Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Great Aussie Adventure - Day 16
I realize I forgot to include a photo of the Pajero the other day, so here it is now!!
After a night of steady downpours, the morning was bright and sunny! I stayed at the Dog Rock Motel and I wasn’t sure why it was called Dog Rock until I walked around and saw the rock. It totally does look like a dog!! Of course, it does help when you look at it from the correct direction.
I then headed toward Augusta (not the capital of Maine) and drove through Denmark on the way!! (Man, I sure did get lost a lot on this trip!) As I was driving and looking at my road atlas, I saw that there might have been another lighthouse that was not on the lighthouses of Australia website. So I thought I might as well check it out. I’m already running behind, so what is another side trip? On the way, I drove through several different national parks and forests. For a while, I thought I was in Redwood National Forest in California and was waiting for the Ewoks, or even Luke or Leia to pop out of the trees. But, no. Just huge trees!! (I should have remembered that when the road atlas shows a lighthouse, it’s usually a steel pole with a light bulb on top.) I stopped at the visitor center and saw a postcard with the lighthouse on it, so I continued. Driving through D’Entrecasteaux National Park, I was again reminded of California, Joshua Tree National Park this time. But I did make it to the Point D’Entrecasteaux Lighthouse. Much to my delight it was not a steel pole with a light bulb, but it was just a little thing. However, being in the National Park, the surrounding area was beautiful!
Leaving this National Park, I drove back through the area where Chewbacca and his pals hung out towards Cape Leeuwin and the lighthouse there. This is such an interesting spot as it the most south-westerly point in Australia and it is where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet. Awesome! I was eavesdropping and overheard the tour guide telling his group you can actually see where they meet!!! I hope from the video, I got it right! But this is also a cool lighthouse in addition to a great location! It was such a beautiful day and the water in both oceans was just amazing!
In the video, I said that this is the most SouthWesterly point in Oz, but it's actually the most SouthEasterly point in Australia. It still confuses me to have the Pacific Ocean on the East coast!! (And the beeping at the end is you Lisa, texting me!!)
Since this area is such a tourist attraction, there were several informative signs in the park. “When the Swan River Colony first set out to build a light at its southwest corner, the Eastern colonies rejected proposals to share the cost despite the fact it was agreed that a lighthouse was of importance to all ships heading past Cape Leeuwin. Following the gold rushes of the early 1890s, the Colony was able to fund the construction of a lighthouse itself. After extensive debate, Cape Leeuwin was chosen as the best location. The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse was constructed in 1895/6. Several shipwrecks had been reported in the area after the first settlers arrived in 1830. In 1881 the Colonial Secretary noted the need for a light to mark landfall and danger to shipping.”
“The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse was designed by the British Consultant Engineer, William Tregarthen Douglass, son of the famous Sir James Douglass. William had worked under his father as builder of the Eddystone … Lighthouse… The lighthouse was designed to have a tower elevation of 115 feet (35 meters) from base to focal plane height, with a range of light equal to 23 Nautical Miles, visible from a vessel’s deck. The foundation of the tower was laid 50 feet (16 meters) above the high water mark. The tower is over 105 feet tall (32 meters), supporting the lantern gallery above. Early designs incorporated a lower light to be located at the southern side of the tower. This was intended to direct a red light in the direction of the dangerous waters surrounding Cape Leeuwin, namely Alouarn Island, South East Rocks and Geographe Reef. The subsidiary light was intended to be visible seaward from a vessel’s deck at 14 miles (25 kilometers). However the Admiralty believed that the light would ‘entice mariners to approach the coast dangers‘ rather than repel them. The purpose-built lantern and lens array were instead installed at Bathurst Pt lighthouse at Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth.”
“The light apparatus was installed in 1896...The apparatus consisted of a 12-foot lantern and 920mm focal radius rotating lens… The original lantern and rotating lens are still in use today, although the clockwork drive mechanism has been superceded by an electric motor and the original light source upgraded several times."
In 1955, a radio beacon was installed at the lighthouse. The light was manually operated until 1982, when it was converted to electricity. It was automated in 1992. The tower is 7 stories tall and has 186 steps. It is 56 meters (184 feet) above sea level, is 39 meters (128 feet) tall is visible for 26 Nautical Miles. The light flashes every 7.5 seconds.
“Three residences were built in 1895-9 to accommodate the three lighthouse keepers required for the continuous operation of the cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Station. Three keepers were considered necessary to fulfil the day-to-day operational duties and to assure efficiency in case of sickness or emergency. ‘Married quarters’ were provided to allow the keepers to maintain a normal family life. Each cottage had three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, store and bathroom.. All three cottages were continuously occupied until 1988 and the last keeper to live in the cottage at Cape Leeuwin did so until 1998.’ (These are not typos - the last keeper left 12 years ago!!)
“The fourth cottage…accommodated the relief keeper who also collected firewood…In 1921 the relief keeper was withdrawn from service after a Government report suggested the fourth keeper was unnecessary. The house was demolished around 1928 and all that remains are its foundations.”
Since this is also where the two oceans meet, I’ve included some information about this from the signs as well. “Cape Leeuwin marks the point where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. At various times of the year the differing ocean currents, waves and swell patterns are evident in the waters around the Cape. This can create unusual conditions in the nearby waters. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current circles Antarctica west to east, between 40 degrees and 70 degrees south. Its northern edge turns north and heads up along the western Australian coast. From May to September each year the Leeuwin Current transports warm tropical water southwards around Cape Leeuwin and along Western Australia’s southern coastline.”
Southern Ocean
Where two oceans meet
Indian Ocean
I left Cape Leeuwin and went to Cape Naturaliste. I was too late to get there for a tour, but I did see it from a distance. This area was home to at least 12 terrible shipwrecks between 1845 and 1907. The Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is 100 meters (328 feet) above Geographe Bay was built in 1903. In 1904, the three lighthouse keepers quarters were added. In 1978, the light was automated and only 1 lighthouse keeper was kept on site. The light is painted with a special acrylic to match the original stone. The light flashes twice every 10 seconds, is 20 meters (66 feet) tall and is visible for 25 Nautical Miles. It is now 123 meters (404 feet) tall.
Another interesting thing of note, is the fireball that hit the tower in 1907. Ethel Baird, daughter of head light keeper Patrick Baird, describes the event: “It was 8.30am, a storm had been raging for 5 days, then it turned into a severe electric storm with terrible flashes of lightning and thunder which was deafening, then everything went quiet all of a sudden. We were standing looking out of the window facing North East, wondering if we could now go outside. It became very dark, then a large red ball of fire slowly appeared on the horizon. We watched it as it slowly moved towards us, the air became very warm. We were very frightened and then as it came closer, Mother quickly pushed we children under the beds. She got under a heavy dining room table, only just in time an the fire ball struck our house, breaking windows, the telephone rang violently, then it burst from the wall with a loud explosion, the noise was terrible. Mother became worried as Father was on duty up at the lighthouse. She put a coat on and rushed out leaving us screaming under the beds, to see if Father was safe. The pathway was all ripped up, to a depth of approximately 4' along the underground phone line from our house to the lighthouse. The wind was so strong that it almost knocked Mother over.
When she reached the lighthouse and went upstairs, on to the first landing, things were in a mess. Father said later that he put his hand on the phone to put through a weather report, and it blew up and out from the wall, knocking my Father unconscious. A long large cupboard, which was strongly bolted with long bolts to the wall, was blown from the wall. It had a lightning conductor running up the wall behind the cupboard from the ground to the top of the lighthouse dome and outside. This was twisted and torn. Everything was tossed and smashed up, that had been in the, path of the fire ball. It was terrible.
After the fire ball struck, there was loud thunder and lightning, like hell let loose for about an hour. Then the severity of the storm subsided and it became very quiet. Very heavy rain came down and lasted for a few hours, slowly stopping. Then everything cleared, the sun shone through and it looked so peaceful with raindrops glistening on trees and flowers.”
Keepers Cottage
And right when I got there, the sun was going down, it was awesome! Some people heading back down the trail said there where whales out there, but it was still a bit of a walk and it was getting dark and I didn’t want to be out there and have to walk back in the dark, so I skipped seeing the whales. (It’s ok, I’ve seen them before.)
And I still needed to get a room for the night. Unfortunately, there is a golf tournament in this area over this long holiday weekend and the two towns where I was hoping to stay, had no rooms!!! Luckily, in the last place I asked, the people called around and found me a room, but it’s 90k’s from the lighthouses that I wanted to see when I got up. We’ll have to see if I can make it back there tomorrow or not. I also drove past 3 others in the dark, so I’m sure I’ll head back in the morning to see them. There is one that I really wanted to see, because I think it looked really cool. But I do need to get up early, so that is all I have to say tonight. Oh, I did forget to say that when I got to the hotel, there were 2 CSI forensics guys in a room across the hall! (Christine, there was Crime!!) But I was too tired and there really is no other rooms in this area and it was 9pm when I got here!
After a night of steady downpours, the morning was bright and sunny! I stayed at the Dog Rock Motel and I wasn’t sure why it was called Dog Rock until I walked around and saw the rock. It totally does look like a dog!! Of course, it does help when you look at it from the correct direction.
I then headed toward Augusta (not the capital of Maine) and drove through Denmark on the way!! (Man, I sure did get lost a lot on this trip!) As I was driving and looking at my road atlas, I saw that there might have been another lighthouse that was not on the lighthouses of Australia website. So I thought I might as well check it out. I’m already running behind, so what is another side trip? On the way, I drove through several different national parks and forests. For a while, I thought I was in Redwood National Forest in California and was waiting for the Ewoks, or even Luke or Leia to pop out of the trees. But, no. Just huge trees!! (I should have remembered that when the road atlas shows a lighthouse, it’s usually a steel pole with a light bulb on top.) I stopped at the visitor center and saw a postcard with the lighthouse on it, so I continued. Driving through D’Entrecasteaux National Park, I was again reminded of California, Joshua Tree National Park this time. But I did make it to the Point D’Entrecasteaux Lighthouse. Much to my delight it was not a steel pole with a light bulb, but it was just a little thing. However, being in the National Park, the surrounding area was beautiful!
Leaving this National Park, I drove back through the area where Chewbacca and his pals hung out towards Cape Leeuwin and the lighthouse there. This is such an interesting spot as it the most south-westerly point in Australia and it is where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet. Awesome! I was eavesdropping and overheard the tour guide telling his group you can actually see where they meet!!! I hope from the video, I got it right! But this is also a cool lighthouse in addition to a great location! It was such a beautiful day and the water in both oceans was just amazing!
In the video, I said that this is the most SouthWesterly point in Oz, but it's actually the most SouthEasterly point in Australia. It still confuses me to have the Pacific Ocean on the East coast!! (And the beeping at the end is you Lisa, texting me!!)
Since this area is such a tourist attraction, there were several informative signs in the park. “When the Swan River Colony first set out to build a light at its southwest corner, the Eastern colonies rejected proposals to share the cost despite the fact it was agreed that a lighthouse was of importance to all ships heading past Cape Leeuwin. Following the gold rushes of the early 1890s, the Colony was able to fund the construction of a lighthouse itself. After extensive debate, Cape Leeuwin was chosen as the best location. The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse was constructed in 1895/6. Several shipwrecks had been reported in the area after the first settlers arrived in 1830. In 1881 the Colonial Secretary noted the need for a light to mark landfall and danger to shipping.”
“The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse was designed by the British Consultant Engineer, William Tregarthen Douglass, son of the famous Sir James Douglass. William had worked under his father as builder of the Eddystone … Lighthouse… The lighthouse was designed to have a tower elevation of 115 feet (35 meters) from base to focal plane height, with a range of light equal to 23 Nautical Miles, visible from a vessel’s deck. The foundation of the tower was laid 50 feet (16 meters) above the high water mark. The tower is over 105 feet tall (32 meters), supporting the lantern gallery above. Early designs incorporated a lower light to be located at the southern side of the tower. This was intended to direct a red light in the direction of the dangerous waters surrounding Cape Leeuwin, namely Alouarn Island, South East Rocks and Geographe Reef. The subsidiary light was intended to be visible seaward from a vessel’s deck at 14 miles (25 kilometers). However the Admiralty believed that the light would ‘entice mariners to approach the coast dangers‘ rather than repel them. The purpose-built lantern and lens array were instead installed at Bathurst Pt lighthouse at Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth.”
“The light apparatus was installed in 1896...The apparatus consisted of a 12-foot lantern and 920mm focal radius rotating lens… The original lantern and rotating lens are still in use today, although the clockwork drive mechanism has been superceded by an electric motor and the original light source upgraded several times."
In 1955, a radio beacon was installed at the lighthouse. The light was manually operated until 1982, when it was converted to electricity. It was automated in 1992. The tower is 7 stories tall and has 186 steps. It is 56 meters (184 feet) above sea level, is 39 meters (128 feet) tall is visible for 26 Nautical Miles. The light flashes every 7.5 seconds.
“Three residences were built in 1895-9 to accommodate the three lighthouse keepers required for the continuous operation of the cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Station. Three keepers were considered necessary to fulfil the day-to-day operational duties and to assure efficiency in case of sickness or emergency. ‘Married quarters’ were provided to allow the keepers to maintain a normal family life. Each cottage had three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, store and bathroom.. All three cottages were continuously occupied until 1988 and the last keeper to live in the cottage at Cape Leeuwin did so until 1998.’ (These are not typos - the last keeper left 12 years ago!!)
“The fourth cottage…accommodated the relief keeper who also collected firewood…In 1921 the relief keeper was withdrawn from service after a Government report suggested the fourth keeper was unnecessary. The house was demolished around 1928 and all that remains are its foundations.”
Since this is also where the two oceans meet, I’ve included some information about this from the signs as well. “Cape Leeuwin marks the point where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. At various times of the year the differing ocean currents, waves and swell patterns are evident in the waters around the Cape. This can create unusual conditions in the nearby waters. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current circles Antarctica west to east, between 40 degrees and 70 degrees south. Its northern edge turns north and heads up along the western Australian coast. From May to September each year the Leeuwin Current transports warm tropical water southwards around Cape Leeuwin and along Western Australia’s southern coastline.”
Southern Ocean
Where two oceans meet
Indian Ocean
I left Cape Leeuwin and went to Cape Naturaliste. I was too late to get there for a tour, but I did see it from a distance. This area was home to at least 12 terrible shipwrecks between 1845 and 1907. The Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is 100 meters (328 feet) above Geographe Bay was built in 1903. In 1904, the three lighthouse keepers quarters were added. In 1978, the light was automated and only 1 lighthouse keeper was kept on site. The light is painted with a special acrylic to match the original stone. The light flashes twice every 10 seconds, is 20 meters (66 feet) tall and is visible for 25 Nautical Miles. It is now 123 meters (404 feet) tall.
Another interesting thing of note, is the fireball that hit the tower in 1907. Ethel Baird, daughter of head light keeper Patrick Baird, describes the event: “It was 8.30am, a storm had been raging for 5 days, then it turned into a severe electric storm with terrible flashes of lightning and thunder which was deafening, then everything went quiet all of a sudden. We were standing looking out of the window facing North East, wondering if we could now go outside. It became very dark, then a large red ball of fire slowly appeared on the horizon. We watched it as it slowly moved towards us, the air became very warm. We were very frightened and then as it came closer, Mother quickly pushed we children under the beds. She got under a heavy dining room table, only just in time an the fire ball struck our house, breaking windows, the telephone rang violently, then it burst from the wall with a loud explosion, the noise was terrible. Mother became worried as Father was on duty up at the lighthouse. She put a coat on and rushed out leaving us screaming under the beds, to see if Father was safe. The pathway was all ripped up, to a depth of approximately 4' along the underground phone line from our house to the lighthouse. The wind was so strong that it almost knocked Mother over.
When she reached the lighthouse and went upstairs, on to the first landing, things were in a mess. Father said later that he put his hand on the phone to put through a weather report, and it blew up and out from the wall, knocking my Father unconscious. A long large cupboard, which was strongly bolted with long bolts to the wall, was blown from the wall. It had a lightning conductor running up the wall behind the cupboard from the ground to the top of the lighthouse dome and outside. This was twisted and torn. Everything was tossed and smashed up, that had been in the, path of the fire ball. It was terrible.
After the fire ball struck, there was loud thunder and lightning, like hell let loose for about an hour. Then the severity of the storm subsided and it became very quiet. Very heavy rain came down and lasted for a few hours, slowly stopping. Then everything cleared, the sun shone through and it looked so peaceful with raindrops glistening on trees and flowers.”
Keepers CottageAnd right when I got there, the sun was going down, it was awesome! Some people heading back down the trail said there where whales out there, but it was still a bit of a walk and it was getting dark and I didn’t want to be out there and have to walk back in the dark, so I skipped seeing the whales. (It’s ok, I’ve seen them before.)
And I still needed to get a room for the night. Unfortunately, there is a golf tournament in this area over this long holiday weekend and the two towns where I was hoping to stay, had no rooms!!! Luckily, in the last place I asked, the people called around and found me a room, but it’s 90k’s from the lighthouses that I wanted to see when I got up. We’ll have to see if I can make it back there tomorrow or not. I also drove past 3 others in the dark, so I’m sure I’ll head back in the morning to see them. There is one that I really wanted to see, because I think it looked really cool. But I do need to get up early, so that is all I have to say tonight. Oh, I did forget to say that when I got to the hotel, there were 2 CSI forensics guys in a room across the hall! (Christine, there was Crime!!) But I was too tired and there really is no other rooms in this area and it was 9pm when I got here!
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About Me
- Laura
- Denver, Colorado, United States
- I'm originally from Colorado, but I've been living in Australia for three years. Before that, I lived all over the U.S.: Washington State, Maine, California, Oregon, Nebraska, North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and more... No, I'm not a military brat or a military wife; I was a traveling nurse for 5 years so I moved to a new city every 3 months. During my travels, I became intrigued with lighthouses and started making plans to photograph as many as I could in whichever state I was living (including the two in Nebraska!) My blog is about my trips to various lighthouses, as well as other interesting trips. I hope you enjoy reading, and leave a comment or two!
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