Tame The Wave, Are You Latino?

Rather blurred-eyed, I yawned and stretched my way out of our Bayview Resort villa at 7am. The rest of the group were still sleeping, but I wanted to steal a few moments alone by the beach. Being by the water, at that time of the day, gives me time to reflect as I gaze across the vast ocean in front of me. The busyness of life seems to no longer matter as the simplicity of nature oozes its way into my consciousness.

7am and descaling his catch from the night before.

Being a bay, the water was more like a lake than an ocean with barely any movements lapping the shore. We certainly do not have scenes like this anywhere near Shanghai, so I was overly happy soaking up every moment. I went for a walk and came across a man who had spent the night before catching herring (38 in total) and he was contently de-scaling the fish to be cooked later. It was all-so relaxing as we conversed about his life and how he takes a month off every year to spend at his campervan home not far from the beach.

An 8 am tennis game followed with Lezil’s dad and brother before Lezil and I jumped in the car for an afternoon exploring the coastline together. This is what really gets my juices flowing – an open road, a map and an innumerable amount of tiny towns and villages to drop in on. Going due west along Geographe Bay we eventually drove downhill to the shore, arriving at a remote place called Eagle Bay. A handful of houses clung to the low-lying hills overlooking the spectacular shoreline.

The deserted beach at Eagle Bay.

The limestone lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste.

The beach itself was made of silky smooth white sand and the clearest water I have ever seen. A number of outlaying rocks created knee-high lagoons allowing you to venture out without going in too deep.

Like so many occasions before, we had the whole place to ourselves. Back in the car and we drove up to the tip of the bay’s headland known as Cape Naturaliste. It’s limestone lighthouse, built in 1903, still stands today working as a warning for ships to keep their distance from the dangerous reefs and rocks dotted all along the coast. Paying for a guided tour ($11 AUD per person), our 35 minute walk around the lighthouse and up to the top, was a blustery affair. The wind had picked up pace, so much so, that our guide’s glasses were blown off into the nearby shrubbery.

The views from the top (123m above sea level) were literally breathtaking as you struggled to get your words out against the prevailing wind. Clinging tightly to the metallic white painted rails, we did the 360 degree walk to capture the views all around before getting down to ground level. Seeing as though it was so windy, I thought we’d go to Yallingup which is an aboriginal word meaning “place of love”. Nowadays, the main thing associated with the seaside town is surfing.

Very windy at the top of the lighthouse!

Record sleeves for menus!

With huge rollers crashing in, this was the place to try and tame a wave. Before getting in on the beach action, we decided to park up for some lunch at the only visible outlet – Shaana Café and Restaurant. We walked in 45 minutes before the advertised lunch closing time of 3pm. A friendly lady seated us at two comfy arm chairs that looked like they had come from an English tearoom. Two LP covers were handed to us as she said, “Here are your menus,” in a decidedly European-sounding accent. How cool!

We slipped out the laminated menus from within the record covers. The menu was an Italian fanfare with authentically described dishes and ingredients.

I ordered a calzone filled with mozzarella cheese and spinach and Lezil went for a type of oven-baked pumpkin dish saturated in an intense tasting tomato sauce and cheese. Both dishes got a 5 stars rating. This was all too real Italian to be made by an Australian. Ordering our chocolate hazelnut cake to be boxed up to go, we got chatting with our friendly European lady.

The story goes like this. She, Chiara, and her husband Alfonso and three year old daughter moved to Australia and bought the place last June, spent two months doing it up and opened their restaurant in September.

Siiting in our comfy armchairs with our Italian food.

With Shaana Café co-owner, Chiara.

They employ a staff of around eight people including two chefs in their early twenties brought over from Italy (that explains the perfection of the Italian recipes we tasted!). It was so captivating hearing her story. After a few years running their business there in Yallingup, they plan to do an incredible overland trip from Singapore back to Italy with a six-month stint in India – now that’s what I call global citizens.

Doing and email swap and promising to keep in touch (what a friendly bunch!), we could hear the commentaries of an ongoing surf competition as we stepped out of the restaurant.

There was a gazebo, rather struggling against the crazy gusts of winds, where spectators stood to watch surfers battle it out in the water below. There were different categories, each awarded for their style and the wave they managed to catch. We stayed for the stand up and paddle segment which uses a thicker board than a surfer’s one and comes with a paddle.

I really admired the determination of the competitors as each wave rose up like an angry dragon unravelling its breath of fire with venom. And seeing the odd person getting caught in the wave was pretty nail-biting to watch. I wasn’t all clued up with all the rules and points.

Some of the surfing competitors at Yallingup Beach.

With Peruvian surfer Geraldo who has been in Australia for more than 20 years.

 So I approached one official behind the competition stand area. The split second he uttered his first few words, I had to stop him in mid-sentence, saying “Eres tú latino?” (“Are you Latino?”) He paused looking at me wondering if I actually had spoken to him in Spanish?

It transpired that we were neighbours – Geraldo was Peruvian, and me the Ecuadorian. He works as a surf teacher and competition organiser and fell in love with Australia after a simple holiday trip more than 20 years ago. Despite his long time down under, his South American accent was as thick as ever and he was equally passionate about his adopted country.

His motto was, “live where you feel most comfortable, if it’s not for you, then move on…” He literally spends every day by the beach and at 64 years old – it certainly has done him a world of good looking nothing like his actual age.

The day wrapped up with a major indulgence at one of the region’s best loved ice cream brands – Simmo’s. It actually came over from Northern Ireland and was first set up by a father and son team in 1993. Today it has several outlets in Western Australia with over 100 flavours to choose from. The scoops were generously placed on the cones as we took them to the garden out the back. My Apple Pie flavour was spot on with the chunky bits of cooked apple seasoned in cinnamon, tasting like it had just come out of the oven. Lezil had the flavour of the day, Burnt Caramel with Salty Caramel Swirl. Ice creams put away in record time, it was back to the resort for an early evening match of tennis and swim (much calorie-burning needed!). 

Arriving at Simmo's for some delicious-tasting locally produced ice cream!

Playing giant Connect Four before our guided tour of Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse.

With our tickets to the lighthouse.

Going up the lighthouse's winding stairs.

View due north from the top of the lighthouse.

Stopping for a Shaana Café lunch at Yallingup Beach.

Shaana Café co-owner, Chiara, serving a customer.

Some of the wave action at Yallingup Beach.

At Simmo's ice cream with a great little saying!

With our two delighful flavours of Simmo's scoops!