It seems that the days of the 'Argos show' are well and truly over and instead we have become a competent crew handling our yacht with a serious amount of ease and confidence. Instead of Argos putting on the show we find we are now the audience rather than the performers!
The best show of our travels so far was put on by a pod of dolphins we encountered as we sailed into the waters off Esperance yesterday.
We set off from Bremer Bay on Wednesday, the first day we were able to do so, excited that we could set off again after some unpleasant weather. The winds were low but not blowing from the East, so while they were not helping us in a significant way they weren't hampering our efforts either. We had been out for only an hour or so on Wednesday when we were again saluted by a pod of dolphins, exactly as we had on our way from Two people's bay previously. It was as if they had been out in the ocean waiting for a sunny day for us to come out and play again! It was quite magical watching them - such amazing creatures as they are - they are breathtakingly beautiful to watch.
They accompanied us for quite a while before they disappeared.
Later - actually the next day - we were blessed again with another visit, from the Esperance pod this time. And what a visit it was!
There were dolphins everywhere, surrounding us, performing amazingly for us. Their gracefulness is achingly beautiful to observe and I would have to say that watching them, it was as if they had been rehearsing a show and were only too pleased for a yacht to pass by and be able to put on it on for us to see!
Erina was able to film a part of their performance and it is attached here for you to enjoy as well!
There are moments when out in the middle of nowhere you can feel a little isolated - just you, the family, the boat and the ocean. But the truth is we do not feel so alone out there. Apart from the sea birds, the whales and the dolphins there is an amazing sense, for me certainly, of connection with things much greater than ourselves. The knowledge that others are waiting to hear of our safe arrival also keeps us aware of our place in the wider world than us and Argos!
As a child I found the ocean to be the one place in the world where the weight of the traumas I was enduring felt a little less heavy. The sense that somehow the world was bigger than what was happening in my little part of it somehow sustained me until I was able to leave the violence I endured. Today I still find the ocean an amazing place where I feel the hand of God in the strongest possible way. When creatures like the dolphins accompany us it is a huge reminder that we are really a part of a whole big system!
So we arrived in Esperance bay as the sun was setting on the western horizon and despite having to navigate into the harbour as darkness fell, we were tied up at the mooring recommended to us by Mark McRae (thanks heaps Mark!) of Southern Ocean Sailing, and before 7.30 pm the kettle was on and we were settling in!
We expect to be here in Esperance for a week waiting for the right weather to continue on in our journey.
So far Esperence is utterly delightful! The town is very pretty and happily not on a hill! The walk into town to get coffee (the first thing I wanted to do!) and get to the laundry (the second thing I wanted to do) and to get to McDonalds (the first thing the children wanted to do!) is a very easy walk of less than five minutes! The boat is moored right in the bay near the yacht club and the view from our window is of a few yachts on swing moorings and then the expanse of clear white sand dunes on clean crisp beaches. So pretty.

Please note: ooops - the video file is too big and I can't upload it - I am trying to post it on facebook and then add a link - so please watch this place!