Brisbane, QLD


Sunday, November 6, 2011

NO WHALE WATCHING

We stayed two nights in Albany, WA before continuing our tour with APT.
 We stayed at The Dog Rock Motel.  Can you see how it got its name? We had the choice of going whale watching or visit an historic farm. I went whale watching but Bill, Helen and Paul went to the farm.

 Unfortunately, there were no whales about this trip but we did see some dolphins. They enjoyed surfing in the boat's wake.

 However, the cruise on King George Sound was very relaxing and the scenery was beautiful. There were some posh houses overlooking the beaches.

We passed the old whaling station. It was the last whaling station to close in Australia after 26 years of operation. It closed in 1978. It has been transformed into an extremely well organised whale museum. Later we were taken to visit the museum. The boat is the Cheynes 4 whale chaser. The big tanks used to store whale oil but now they are movie theatres where documentaries on whales are shown.  The visual and audio displays were quite shocking to experience.

Whale skeletons.

This beautiful beach used to be awash with blood and beached whales. It's nicknamed, "Misery Beach."

Bill visited an old farm, now a museum. Before returning to the motel, I visited a wind farm and natural arch.
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17 comments:

  1. Betsy Banks AdamsNovember 8, 2011 at 2:50 PM

    Hi Diane, WOW---that whale skeleton is HUGE..... I have never been whale watching --but hope to do it sometime (if we ever get to Alaska).....

    Beautiful photos.
    Hugs,
    Betsy
    P.S. Love the Dog Rock!

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  2. GardenOfDaisiesNovember 8, 2011 at 3:52 PM

    It makes me so sad to think of the beach covered in whale blood. And I'm very glad to know they don't hunt them there anymore. I have loved whales ever since I was a little girl and realized that they rhymed with my name. My family used to save all the whales in the box of Peek Freans iced animals cookies for me.

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  3. DesireeNovember 8, 2011 at 7:13 PM

    What an experience. A tug at the emotions, for sure. How gratifying to hear this practice was stopped in 1978. The reworking of the old whaling station has been done very empathetically it seems. That beautiful beach should be renamed after all this time, as it feels too haunted otherwise. Your pictures as always are a treat and I'm looking forward to the next stage of this marvellous journey.

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  4. Joan ElizabethNovember 8, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    Dog rock is interesting ... not sure which trip I would have taken. I have never been whale watching but I hate floating around in boats.

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  5. SquirrelQueenNovember 8, 2011 at 7:30 PM

    I would have picked the whale watching too. Sorry you didn't get to see any but at least the dolphins showed up. We have seen whales many times off the coast of California and Oregon and in the inlet along the Highway outside of Anchorage.

    Once we were on a rocky beach in Oregon when we heard a whale sound very close to us. I went scrambling over the rocks and came almost face to face with him just before he dived.

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  6. Arnab MajumdarNovember 8, 2011 at 8:29 PM

    Whales are beautiful animals. It's unfortunate there are a few who simply fail to understand that...

    Cheers,
    Arnab Majumdar
    ScribbleFest.com

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  7. cathy@homeNovember 8, 2011 at 8:43 PM

    I am realy enjoying your holiday what a lot of history Australia has

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  8. biebkriebelsNovember 8, 2011 at 9:02 PM

    I am so glad they stopped killing whales, it looks awfull. In Japan they still do. As a child I had to drink a spoon cod-liver oil a week. It tasted awfull and came from the poor whales. The dog rock is funny.

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  9. MadSnapperNovember 9, 2011 at 12:13 AM

    love that dog rock, and the water is gorgeous, so green blue. nice beach and the rock house i really like.

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  10. GeorgeNovember 9, 2011 at 1:20 AM

    It's too bad you didn't see any whales, but I agree that the cruise provided some beautiful sights. The rock that gave your motel its name is amazing.

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  11. GattinaNovember 9, 2011 at 2:12 AM

    The skeleton is huge ! We can watch dolphins here and human whales !

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  12. Betty ManousosNovember 9, 2011 at 4:18 AM

    i love whales, i'm so glad they stopped killing them, at least in that country.

    i was thrilled to see your wonderful photos!
    such stunning scenery, too!
    i would have picked the whale watching, too. sorry you didn't see any whales...

    have a great day!

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  13. RoeHNovember 9, 2011 at 6:36 AM

    I've always wanted to go whale watching. All the times I've been to California and I've still never done it. Not sure my tummy could stand that boat anyway. I didn't know I got sea-sick until I went on a harbor cruise in Hawaii. YUK!

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  14. CarlettaNovember 9, 2011 at 10:36 AM

    I was fortunate to have gone whale watching many years ago in the US state of Maine and one came right beside the boat - awesome experience.
    'Misery Beach' seems all too appropriate. So sad in many ways.
    Love that stone house on the farm but I think the whale watching trip was the right idea. :)

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  15. yevishaNovember 9, 2011 at 3:50 PM

    Diane, i'm always amazed at how entertaining your blogs are. esp. the travel ones. i love the photos

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  16. Michele R. UngerNovember 10, 2011 at 3:36 AM

    Dog Rock! I love Dog Rock! And having a motel right there is perfect. I do so enjoy "traveling" with you. Your photos are so darn GOOD and you have a great way with a description. Thanks for sharing your adventures.

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  17. Come Away With MeNovember 10, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    That whale skeleton is incredible! But I do hate the idea of Misery Beach...very sad.

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