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Cables has an important place in the history
of Perth, and more recently, through the
addition of an artificial reef. Unless you don't mind a
limestone imprint of fossilized marine life
in your buttocks, you should take your beach
towel elsewhere. The white sandy
expanse of Leighton and Port Beaches to the
south, are much more suitable. Cables
forms part of the Cottesloe Reef ecosystem,
and is more popular with surfers and divers.
It is also a nice place to watch the sun go
down at the end of a balmy Perth afternoon.
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Sunset at
Cable Station Beach. |
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The setting sun and atmosphere, can sometimes play tricks
across the water. Here is a picture of Rottnest Island
taken from Cable Station Beach. The island is 18km
from the coast, yet features including pine trees,
lighthouses and wind propellers appear elongated. This
same effect can alter the appearance of ships on the
horizon, giving them the ghostly "Flying Dutchman" look.
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The beach is named after an international
telegraph cable that surfaced on the shore
in the days before satellite communication.
The old cable station building is still
there. Dutch mariner
Willem de Vlamingh landed at Cables centuries earlier
in 1697. His expedition was the first
to sight the future location of Perth.
To find out more about this famous journey,
check out the article on
Vlamingh. |
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Two surfers & Dutch
mariner Vlamingh
still waiting out the back for a Cables wave. |
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A Genuine Artificial Reef Wave:
The objective of the
artificial reef, was to generate
a consistent wave, and take some of the crowds away from our
northern beaches.
Well
that was the idea. |
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In reality, Cables is rather calm during
summer, though it still manages to look
impressive from the cliff top viewing area.
If the ocean is flat, just look 300 metres
out, and you will be taking in the view of
Perth's only artificial surfing reef.
Perfecting on Mother Nature is a tall order,
though I do believe the local fish population
find it interesting.
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USELESS FACT:
Take this
one with a pinch of salt. Dutch mariner Willem de Vlamingh was the first person to have
"sat out the back" at Cables. The year was 1697. In
coming ashore, Willem unknowingly, became Perth's first surfer,
as he caught that final wave onto the beach. |
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Vlamingh landing in
style (1697). Despite extensive digging, local archaeologists
are
yet to recover his board. |
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Catching
a wave in the late afternoon. |
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There is some debate about the wave quality at
Cables following the construction of the artificial
reef. To be fair, Cables works best during
winter, when a large swell is running along the
coast. To find out more about Cables and see
it in action, check out the article on
Surfing At Cables Artificial Reef.
There are some great winter breaks just south of
Cottesloe Beach,
that generate some nice waves along the
Cottesloe Reef. |
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Looking north
towards South Cottesloe Beach. |
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