GateWAy Blog

Karin (left) and Maxine (right), tramping buddies,  on a mountain ridge in Nelson Lakes National Park, doing what they love to do – wilderness hiking!

Vicki get ready to get on the water

I’m Vicki. I’ve been paddling with the Albany Canoe Club on weekends for about a year now. I wanted to get some exercise and be on the water, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Going out with the club means I can share the experience, learn how to paddle well and enjoy the exercise. We get to see parts of Albany and surrounds form angles we’d not normally see from land. This phot is take on a trip we did to Nornalup. we stayed at the chalets and had 2 good days on the river.

Janet getting ready to paddle

I’m Janet and I’ve been paddling with the Albany Canoe Club for a couple of years now. I like getting out on the water, paddling the rivers and oceans around the South Coast. When it’s calm, it’s the most relaxing and peaceful thing out – just drifting along, watching birds, checking out the vegetation. Every now and then we’ll see fish, seals or whales. This photo is just before we set of down river from Nornalup. We generally paddle for an hour or so, stop for a cuppa or lunch, then paddle on to the next stop or go back.

Carol in the garden

I’m Carol and I moved into my new place at the beginning of 2009. I’ve enjoyed the planning and planting of the garden at the front and seeing how things progress – or don’t! I’ve got a mix of natives, bulbs, herbs and low bushes. The fenceline has been replanted twice a year with seasonal stuff – peas, sweat peas, beans. I’ve been pulling weeds and trimming the bushes today. I enjoy the bit of exercise, the fresh air and seeing what works and what doesn’t.

One of the many whales relaxing at Middleton Beach

In the last week, there has been many reports of whales at Middleton Beach, just a short drive from the city centre of Albany WA.

Beautiful clear days attract both pods of whales and hundreds of onlookers who all seem to relish time out at Middleton.  We  have even had reports that whales have been so close to the shore that they can hear the whales calling each other.

Thanks to Ilona Diessner who sent us this photo which was taken from a whale watching cruise.

Hi Everyone

Finding whales was not the problem – obeying the law…keeping 100 metres clearance zones was impossible!  The whales wanted Albany’s human company.  At Ellen Cove and Middleton Beach, human land-watchers were watched by whales…floating by…watching them!….interrupting curious glances while caressing their fellow whale companions with tails and flippers….sometimes breaching…seemingly just for fun…and as our boat lay inert…they’d drift over to ‘take a look’ before…more whale caressing, tail caressing, flipper fondling loveliness.  Thirty mesmerized silent people on ‘Sail-A-Way’.
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Hi Everyone

31 July, 9.30 am.

Grey-black, glistening surface water of Princess Royal Harbour….two black humped shapes metres apart, breaking the glisten, making barely a ripple….only the still wraith-mist of their breath hanging in the still air….300 metres away, on the other side of the channel….5 Southern Rights absolutely different, absolute fascinating.
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Hi Everyone

I thought I would give you a precis of the wonderful recent sightings we have had.

For the past three days I have left “Sail-A-Way” saying “that was the best whale sighting I have ever had….breaching, tail-slapping, close-up encounters, and whales, whales, whales…everywhere!

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Nine photographers shared in more than $1000 in prizes in the Great Southern People on the Go digital photography competition.

Golden Run

Prizes were presented this week to the winners of the competition, which was run
by the Great Southern Development Commission (GSDC) and Albany Gateway.

Tambellup farmer Debbie Cristinelli won the first prize of $400 for a bold and bright photo of her sons Devon and Flynn running through a canola crop.
Ms Cristinelli also won three of the ten encouragement awards for photos depicting her children and farming life.

Julie Holland won second prize of $200 for a well-timed photo of a motocross bike splashing through a muddy puddle. Ms Holland also won an encouragement
award.

Kelly Belfield took third prize of $100, along with one of the popular vote prizes, for a photo of a hang glider taking off at Shelley Beach.
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Hi Everyone

Yesterday a Southern Right became very curious about our “Sail-A-Way”…just outside the channel by the lookout.  My guests loved its curiosity and gentle sighs as it responded to our music.  I thought of the shore-bound watchers and wondered if our information could help them get past their fears of sea-sickness.
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