An Instagram sensation, visitors fascinated with Western Australia’s pink Lake Hillier near Esperance have one opportunity in the next year to see it close up with a cruise to Middle Island off the coast of Esperance on 11th January 2020.Esperance Island Cruise manager Jaimen Hudson said that they only operate one cruise per year to Middle Island because of its distance.
“It’s a really special tour and very few people have the opportunity to get up close to Lake Hillier because it’s extremely isolated – it takes about two hours to cruise there from the Duke of Orleans which is 100 kilometres east of Esperance,” Jaimen said.
Usually, the only way to see Lake Hillier is by taking a scenic flight with Goldfields Air Services or by chartering a plane or boat.
Entirely natural, research shows that Lake Hillier’s vibrant pink colour comes from 10 species of salt-loving bacteria, archaea and several species of Dunaliella algae that are almost all pink, red or salmon-coloured. Guests will be able to marvel at the phenomenon from the lake’s viewing platform.
Jaimen said that added benefits of taking the cruise are the wildlife encounters along the way and being able to spend a decent amount of time on the island marvelling at the lake and beautiful scenery.
“On the cruise, we often encounter dolphins playing at the bow of the boat as we cruise to Middle Island.
“The cruise also includes a stop at the campground ruins of Australia’s only recorded pirate, Black Jack Anderson who used Middle Island as a base.”
The 60-foot vessel is limited to 40 passengers and the full day tour costs $320 per person and includes lunch, tea, coffee and water. Passengers urged to book via www.esperancecruises.com.au/
“Guests are always blown away by how incredibly clear the ocean is, it’s almost like a sheet of glass in some spots,” Jaimen said.
Further to Middle Island, there are 105 named islands and about 1200 obstacles to shipping known as unnamed islands and / or reefs in the region.
Australia’s Golden Outback CEO Marcus Falconer said that visitors are encouraged to plan their trip to Esperance now and book their place on the cruise to avoid disappointment.
“January is a perfect time of year to visit Esperance and take advantage of being able to cruise to Middle Island to see Lake Hillier and enjoy the unique and fantastic attractions of the area,” Marcus said.
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