Le Big Mac

The locals reckon we should carry an admiralty anchor but maybe a smaller one

Probably not the whoppa you are thinking of but Esperenace and the name Mackenzie are pretty well entwined. Certainly this is true of the port. Don Mackenzie commenced a tug boat operation at the port and has quite a legacy in addition to his 5 children. This is most evident near the corner of Esperance that we have been spending time as jetty rats at the EBYC opposite the port facilities and across the sea wall to the Don Mackenzie Waterfront Gardens.

The gardens have a number of information panels that outline some of the history of Esperance, the Port and its significance to the Western Australian economy.

Deeper than Albany and Bunbury. What does Melbourne say?

There a number of whimsical legacies too such as Don's Gazebo, his Lighthouse and the donation of the 2nd largest bell in the clock tower that was pictured in a previous post. The clock does not chime 24 hours a day. City fathers have been considerate to near by residents who don't want to wake in fright at night thinking that they have suddenly been transported to London. The Big Ben style chimes are silenced at night.

Some food for thought while you shelter from the sun

The crews of Urchin and Easy Tiger pose at the base of Don's Lighthouse

Close up view - so cute! A seal was spotted basking here earlier

We were lucky enough to meet 'Fud' and Faye. 'Fud' being Don's youngest son has now retired from the family business and is a cruising sailor on a Fusion 40'.... quite like Easy Tiger. Fud and Faye invited all six of us to a barbeque and we followed that up with some afternoon tea the next day. Wonderful people and a good time was had by all.

Fud's seafaring knowledge and eagle eye was welcomed when he observed our frayed mooring lines during a morning tea on Zofia. We hadn't noticed the lines although I dare say that the Bloke and I most certainly noticed the 35kn breezes that caused us to flip about in the pen and chafe the lines on the rasp-like surface of the mooring poles.We sense this might create an Awesome Award nomination! Please stay schtum and don't remind the others!