Safety Bay

Beach

Safety Bay beach (WA 797) extends west of the first cuspate foreland for 2.1 km to Mersey Point, with a second gentle foreland located in the centre (Fig. 4.173). Two shallow sand shoals are linked to both of the forelands, with seagrass meadows in between. The beach faces south with... Read more

Safety Bay beach (WA 797) extends west of the first cuspate foreland for 2.1 km to Mersey Point, with a second gentle foreland located in the centre (Fig. 4.173). Two shallow sand shoals are linked to both of the forelands, with seagrass meadows in between. The beach faces south with usually calm conditions, except during summer sea breezes conditions when low wind chop reaches the beach and seagrass debris is commonly washed up onto the shore. A foreshore reserve, road, then houses of Safety Bay back the beach all the way to the point. A boat ramp, jetty and yacht club are located in the Safety Bay Foreshore Reserve with boats moored off the jetty. Mersey Point is connected to Penguin Island by a 500 m long shallow sand shoal. Shoalwater Bay is part of the 3 km wide cuspate foreland formed in lee of Penguin Island and a chain of reefs that lie 1-1.5 km offshore and extend 4 km north to Point Peron (Fig. 4.171). The bay as the name suggests is dominated by relatively shallow water, with extensive sand flats extending between Mersey Point and Penguin Island and out to Seal Island and Shag Rock. The near continuous line of reefs and small islands shield the bay from ocean waves, resulting in waves averaging only 0.5 m at the shore. There are three beaches along the bay shore (WA 798-800) (Fig. 4.174) and four located on the south to eastern side of Point Peron (WA 801-804).