the 645 men who lost their lives.