Lucky Bay
Bay near Esperance, Western Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lucky Bay is a bay located at 33°59′40″S 122°13′57″E[1] on the south coast of Western Australia, in the Cape Le Grand National Park.[2] Located southeast of Esperance, the bay is a tourist spot known for its bright white sands and turquoise-coloured waters.
In May 2023, Lucky Bay was voted as the best beach in the world in a study based on the votes of over 750 travel professionals.[3][full citation needed][4]
History
Matthew Flinders had sailed into the hazardous Recherche Archipelago, and found his ship surrounded by islands and rocks with nightfall coming on. He named this area Lucky Bay when his vessel HMS Investigator took refuge after a summer storm.[5] Recounting the adventure, Flinders wrote:[6]
The chart alone can give any adequate idea of this labyrinth of islands and rocks [...]. Seeing no probability of reaching a space of clear water in which to stand off and on during the night, and no prospect of shelter under any of the islands, I found myself under the necessity of adopting a hazardous measure; and with the concurrence of the master's opinion, we steered directly before the wind for the main coast, where the appearance of some beaches, behind other islands, gave a hope of finding anchorage. At seven in the evening we entered a small sandy bay; and finding it sheltered everywhere except to the south-westward, in which direction there were many islands and rocks in the offing to break off the sea, the anchor was dropped in 7 fathoms [13 m], sandy bottom. The master sounded round the ship, but nothing was found to injure the cables; and except the water being shallow in the north-west corner of the bay, there was no danger to be apprehended, unless from strong south-west winds. The critical circumstance under which this place was discovered induced me to give it the name of Lucky Bay.
Geography
In 2017 it was scientifically tested as having the whitest sand in Australia, and possibly the world, previously thought to be at Hyams Beach.[citation needed] Samples were collected from the top 10 centimetres (3.9 in) between the water and the sand dunes. The whitest sands are usually made up of fine grains of milky or frosted quartz and a lack of adulteration,[7][full citation needed] such as lubricating oils and other fluids leaking from cars driving and parking on it.
Tourism
The beach is known for its pure white sand that people drive on with their cars and clear tranquil waters bay. It is ideal for swimming, snorkelling, fishing, surfing, launching small boats and also for camping and whale watching. Nearby there are solar powered showers and public toilets. Kangaroos may be present in the beach area.
Gallery
See also
- Whitehaven Beach, a white sandy beach in Queensland
- Hyams Beach, a beach in New South Wales also with white sand
