Camper Trailer Australia - April 2018

T

he strip of soft sand I was travelling
on was more of a narrow ledge than
anything else, set slightly above the
jagged twisted spires and clumps of
sea-eroded limestone rock that threatened on
my immediate right, while the wave-tossed
sea just a little further out was downright
intimidating. To my left was a steep scrub-
covered ridge of sand that effectively barred any
deviation that way. Suddenly the sandy ledge
gave out completely and the Discovery lurched
sideways into a fettuccine-like porridge of sand
and weed.
I thumbed the gearshift paddle back to
second, the low range box growling in time with
the increased rumble from the V6 turbo engine.
The only real response though, as forward

motion came to a quick end, was a plume of

sand thrown through my open door window;

'Bugger', I thought as I hit the window 'up'

button.

I clambered out the partly opened door and

surveyed the situation; it wasn't a great place

for a recovery, but you can't really pick and

choose the spot where the situation goes belly

up; you just do the best you can. With a flurry of

activity, a couple of Maxtrax and a bit of digging,

I scrambled backwards onto more level territory

out of the way of jagged rocks, wind and waves

— and then breathed a big sigh of relief.

Leaving Esperance

We had left Esperance nearly a week previously

where you hit the sandy stuff right on the

outskirts of town and within a few minutes be

climbing Wylie Head. This dome of granite rears

upwards in an unbroken curve of unblemished

rock and for first-time devotees it can be a

daunting experience as you nudge your vehicle

up to the rock-face and then, in low range, drive

up the steep slope with only sky to be seen

through the windscreen.

From the lofty crest of granite we dropped

down onto the sand of Wylie Beach and travelled

the sweep of coastline all the way to Cape

Le Grande and delightful Lucky Bay before

wandering on to Rossiter Bay.

You can't travel this long section of coast

between here and Streaky Bay in South

Australia and not be aware of Edward J Eyre,

the first European to explore this coast in 1840.