Broome ends. Eighty Mile Beach is experienced!

Days 176 to 198 More of Broome and then on to Eighty Mile Beach

Intombi

On Intombi

Intombi at sunset

Sunset from Intombi

Another highlight of our visit to Broome was a sunset sail on the pearl lugger Intombi . It is an original wooden lugger initially built in 1903 (then rebuilt in Broome in 1929). The photos tell the story!

While Sheena was working Peter did a couple of trips to Bard Creek which is about 40km north of Broome. Each time he caught fish! He caught his first ever Mangrove Jack and it was a keeper!!

First ever Mangrove Jack

Peter also practised his culinary skills with a Lambs Fry and Bacon dish for a group of us in the caravan park (delicious), plus a Pork Fillet comparison with Lois. Both meals (Lois’s and Peter’s) were fantastic!!!!

A visit to Broome is incomplete without a bbq at Gantheaume Point and the (as usual) sunset viewing!
Lois marinated the Mangrove Jack Peter caught and everyone had a taste. Lovely!

Outdoor pictures Broome

And who could miss a visit to the outdoor picture theatre, complete with planes taking off overhead during the movie!

Reflections on Broome.

With its great weather it was a good place to stop a while (almost 8 weeks in the end!). Sheena worked in the local high school which she enjoyed. We got to know some great people in the park and Peter always had something to do while Sheena worked.

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Eighty Mile Beach at low tide

Eighty Mile Beach at (a low) high tide

Eighty Mile Beach fishing

Eventually good things have to come to an end, and we left Broome and headed for Eighty Mile Beach. Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park is 250 km from the nearest town so no getting in the car to go sightseeing! We stayed for 6 days and ….. fished. This is what we did each day at Eighty Mile Beach! With NO luck. While we were there we saw 1 fish being caught

and only heard about 6 others! However, the weather was beautiful, the seashells
were everywhere, and Sheena’s morning walks on the beach were lovely.
The daily routine at 80 Mile is fish from about 2 hours before the high tide to just after. The rest of the day is ???? reading, walking,

Eighty Mile Beach native and some shells!

talking, drinking? With no fish being caught it became a little frustrating for Pete.
Did I mention reading books? Peter is half way thru a book he started a few days ago after he had taken about 5 months to read the previous one! Sheena had downloaded quite a few ‘free books’ onto her ipad before we got here and read quite a few of them.

Eighty Mile Beach road

Broome

Days 158 to 176. Broome

In the hole!!!! 9th Hole at Broome Golf Course

One of the highlights of our stay on Broome was the Hole in One that Sheena had at Broome Golf Course in the Saturday comp!! It was a perfect 6 iron shot. The downside of the day for Sheena was that Peter won the match that day 4/3 so games were now Peter 14 Sheena 11. However with a couple more rounds under our belt in Broome we finished with Peter 14 and Sheena 13!!!!

What do you do in Broome!! Sheena worked during the week every day available except 3!! Broome High is a great school to work in!!! Good to get some money in the coffers to spend on EXPENSIVE (but great) sightseeing stuff here.
We went to the Mango Place and had some great ice cream and bought some chutney and jam (Mango flavoured of course).

Willie Creek

Willie Creek Pearls is a great place to go. The drive there along the mud flats it different, we heard an informative talk about how pearls are made AND we did a boat cruise to get up close and personal with the pearl farm experience. Azure blue water – beautiful! (We discovered the water colour is caused by the depositing of calcium into the water from nearby)

The Horizontal Falls trip, whilst VERY expensive is a must do experience. What can I say, a great trip with one disappointment for us, we did not get to go through the narrowest gap!

Buccaneer Archipeligo

Buccaneer Archipeligo

Horizontal Falls from the air

Groper feeding

The trip involves a seaplane sightseeing trip up the coast first – one and a half hours of fantastic scenery. We flew over Cable Beach, Willie Creek, the Dampier Peninsula, Cape Leveque, part of the Buccaneer Archipeligo and then the Horizontal Falls before landing on the water, what a buzz! It was then into the jet boat for the trip though the ‘gaps’. As I said, we only went through one (the widest), but we did this several times. We also backed up very close to the narrow gap – a sight to behold. The drop was too steep to come back through!!!
Then it was back to the boat for a swim in the shark cage and lunch (barramundi – lovely).
It was then another trip in the boat to look at a bit of the scenery (including the mandatory ‘salty’ that you see all through the Kimberley (croc of course) and then back into the seaplane for the trip home. Taking off from the water is a must do experience. All in all a great tour (worth the expense)!

Another must do activity is a walk along Cable Beach and then a swim!! 23 degrees when we were there and beautiful!!!

Pearl Alter Beagle Bay

Beagle Bay Church

A trip to Cape Leveque is another Broome experience. It is about 200km with around 80 km of dirt. The road is very corrugated in parts but we survived the trip. A visit to Beagle Bay on the way is recommended – it is an aboriginal community that is well known for its local church built during WW1. The church has a distinctive pearl altar.

Cape Leveque is a beautiful place. It features a unique wilderness style luxury camp called Kooljaman which is jointly owned by the Djarindjin and One Arm Point Aboriginal communities. It is a move into a business that ultimately will be 100% aboriginal workers. This group is very forward thinking.

Beach Shelter Cape Leveque

Beach Shelter Front Deck Cape Leveque

Beach Shelter View Cape Leveque

Beach Shelter Fire Cape Leveque

For our first two nights we stayed in a beach shelter. The beach shelters are located on the beach front close to the water’s edge and are made from bush poles with a thatched roof and palm frond walls and a sand floor. Each shelter has a picnic table, open fresh water shower and a wood barbeque. Very rustic!!

Cape Leveque Safari Tent

Cape Leveque sunset

For our third night we splurged and stayed in a Safari Tent! These are perched on the hillside below the lighthouse and feature spectacular views across the bay. The sunrise was amazing! Each tent has its own large balcony with timber dining setting, a private bathroom, quality fixtures & fittings, full size fridge/freezer, all cooking equipment, linen and a gourmet gas barbecue on the verandah.

Cape Leveque walk to dinner!

Cape Leveque Blue Bone Groper

Cape Leveque Blue Bone Groper Catch and Release

Cape Leveque is a great place to get away from it all. We enjoyed swimming, walking, fishing and great dinners viewing the sunset. A great time! And our bonus was that half of the dirt road on the way home had just been graded – a smooth ride!!!

Paradise!!!!!

Cape Leveque

Malcolm Douglas’s Wildlife Park was worth the visit (more crocs!!!!)

Having a chat!

Baby Croc

White dingo LAZY!

Staircase to the Moon is one of the attractions of Broome! How about my Staircase to the Sun photo!!!

Staircase to the Moon Broome

Staircase to the Sun Cape Leveque

While Sheena has been working Peter has been enjoying the company of those around us in the caravan park – fishing and 4wd adventures have been enjoyed (don’t ask him how many fish he has caught!)
Watch this space for more of Broome!!