Getting lucky at Lucky Bay (pun intended)

After a few hectic days in Esperance doing chores (laundry, shopping, cleaning etc) we decided to check out Cape Le Grande NP as we had heard on the travellers' grape vine that the Lucky Bay campground had reopened. We spent the Tuesday exploring and loved Lucky Bay, if we could get a site it would be perfect for Easter and 'The Crellins' when they arrived in a week. The next morning we packed up super early and managed to get there by 8am and luckily secured a site (there are no bookings, you basically have to grab a site as soon as someone leaves!). Thanks to Daniel's incredible ability to befriend and chat with people we then managed to get an upgrade the next morning to a site with full beach views that will fit Dave and Bec's van as well as ours, talk about lucky!! 

Over the last 6 days we have:

- become very aquatinted with the resident kangaroos who are so comfortable with humans. We have actually had to shoo them away several times as they have tried to steal food from the kids. They just lounge around our campsite and are not at all perturbed by us. 

- been taking up to the nearby caves overlooking the ocean by our neighbour, Michael, who we have become good friends with. He has 4 older sons and was a stay at home dad so has really taken to the kids and is being a substitute grandparent, teaching them ball games, and doing cooking and craft with them.

- eaten lots of lovely crumbed herring caught by Daniel who has had stellar success with fishing, catching some very large herring and getting some green lip abalone.

- climbed Frenchman's Peak, a reasonably difficult rock climb to a large cave then on to the top for some spectacular views of the National Park.

- checked out the other beaches in the National Park (Thistle Cove, Hellfire Bay (both incredibly beautiful) & Rossiter (covered in weed but lots of abalone)).

- did the lovely coastal walk from Lucky Bay to Thistle Cove, admiring the vast array of plants and wildflowers.

- did a day trip into Esperance, taking the 22km drive along Le Grande beach. The sand is so fine and becomes very hard when damp so you can easily drive on several of the beaches.

- learnt to make friendship bracelets and dream catchers with Michael. Emilia has really taken to it so be ready for some homemade gifts Grandma and Nanna!

We are so excited to have Dave, Bec, Xavier and Madi coming to visit and we excitedly await their arrival this afternoon after their epic 4 day drive from Melbourne.

Catching dinner at the far end of Lucky Bay.

Driving on Le Grande Beach towards Esperance

Some of the VERY friendly kangaroos.

Up in the caves overlooking Lucky Bay.

Jackson doing his usual - squeezing into tight places, this time with an added level of danger.

Inside one of the many 'rooms' of the caves we found.

The kids had a lot of fun with the little 'windows' in the rocks.

Looking out over Lucky Bay, the campsite is left top, the hollowed out rock in the middle is where we had lunch.

 

The caves we had explored (photo taken from our lunch spot in a hollowed out rock)

 What a camp site - we open the door to look out onto Lucky Bay.

Thistle Cove - another amazing beach at Cape Le Grande NP.

My little rock climber decided not to take the path and go up and over instead!

Sinking in the soft sand at the far end of Lucky Bay (camp area is far left at other end of bay).

Working on her friendship bracelet.

Frenchman's Peak

Scaling the steep rock of Frenchman's Peak.

The large cavernous area just before the top of Frenchman's Peak (a window to the beauty of the NP).

We made it - on top of the Peak.

Emilia was very proud of her effort climbing (so she should be!).

I'm the king of the world!!!

At the top - not sure what the kids were screaming out!

Hard at work at Hellfire Bay.