A Week in Cowan Creek 5th to 10th August

We have just spent the week in the various bays up Cowan Creek. In WA this would be a river, as even as far as Bobbin Head there was still 8m depth. Empire Marina (Halvorsen's) is at the navigable end of the creek just around the corner from Bobbin Head picnic area, and from here it shallows quickly, but continues on for a few more kilometres before petering out in mangroves. We walked as usual and discovered some interesting and energetic walks. The Sphinx walk was beautiful. It took us on a loop of 6.5km up the range to a 1/8th replica of the Egyptian Sphinx. It had been carved in sandstone by a soldier who had spent time in Egypt during the war, his purpose being as a memorial to his mates.

 

One of the outstanding Bays was Jerusalem Bay, which is quite long and narrow and we discovered a very tiny patch of sand where we could land Lily. The rocks are covered with oysters and as Lily is an inflatable dinghy oysters are bad news for her. This has been one of our enduring problems - finding a place to leave the dinghy safely to go ashore. From here we were able to climb a steep path up to Cowan and find a general store where we had lunch and a rest before retracing our steps back to Jerusalem Bay. On the way we met a couple of ladies (senior) and discovered that one was over from Geraldton. She practises as a vet, but Peter forgot her name so can't help you Judy. I didn't get introduced properly so missed it.

We tied up to a National Park courtesy mooring in a small bay off Jerusalem called Pinta Bay. Steep, forested hills surrounded our bay, and the other side of Jerusalem Bay, locking us into a dark green triangle. It is such a sheltered bay that no wind stirred here and the dark, oily water was completely glassed out. I couldn't help thinking that this would have been exactly how Cook would have seen this bay if he had come here. One thing he would not have heard was the sound of the road trains roaring along the distant Pacific Motorway. It was interesting because the deep valleys funnelled the sound down and somehow made it echo strangely into a really ominous growl.

As evening approached many different birds called as they prepared for the night, crickets chirped and fish splashed. After a while silence fell and I began to find it a little claustrophobic in this dark little bay with the distant growl of the motorway floating down to us. This feeling changed in a moment though when Peter decided to have a go at fishing. As he threw out the line it splashed into the water and we discovered the most amazing phosphorescence we have ever seen. It was so dark, no moon, just our small patch of stars above. We spent ages throwing water over the side and watching our own glittering fireworks show. Everywhere the droplets hit the water hundreds of rings of fluorescent light shimmered in the darkness. We could even see large fish chasing and catching smaller ones. In places where leaves and twigs disturbed the surface sparkles of light flashed like those on the overhead lines as the electric train goes by. All of a sudden our bay turned magic and I forgot the oppressive feeling I had earlier.

We spent three nights at Bobbin Head, an extra one because it rained for a whole day and we were confined to the boat. At Cottage Point we watched as the float plane brought people in for dinner at the local restaurant. Cowan Creek is a must for anyone contemplating this journey - an absolute treasure.