Day 61 – Monday 28
July – Transit to 40 Mile beach –183 km
We were in bed early
and up early and on the road by 8am. We had a gale force tail wind for most of
the morning before arriving at 40 Mile Beach around 10:30. By 11 am camp was
established and we were planning our day.
The morning provided
constant landscape that looked ‘rusty’ and ‘metallic’ – iron ore country. Very
barren. The only hint of civilization was the road traffic (50% caravans, 40%
transport) and the mines. We did not even pass a roadhouse.
Our camp for the night
was a council managed beachside site. No power, no water, no showers. Just a
magnificent view of the ocean – 40 metres away. The road in looked a bit
dubious but was OK thanks to a lack of rain. The park manager did not like the
site we had picked (too many mozzies) so he gave us a better site with a better
view (and fewer mozzies).
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Above - The view from the caravan Below - The road in off the highway |
We went into beachcombing mode and had 3 km walk along the rocky & sandy beach, marvelling at the number of Sturt's Desert Pea plants along the edge of the beach. It was maybe 25 degrees and very windy, but the beach was protected from the wind. [Beach 52, Walks 57]
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| Sturt's Desert Pea |
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Above - Sandy part of the beach Below - Rocky part of the beach |
The rock formations were very interesting, many consisting of a high percentage of seashells and pebbles. Any interesting geological phenomena from many eons ago.
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| Composite form of rock |
A bird was rock hopping near us and stopped long enough for a couple of photos.
Solar panels were in place and relaxation was then in order.
Day 62 – Tuesday 29
July – Exploring
Our day started on a
downer as some fool had left accessories ‘ON’ all night and we had a bat
flattery. My new ‘Kings’ toy came to the fore and the battery was jump started.
A great tool for all nomads to have.
Shirley wanted to
revisit Murujuga National Park, which is considered to host the largest
concentration of ancient rock art in the world, possibly dating back as much as 47,000
years.
On the way we visited
Dampier and the North-West Project Visitors Centre. The project has some
interesting statistics. Next we walked along the beach at Hearson’s Cove and
some dill nearly got wet feet from the incoming tide. It was a pleasant beach. [Beach
53, Walks 58]
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| Hearson’s Cove Beach |
Eventually we got to Murujuga and the rock art along ‘Ngajarli Trail’. I took plenty of photos. We were not allowed to explore to the same extent that we have in a previous visit, but we saw plenty of rock art – or ‘petroglyphs’.
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| Some of the Rock Art on display |
A small ring-tailed dragon (Ctenophorus caudicinctus) sunned itself on a rock and a very small legless lizard slithered across my sneaker.
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Above - Excitable Delma Legless Lizard Below - A ring-tailed dragon |
We detoured via Karratha on the way home and stocked up on water, a necessary commodity of life.
A couple of jobs were
completed at home and we went for a walk on the rocky beach. A white bellied
sea eagle was being terrorised by some sea-gulls and it posed long enough for
me to get some photo from quite close. [Beach 53, Walks 59]
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| A magnificent white bellied sea eagle |
Day 63 – Wednesday
30 July – 40 Mile Beach to Cleaverville
We said goodbye to 40 Mile Beach about 8:30 and trundled into Karratha. We said hello at the “I” and were briefed on the locally-popular Mulla Mulla plant (Ptilotus exaltatus), which is common all around Karratha and had an appropriate sculpture in town. I took photos of both.
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Above - Mulla Mulla plants Below - Mulla Mulla status |
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| Karratha Tank Mural |
A few essentials of life were purchased and we moved on to Cleaverville and our beach-side bush-camp. The water was around forty metres from the caravan and we had an unimpeded view of the ocean and the incoming wind.
Camp was established. Lunch was organised. We rested, before we had a 2 km beach stroll. [Beach 54,
Walks 60]
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| Cleaverville Beach |
Dinner was a prawn salad, thanks to the $20 per kg king prawns that Shirley bought at Karratha. There is enough left over for a revisit tomorrow night.
I did score a sunset
photo.
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| Cleaverville Sunset |
Day 64 – Thursday
31 July – Cleaverville
Cleaverville is one of those rare places where the sun sets & rises over the same beach. I was five minutes too late to get proof of the sunrise.
The start of our tenth
week was a slow affair as overdue exercises were the priority. I then caught up
on some blog updates and emails as Shirley busied herself somewhere.
The gale winds delayed
our walk, and then restricted the beach walk to 1.5 km. [Beach 54, Walks 61]
With internet available I was able to catch up on many more emails and get this blog up to date.
Around 2pm we got sick of waiting for the winds to drop and went for another beach walk. [Beach 54, Walks 62]
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| The arrow shows roughly the location of our caravan |
In a Kelly first, Shirley and I adjusted a favourite recipe to conjure up a Venison salami, prawn & pumpkin paella'. It was excellent, although a touch of chilli would have been a smart idea.
Prior to that the sunset photo was similar to yesterday, with the inclusion of two guys trying to organise dinner as in catch fish).
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| Cleaverville Sunset |
As we relaxed a neighbour got out a guitar and started to play/sing Neil Young like songs. It was a pleasant way to get into bed with Neil Young singing 'Harvest'.
Day 65 – Friday 1 August – Cleaverville to beyond Port Hedland
I was up at 6:30 am to
get a sunrise photo from the same beach as the sunset last night. Mission
accomplished.
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| Cleaverville Sunrise over the same beach |
The Kelly team moved away from Cleaverville soon after 8am into a gale head wind. Judging by the fuel economy it was maybe our strongest head wind yet – and that is a big claim. For 200+ km of Highway No 1 from Cleaverville to Port Hedland the car never got into top gear. It was hard work.
Arrival at the mining
precinct of Port Hedland was achieved around 11 am. The “I” could not tell us
train times to allow us to count the cars on a 2.5 km train. They advised us
that turtles were not in season for us to have a sticky beak. However they told
us where to top up on water and a good stop to have lunch – overlooking Port
Hedland’s best beach.
After a hot-dog for
lunch (in the caravan) and filling up with diesel we headed another 82 km to a
great free camp beside the De Grey river. It was around 26 degrees, windy and
dusty. But we were fine.
We were only about 170
km from Eighty Mile Beach – our home for four nights.
Books were read for a
while before we went for a walk to check out the De Grey river – quite an
impressive waterway. We counted 54 ‘rigs’ at 4:45, and more were coming in.
There was plenty of room.
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| De Grey River and the Highway No 1 Bridge |
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| Cockatiel |
Day 66 – Saturday 2 August – Free Camp to Eighty Mile Beach
It is amazing how the arrival at a place like Eighty Mile Beach can make you forget the effort of 500 km of fierce head winds. But it did. 27 degrees and a slighty cool breeze. Camp was established by 1pm and lunch was had.
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| A sample of the 18 km road into Eighty Mile Beach |
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| The beach view looking roughly east at 2:30 pm |
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| The beach view looking roughy west at 3pm |
The beach has so many shells that shell collection is encouraged. They even sell shell tubs in the shop.
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| Sunset around 6pm |
It was still 21 degrees at 8 pm, a big change for us.
Day 67 – Sunday 3 August – Eighty Mile Beach
Believe it or not, Eighty Mile Beach is actually 137 miles long - or 220 km. I was on a small section of the beach at 6:15 am waiting for the 6:25 sunrise. The following is a sample of what I saw as I strolled along the beach. [Beach 55, Walks 64] The milky sun had to fight its way through the clouds.
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| Sunrise on Eighty Mile Beach |
Two loads of clothes were on the line and this blog was updated before Shirley emerged from her favourite spot - her bed.
Around 10:30 am we had joint good and bad news, in a good old-fashioned Pilbara downpour. The clothes on the line were getting an extra rinse, while the solar panels (that were more red dirt than black) got put out in the rain and got a good wash. Job done. That was a saving of water and effort.
A bucket under the end of the awning captured maybe 30 litres of water that was used to remove plenty of red dirt from the car.
Alternate jobs replaced a morning beach walk. Young kids made good use of the puddles. Their clothes, shoes and bikes will all need cleaning.
When the rain eased I had enough water to wash the car properly. A few housekeeping jobs, some lunch and it was time for a 4 km beach walk. [Beach 55, Walks 65]
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| Not Paradise, but a good substitute |
Another ice-cream, then book reading time. Rissoles for dinner.
Day 68 – Monday 4 August – Eighty Mile Beach
The clouds made another good sunrise a possibility so I was again on the beach soon after 6 am. I was not disappointed.
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| Pre-Sunrise at 6:17 am |
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| Sunrise at 6:28 am |
I took the opportunity to have an enjoyable beach walk and paddle. [Beach 55, Walks 66]
A cooked/BBQ egg & tomato & avocado was in order and was duly produced.
Some jobs, some relaxing, then coffee, then a 3 km walk on the beach. It was around 26 degrees. [Beach 55, Walks 67] Then lunch, then book reading. Now 28 degrees.
More book reading, an ice cream, some relaxation, then another 3 km beach walk as the sun dipped lower. [Beach 55, Walks 68] I was too lazy to head back for a sunset photo.
Day 69 – Tuesday 5 August – Eighty Mile Beach
Ditto from yesterday. Clouds, sunrise photo, beach walk. [Beach 55, Walks 69]
According to my phone it was 19 degrees at 6am with barely a breath of wind.
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| One day later, but similar time & place & outcome |
A few small birds were moving quickly all around me.
Breakfast, then exercises. Then a 2 km beach walk before lunch. [Beach 55, Walks 70]
After lunch I wanted to find a couple of Kingfishers that we saw when we came in, so I went for a walk, camera in hand. The Kingfisher(s) turned out to be Rainbow Bee-eater(s).
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| Rainbow Bee-eater. Not sure if this is one bird or two |
Some R & R, some book reading, some planning for a departure tomorrow, then a 3 km beach walk - maybe our last walk on the beach at Eighty Mile Beach. [Beach 55, Walks 71]
An ice-cream followed.
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| Not a bad spot for a walk |
I then had a chat with two WA residents who tried to convince me of the great spots to visit in WA. The conversation fizzled out when we worked out that I had seen more of their state than they had - and more times.
The sunset was all cloud - no photo. Pork chops for dinner.
Day 70 – Wednesday 6 August – Eighty Mile Beach
I needed one more walk on the beach, and one more chance at a sunrise photo. [Beach 55, Walks 72] I scored a 2 km walk but the clouds thwarted my chances at a decent sunrise photo. As it was around 21 degrees it was a very pleasant walk.
Rain threatened, but never really happened apart from a few drops.
We sadly said goodbye
to Eighty Mile Beach about 9am, maybe just before. My watch has a flat battery
so I am a bit more relaxed about times.
We stopped for fuel at
Sandfire Roadhouse ($2.37) and then pressed on. The scenery was constantly
changing with many wildflowers on display.
It was a short day
with a free camp about 150 km before Broome. We chatted to a young family from
Geelong (four kids) who were heading to Eighty Mile Beach – the kids for shell
hunting, Dad for fishing. I gave the youngest one of our decent sized shells.
She was rapt. Shirley wasn’t.
The afternoon was
spent under a picnic gazebo reading our books – and discussing each new
arrival.
The sunset was an OK way to finish the day.
*** This chapter is now complete ***
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| Our approximate route from home to Eighty Mile Beach |
Great sunrise/sunset photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.
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