DAYS 54-57 BROOME – HORIZONTAL FALLS

22-25 April 2008

DAYS 54-57 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

BROOME – HORIZONTAL FALLS

Broome

Whilst it was nice spending time with the children it was great coming back to join my hubby. After a slow start in the morning we went to town. Still can’t get over the frangipani lined streets. The flowers are still in bloom and look absolutely beautiful. They are one of my favourite flowers and I had a bouquet of frangipanis when we got married.

Hubby had already visited the Broome museum and decided that I would like to see it too. Whilst small, it covers all aspects of life in Broome, a town that is unlike any other historically and culturally. A time capsule stands outside the museum.

It included exhibits ranging from early pearling days, local indigenous history, bombing near Broome during WW11 to recent illegal fishing. The boat below is an Indonesian fishing vessel restored by illegal fishermen held in detention at Willie Creek Prison Farm.

We then wandered around Dampier Street and its many pearl outlets and visited a few more galleries.

In the evening I finally got to go down to Cable Beach. I loved the texture on some of the rocks.

There were incredible patterns in the sand from little crab like creatures. I couldn’t step on the patterns – they were like ephemeral works of art. The juxtaposition of tyre tracks and the patterns was an interesting crossover of natural and man made patterns.


Camels were setting out on their walk.

I felt that the ambience of the place was spoilt by the number of cars driving down onto the beach. We watched the sunset over the water.

We made our way over to the Town Beach hoping to catch the Stairway to the Moon. There was a considerable crowd there when we arrived and the markets were in full swing. We waited in vain. The cloud did not lift so there was no Stairway to the Moon to be seen.

The following evening, after going to Horizontal falls, (I've written about it in a separate section at the end of this Broome section) we headed for Gantheaune Point once again. When we got there we got talking to a couple who had started their trip by going to the high country in Victoria with another Oka. It turned out we knew their friends. It is a small country. Together we went to Anastasia’s Pool. The pool was built by a light housekeeper for his wife who had arthritis. She must have been mobile to have been able to get to it.

The sunset was absolutely stunning once again.

After dinner we were off again for Town Beach for the Stairway to the Moon. It looked like it was going to be a fizzler, but at the last moment some of the cloud lifted and we got a short glimpse of it. I am glad we saw it. However, neither of us captured it with our cameras.

As we are about to do Gibb River and Kalumburu Roads we’ve restocked and spent some time cryovacing meat.

Our last day at Broome was our 33rd wedding anniversary and our youngest son’s 5th wedding anniversary. We moved out of our Oka into a cabin for the last two nights and had a relaxing day. We explored the area around Reddell Beach. Again some very interesting rock formations.



The colours again were strong in contrasts.


We toasted the sunset at Cable Beach before retiring to the air conditioned cabin for veal marsala and tia maria, walnut, passionfruit, ice cream. A desert that we have had every year on our wedding anniversary.





Horizontal Falls

On Wednesday we went on a tour to Horizontal Falls. Whilst expensive it was more than worth every cent.


We flew in a seaplane over Cable Beach.

We continued onto the Dampier Peninsula

It was interesting to see the road to Cape Leveque, our next destination, from the air.

Then to Cape Leveque

and then the Buccaneer Archipelago.


The views were spectacular. This ancient land – reefs, rock outcrops, islands - weathered, eroded over billions of years had such character. The surrounding seas give it an ambience and have kept the area pristine as the area is not easily accessible. You could see the force behind the incoming high tide.


I believe that the only way one can really see it and appreciate its wonder is from the air.

We flew to Talbot Bay over the Horizontal Falls. Again what a wonder of nature. As the tide was 9.2 metres high they were quite spectacular.

We landed at the tour operators houseboat and were soon on a boat to explore the area from the water.


The rock formations again were very interesting.

I was surprised by the number of whirlpools.

There was quite an adrenalin rush as we crossed the first fall several times.

We went up to the second falls but did not go over them.

We returned via Derby where we refuelled. Hubby got a chance to be co-pilot.

It was a wonderful but tiring day.

DAYS 45 - 53 BROOME & JINDABYNE

13-21 April 2008

DAYS 45 - 53 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

BROOME & JINDABYNE

Broome

On his first day hubby got up at 5.00am to have a dawn trike flight. He found it very exhilarating and would love to get his license to fly one and would definitely love to have one.

He had an opportunity to fly it and thought it was absolutely fabulous.

The views from the trike were great.

During the week he got the tyres changed, the car serviced, the pop top scissors and windscreen fixed, the electrics re-checked and a new battery charger, as well as the odd repair/maintenance work done on the Oka. In between he explored Broome and got to know it very well.

In the evenings he would go to watch what he referred to as the ‘circus’ at Cable Beach and enjoyed the sunsets.

The circus was in reference to the 4WDs and camels trying to pass each other both ways on a narrow sandy rocky track.

On the last weekend he went out on a fishing charter that was an early birthday present from his family. He caught several snapper that is now frozen ready for dinner one night.



Jindabyne

On the Sunday I drove down to Jindabyne. On the way the rich colours of autumn framed the roadway in many places. The landscape is so different from the one we are travelling in.

I was warmly welcomed by my daughter’s family and my youngest son’s family as they had come down as well from Tura Beach. I enjoyed cuddles with the three grandchildren that were there that weekend.

I spent my week enjoying my new grandson as well as his older sister and giving a hand where I could. I even had a little time to quilt. I finished making his bassinet quilt. So he now has his little capsule quilt

and a bassinet quit.

The weather whilst mild was cold enough to warrant having the fireplace going all day and night. What a change from the heat. Before I knew it the week was over and my son-in-law drove me back to Canberra for my marathon trip back to Broome.

I left Jindabyne at 6.00am and got to Broome at 8.00pm – 16 hours later. I was exhausted and back in humid weather.