The Leeuwin Lighthouse was probably my favorite sight in Margaret River. It stands on the most extreme south west point of Australia. It came into service in 1896 and is everything one imagines in a classic lighthouse scene. It’s position means that pretty fierce winds are blowing twenty four hours a day, which only enhances its charm. It’s built from local stone and guides ships as they cross from the Southern to the Indian Ocean.
I’ve been dying to see where two oceans meet since a business trip to Cape Town, South Africa 15 years ago. We had some time to kill between meetings and our local colleagues suggested we drive down to the Southern tip of Africa to see where the south Atlantic met the Indian Ocean. They painted an enchanting vision of two oceans colliding. My boss, a workaholic, told them that if we had that much extra time, it would be best spent in the office working. I’ve been intrigued by the concept ever since.
The meeting of the Southern and Indian Oceans is not as dramatic as the one I imagined in Africa. We searched long and hard but simply could not determine any one point of collision. Nevertheless, the idea of two oceans merging into one was there and we enjoyed seeing it despite the lack of visual proof. And it was definitely something you can’t find in Northern California!
The low light of our trip? The two kilometer walk around the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse where we – and other innocent hikers – were attacked by swarms of flies. Awful.