Jan 10 Geraldton

After 4 days at sea we made landfall in Geraldton, Western Australia.  This little town has the advantage of having a harbor and dock so we didn't have to consider tendering to the port.

A brief recount of our non-visit to Exmouth: Here's the GPS track showing us getting close to Exmouth, but not really getting there.  Then the loop when a medical emergency required us to get closer for the helicopter recovery.  The major axis of the loop is about 38 miles.  That's how we ended up with 4 days at sea.

 Everywhere in Australia the people are very friendly and helpful.  These were the volunteers meeting the ship in port.  We found them everywhere, eager to help and very happy to see us.

 There was a shuttle bus from the port into town -- the Visitor Center.  While waiting for a taxi I investigated the Town Beach and its immense children's playground.

 After car rental we went to the HMAS Sydney monument.  It was Australia's first cruiser loss in WWII, and it happened in a strange way as is typical of early war time encounters.  The Sydney was approached by an apparent merchant ship which after getting close, decamouflaged and revealed itself as a German cruiser.  The Germans landed all of the initial hits, sinking the Sydney.  The German Kormoran was also hit and sank about the same time.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_(D48) for a capsule summary of the engagement.

This is the main portion of the monument, with 645 seagulls, one for each man lost on the Sydney.

 The waiting woman, facing to sea.  Behind her is the monument representing the prow of the Sydney, returning to harbor.

 After the wreck was located in 2008 this fountain was added to the monument.  Water flows down into the map showing the location of the wreck, with the 645th seagull's wing pinpointing it.

There was a squad of volunteers at the monument, one of whom showed us around on a quick tour. 

 Up the coast to Horrocks Beach, proclaimed as one of the best in Australia.  Having been to Manly and Bondi earlier in the trip, we were unimpressed.  But the population around Geraldton is so sparse that this beach will never be crowded.

 Seen on the drive: A lone sheep sheltering among a couple of stunted trees, with a bird overwatch.

 The Pink Lakes.  One of the major exports is iron ore rock, which stains everything orange.  Here it has mixed with other minerals to make the water seem pinkish.  I will admit to some Photoshop help for the pinkness, which was evident to the naked eye.

 Bendy trees are common here with wind blowing constantly

 This was the Lynton convict site where convicts were "sold" to local farmers to provide labor.  Our Australian friends on this trip are Peter and Jenny Lynton, but they're from Melbourne.

 For lunch we stopped at the Oakabella Homestead, 3km on a dirt road from the main highway. This is the current office building.  We arrived just as the busload of Oceania excursion guests was loading up after their lunch.

 This was the original homestead built in the 1850's

 For lunch we were served scones with jam and Devonshire cream.  Very tasty.