By Erik Skye

December 25, 2010:

Esperance - Its history is another example that puzzles when it comes to why this entire continent went to the English. The town is named after a French ship (among two) that took shelter nearby in 1792. The British didn’t get around to claiming this part of Australia (which they called New Holland at the time) until Christmas day 1826.

Esperance has abundant white sand beaches with warm clear Southern Ocean surf. It was so inviting that yesterday I just had to take a dip (my first of the whole trip so far). If these beaches were in Hawaii, they’d be packed with people and mega resorts. They have a little track here called “The Great Ocean Road”. It circles the area, covering the wonderful beaches. I drove it twice. There’s a little plaza of historic buildings (i.e. 1927 Police Sergeant’s Quarters & 1900 Doctor’s Surgery) preserved and converted to merchant shops in the middle of town.

The town has a population of 14,500 (according the sign), and it’s economic base appears to be grain transportation (there are super tankers in port waiting to be loaded) and tourism. There’s a very long pier extending out into the port, which is the old “tanker jetty”. It’s only used for pedestrians and fishermen now. There was a guy “squid jigging”, just like I had done as a kid in Washington State, USA. A sea lion was getting fed at the fish cleaning table (tricks for food?), and I took photos as I chatted with a woman from Albany who was holding a flashlight and making sweet talk to get the sea lion to pose for me, calling it "Sammy". “Is that his name?” I asked , thinking he was a mascot here. “No, it just sounds like a popular name for a sea lion” she replied.

This morning is Christmas, and I was worried I wouldn’t be getting my normal dose of long blacks on account of everything being closed. So I was walking the main streets, looking around, and waiting for ‘the jitters’ to manifest (caffeine withdrawal). Then I noticed activity at a bakery. Bingo! Long black time! I went inside and found a family of Asians running the show. They apparently were not honoring Christmas, in favor of commerce. Me too, but I was in the roll of patron. Anyway, the real reason I bring this up is because of the exchange I had with the little Asian girl who took my long black order.

“Long black, please” I said. “2 ice” was her reply. I looked at the machine (it was a self-dispenser, and I didn’t know what she was talking about), and replied “is the machine working?” “2 ice” was her reply. “I just want a coffee” I said. “2 ice” she said. We were looking at each other funny by now. “I don’t understand you” I said with a worried look. Her brother (probably) interrupted “2 ice”. I continued to look worried, and helpless. “2 DOLLA 80 CENT!” yelled the little Asian girl. Ah, she had detected that there was a hearing problem on my part. I got it this time (but I swear she annunciated better and used more descriptors).

I came back later for a second long black. The young man asked me what I wanted. “Coffee” I replied, and handed him 2 ice. “Oh” he said with a smile.

I’ve been eating ‘pot set’ yogurt. I love their yogurt here.

They call a pharmacy a “chemist”.

Let's head north (inland) now.