A whale of a time in Albany, WA

It was a stormy night with more hail, rain and a noisy wind which sounded like it would take the roof off but all was intact in the morning so I guess it wasn’t as bad as it sounds. The forecast was for a cold 15 degrees with showers so we were in no hurry to get out sightseeing but eventually we did head off to Frenchman Bay where the old Whaling Station is located and running as Whale World where they have adapted Australia’s last whaling station with audiovisual displays in what were the whale oil storage tanks and the Cheynes IV whale chaser ship and whale and dolphin skeletons to give visitors an insight into what it must have been like in whaling days which only ended there in 1978. They also provide guided tours which certainly give a graphic picture of what went on when a whale was caught, tagged & pumped with compressed air to leave it floating fro collection later and then brought to the station for flencing which means butchering to be processed into oil and powder solids. It was a very interesting place to visit; the displays are well done and despite being repelled by the information we heard on whale killing, it was still part of our history in Australia which thankfully is no longer practiced and in fact is in stark contrast to our whaling cruises experienced earlier where we heard about research and efforts to conserve whales. Did you know that dolphins have five 'finger bones' in their fins like we have? I didn't! My only gripe about Whale World was all the slopes or stairs to climb up or down since my legs after yesterdays arboreal adventure are very tender and Fin took great delight in my signs of discomfort although I am sure he hurt too but wouldn't let on!
After having lunch in the Whalers galley cafe we went back along the Frenchman Bay road to take a look at the Blowholes, The Gap and the Natural Bridge. The blowholes were not as spectacular as the previous ones we saw; more like a fine gush of spray upward which was sometimes quite big and sometimes not very impressive. The splash and spray on other parts of the rocks in that area were really good and it was still great to spend some time looking at and photographing them. The Natural Bridge and The Gap are quite amazing formed of granite that has had loose blocks torn away by the strength created by the pounding sea. The part of the coast where they are is very pretty but is very exposed to strong winds which you can see by the photo of the tree which has given up trying to grow vertically and accepted being a ground cover instead! Despite the cold wind, it was lovely seeing this part of our country which was once bound together with the coast of Antarctica. I have put the information board up rather than try to retype the explanation of how they were joined but it's a fascinating thought isn't it?

Next we went back along the coast road toward town and to the Avenue of Honour commemorating the lives lost in the wars. It is a long road flanked by three deep trees on one side and two deep on the other with the name of a serviceman or woman who had fallen under each one. At the top there is a carpark and a fairly long walk up a path to the actual ANZAC memorial. It is called Mount Clarence Lookout at the top and you get great views of the Albany and the coast all around; Princess Royal Harbour, King George Sound with Michaelmas Island and Breaksea Island, Oyster Harbour and the Southern Ocean. It's quite a view! I need to learn how to make panoramas now.

Finally we went back to Dog Rock Motel where we are staying, did some shopping at the local supermarket, Fin washed the car and I uploaded the day's photos onto the laptop.

Now you may well ask about the name of the Motel but it is the name of the area itself and the reason is because of the huge rock in the shape of a dog's head on the side of the road there. Here is the photo so you can see for yourself.