Six weeks into spring and I land in Esperance to winter. The winds, biting cold, the sky grey and serene as a dove, the rain, gentle and steady. I took a couple of day off to relax. It is an enforced requirement in my job schedule. I do it easily in places like Esperance. The bench at the groyne that overlooks the bay is my favourite place to enjoy a cup of coffee at sunrise. At times a seal or a pod of dolphins glide by or perhaps a solitary kayaker.
Determined to enjoy my break I headed out to Le Grande National Park, some 50 plus kms east of Esperance. The weather kept folks away, even the toll guy. Without the right change, I over paid my fee and drove in. The park is large at 316 square km. It’s easy to see if one is alone in the park. The winding roads make traffic visible. I’m exhilarated to find there is no one else around. I am alone with nature and in nature. The beauty of the Bays in this national park is stunning. Nine kms from the entrance I stop at Hellfire Bay, a small bay, almost private, with the bluest water. Next stop, a short few kms is Thistle Cove, cradled by granite cliff face. I’m yet to walk down to the bay. The pathway to the water is flanked by banks of native flowers. The distraction is easy and never resisted. Then, there’s Lucky Bay where kangaroos bask on the beach. I see a few caravans in the camping site. I’m not alone any more and I’m not sure if I’m annoyed or comforted. The first sight of Lucky Bay is a lasting one. It never fails to take my breath away. To ask me which Bay is my favourite, is like asking me which is my favourite child. I have not yet made it to Rossiter Bay, some six kms from Lucky Bay. Perhaps, therein lies my answer. On the way out, I take a quick trip to Le Grande Beach, all silver and roiling in winter-like weather.
For some people, it is a perfect day when the skies are blue as his eye and sunshine is a warm embrace.
For me, a perfect day also means when it is overcast and I wake to the sound of rain. It gets me out of my comfort zone. It brings on my ‘as if’ thinking. “Do it as if the sun is shining” was my mantra during my break. Looking at the sky in Esperance I took a chance there may be sunshine some 50 kms away. I was right, some of the time. It was worth the punt.
Perth went through a rowdy thunderstorm last night. The rain came with drama. I walked around my garden to find it alive. The air is sweeter. The birds, like me, subdued. And, in that stillness I found it is possible, if I waited, there may be a rainbow, or two. It is that feeling of anticipation, a glimmer of hope in the eye that scans a muted sky, that makes it a perfect day, because, one thing I know for sure, the sun always rises.
This post is for a friend. Your encouragement means a lot. I’ll write to you soon. In the mean time, keep yarning!
Until next time
As always
a dawn bird
A Shared Space 
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