Another beautiful day! The wind has dropped too, perfect for breakfast outside. I am sure the birds know it is the weekend – they seemed chirpier this morning.
We had decided to walk into town to go to the Saturday Farmers market. Before this there was a bit of Apollo action in that we plugged the electricity into the mains to ensure we are fully charged before we set off in a couple of days – well we thought we were being technical. …..

This done, we set off. Past the pigs having breakfast and Apollo being charged with electricity and onto the road into town. 

It was a very attractive path through the trees, running parallel to the road…

It took just under the hour to walk into town and find the market. Margaret River was all of a buzz. Not only was it Market day but it was the state elections. Everyone is required to vote in Australia so there was a lot of coming and going. The market itself was quite fun and I felt it had a ‘Woodstocky’ feel about it. In addition to the stalls of produce, there were musicians and small groups sitting on the grass and a number of people with matted dreadlocks – a prerequisite for this sort of occasion in my experience. It definitely had a carnival air to the whole occasion!

Helen found the coffee stall as usual.

The same coffee house as we visited on our tour! We had a great time buying our food for the next couple of days and after filling our rucksacks we headed off into the town proper (me with a strong smell of basil from the biggest clump of it ever in my bag!) to visit the information centre and buy a sharp knife – there is not a sharp knife to be found in Kitty Kat Lane Towers.  

Fully equipped and informed we returned home with our supplies and having quenched our thirst, we set off to the sea. We found a surfers cafe near the beach and had lunch within sight of an amazing array of surf boards….

We then took off through a park area 

and over the dunes to the sea – it was as beautiful as ever, edged by white sand, but here shelving quite deeply. 

We walked on along the coast and came across a sufing competition We watched for a bit but saw no dramatic waves.  In fact the surfers seemed to be having problems finding a wave to surf,  from what I could see. Perhaps it was just a bad day at the ocean……. a bit tricky when you have an audience and your every move is being commentated on over a loudspeaker!!

Walking on we came to the mouth of the Margaret River.  It was a bit spindly as it came down to the sea in fact it looked as if it was not quite going to make it!

In this bay the surfers looked like trainees – with lifeguards keeping a watchful eye on them. 

There certainly did not look much fear of anyone being washed out to sea by a big wave!!

We trundled back to the car and headed for home, all full of fresh air – there always seems to be a breeze on this West Coast. 

When we got home Ryan, the chap who owns the house and lives next door, came round to tell us he had been spear fishing and would we like some flush.  It was a fish called Dhu – I think this was the type rather than its name……

We were given three hefty portions which made our salad for supper into something of a feast!  It was wonderful and could not have been more fresh.  

Before supper we cracked open the bubbles we had purchased yesterday and had it outside while we watched the sun setting.  The perfect end to a perfect day.