Western Australia has many great places to watch the sunset,

but a great one we experienced was at Rivermouth Beach in Prevelly, in the Margaret River region.

This is where the Margaret River flows into the ocean.

When we were there, the river ended before the beach, and there was a large wall of sand built up between the river and the ocean. We saw people ending their river kayak trip here. At certain times of the year, the river often breaks through the sand and has a channel right into the ocean.

This beach is also on the Cape-to-Cape Track, although we didn’t see any walkers that day. Walkers sometimes have to ford the river to get from one side to the other across this beach when the channel is open.

It was windy that day and the the strong waves landed on a bowl-shaped beach. The sand rose very steeply from the water.

The incoming waves were so powerful they crashed on the beach and made a large return wave that slammed into the incoming one. This created huge water towers which the surfers tried to ride.

Rivermouth beach has a car park and facilities, along with a shelter and some picnic benches.
From the car park you are facing west, looking out into the Indian Ocean. You see the bowl-shaped “swimming” beach.
To the left, further south along the beach are large rocks that create dramatic crashing wave patterns.

Among these rocks with their interesting tidal pools is a sculpture of a lady nursing a dolphin.

The sculpture sits on one of the rocks a little ways off shore, but accessible at certain tides.

I found it rather eerie and beautiful, provoking many questions about the subject, the artist and the placement.

Upon further research, I found this:
Artist:
Russell Sheridan
Title:
Layla
Year installed:
2013
Technique/materials
: composite fibre and concrete
Funded by:
Royalties for Regions Super Town Funding
Ownership:
Shire of Augusta Margaret River
‘Layla’ the great granddaughter of surf God ‘Huey’ cares
for all sea creatures and watches over those
who enter the water. Layla swims the seas of the world and from time to time redirects lost surfers
who have been pummelled into the depths below by large waves. Surfers finding themselves alone,
helpless, lost in bubbles and turbulence have been steered to the surface again by Layla for one
more breath of life.
https://www.amrshire.wa.gov.au/council/publications/download/319/