Lucky Bay
From Geraldton we took the coastal route headed for Kalbarri so that we could stop in at our second Lucky Bay for the trip, the first being all the way back near Esperance. En route we pulled in to the small town of Gregory to see the pinkness of Hutt Lagoon. We arrived outside of the suggested ideal hours so probably didn't catch it in the best light, or maybe it's just one of those things better viewed through a drone or an Instagram filter.
Adding to the confusion of visiting a second Lucky Bay, we were greeted on arrival by the very same camp host that met us at our first Lucky Bay way back in November. It's become a fun feature of our nomadic life, seeing familiar faces resurface along the route.
It was windy and hot when we were there but it was an extensive camp area tucked behind a big dune system with a remote and private feel. The dune sands around our site were a storybook of animal and insect tracks.
A highlight of the area, we were advised, was a lagoon 2.5km up the beach accessible by 4wd through the dunes. Despite reassurance from the camp host that with tyres down and low gear it was a doable drive, it was still a big step for us to take it on; our first real sand driving. But being beyond walking reach and with nothing else to do than play on the wild beach directly over the dunes from our camp, we decided to go for it. Matthias insisted I drive.
It was definitely a hair raising drive out, but we made it unscathed. Conditions were however just as wild at the lagoon and not any good for swimming or snorkeling. I walked out to the point and onto the exposed reef while the kids played on the sand swept beach. The nerves returned when we were faced with the drive back to camp. And yep, that is where we came unstuck, or more correctly, stuck. The writing was on the wall as I hesitated up a soft hill, unsure which track to take and as my momentum dropped, I quickly realised I was digging myself into a hole. I had the foresight not to put my foot down any further and with an expletive I turned to the kids and declared we were bogged. To be honest, the fear of getting stuck was a lot more stressful than the reality. I set my mind to what we needed to do to get out and to appearing calm for the kids (Claire actually slept through the whole ordeal). The adrenaline kick of pulling off our recovery made the whole event totally exhilarating!
A kind couple stopped and endorsed our plan for getting out; tyres down another 5psi, dig a clear track for the wheels, lay the recovery tracks at the front, drop into low gear and don't stop! Out I popped and off I flew!
We celebrated the adventure with a drink and sandpit jacuzzies on the beach at the end of the day. With the weather still hot and windy and after all that excitement, two nights was more than enough for us at this Lucky Bay.
