Middle Lagoon

Heading north along the coast from Broome

Early August 2012

Well, we've enjoyed a lot of beach along the WA coast but Middle Lagoon, about 200kms north of Broome, may be our favourite (thanks to my ol' boss Kym Tilbrook for the tip). Run by the Gnylmarung community (try saying that sober), this campground was very laid back and idyllic.


   The observation deck - we enjoyed plenty of morning coffees overlooking this beautiful bay with whales breaching and tail slapping. In the quiet of night we could hear what sounded like car doors slamming...only after a while did we realise it was the whales crashing about.



The kids are playing on the beach below...so shall we fish, read or just enjoy the view?

The camera doesn't do it justice, but 20 whale sightings a day were not uncommon.

 

Kicking back...30C on average...a charmed life indeed.

 This beach life is just exhausting.......

Not to be out done on the relaxation stakes.



Now for some adventure - Mud-crabbing time





The ute with an old lounge chair strapped on the back tears along the bumpy red track. Branches whistle overhead as the local Gnylmarung kids and Riley bounce along whooping with glee. It was one of those times as a parent that you just cross your fingers.

Our guide Bunches (Keith) assures us they don't get crocs in these parts....well not too often anyway!

The kids get a lesson in spear handling.

Got one!

 

 

 You've got to be kidding if you expect me to eat this!

That's OK........more for mum and dad.....YUM!

 

Broome - Cable Beach

Paul flies home briefly to visit his dad who's just had heart surgery. Mum holds the fort at Broome.

 

Cable Beach mermaid....so far so good.

Not a bad pool for a caravan park....only 2 more days til Paul gets back.

 

 Uh oh......

On the eve of Paul's return, the gastro hits the Rowdy Roadtrippers again....Nikita bounced back quickly, but poor Riley is down for the count for 5 days. The good news is that Robin is making an excellent recovery....so it's back to Middle Lagoon for us.

 

Rowdy Moments - weeks 12-14

 

The Good: The unexpected concert by a fantastic Aboriginal duo "The Pigram Brothers" outside our camper trailer at Broome. We returned dishevelled from a day out to a mass of deck chairs all around us and great Kimberley music playing - it was a bit of a treat.

The Bad: Seeing Riley so unwell.....they breed some good bugs in these parts and we simply had to sit it out and keep him cool and hydrated.

The Ugly: The Cable Beach nudists (according to the kids). While driving along the beach we came across the nudie bit which was a bit bereft of luscious Dutch backpackers but well stocked with retirees resplendent in their beer guts, no-longer-gravity-defying boobs, wrinkly pink butt cheeks and assorted dangly bits. "Look, these people are so ruuuude," shrieked Nikita. "Let's get outta here...these people are freaking me out," insisted Riley. Ok, ok back to the regular beach for us.

 

 

Middle Lagoon (again)

Mud-crabbing adventure - part two. Hey, I'm an old hand at this now......

 But, are you sure there's no crocs here?

 Yep, trust me.....

 

Only these little beauties

 

 

Wood collection at sunset for mud-crab fires.

 

 Now for a spot of beach fishing. Longtoms put up a good fight....

But Archie's not so sure about those teeth. 

 

 

 

Well, I guess it was only a matter of time.

 

 

Cape Leveque - near the tip of the Dampier Peninsula - our next swimming beach is about 3000kms to the right...no wonder we're finding it hard to leave here.

Beach bum mum.

 

Lego knows no cultural boundaries....our kids buddy up with the local kids. It's a shame to say goodbye.

But, that's enough lounging about. Time to leave the coast....the Kimberley awaits.... 

 

 

 

Dampier Peninsula

James Price Point

Mid July 2012

This lovely remote hideaway 80kms north of Broome provided plentiful fish, magnificent sunsets, humpback whales, turtles, dolphins, sea eagles and long, lonely beach walks....but maybe not for long. It is also home to the controversial proposed $30 billion gas pipeline project.



The road gets wide, bumpy and red at the doorstep to the Kimberleys.

 Not bad for a free campsite - turquoise ocean, framed by red cliffs. The beach was all ours, with rock-pools filled with fish, crabs and octopus.

The locals are divided over the pipeline project - $1.5 billion in royalties versus a pristine environment...not hard to guess what we would choose 


Wipeout - a rare motionless moment from the running boy flattened by a bout of gastro that hit the Rowdy Roadtrip for six.







We're back....Nikita and Archie shake the bug and get back to their rowdy best.

Meanwhile, nothing was stopping the hunters and gatherers. Johan and Paul have "the best fishing day ever" bringing in a bag of fiesty salmon. 









Not sure what's bigger the grin or the fish!

What are you laughing at Archie? Oh, that funny nude dude in the background......well he's not coming into the tent reeking of fish.











A creative Nikita moment transforms dried sea sponges into a snowman. The latest in a host of Nikita Shrines crafted from rocks, shells, sand and mud that are dotted across the WA landscape



 Tarzan's back - Ahhhhh, ah, ah, ah, ah, ahhhhh

                           

 

 

 

 

Rowdy Moments - Week 11

The Good: Finding some wonderful free camping in the ridiculously regulated and restricted WA wilderness.....unless you're a miner that is.

The Bad: You know that wonderful Weber Q I was raving about? Well, I blasted my eyebrows and hairline off with it this week.....attractive.

The Ugly: The ugliest of the ugly...Nikita and Archie's team vomit inside the camper trailer in the middle of the night over all of their bedding and ours. Could have been worse. Fortuntately we were at the Broome Caravan Park at the time with washing machines on hand. Still it was a horror night. Stop laughing...I know we deserve it.

James Price Point beach was just beautiful. It was a shame Lara (bottom) and I were too scared to go swimming. We later found out there were no crocs, but better to be safe than eaten I guess.



Watching sea eagles and ospreys nesting along  deserted beaches

Cape Keraudren

The land of the great tides

Early July

50kms north of Port Hedland

At Cape Keraudren, we perched ourselves atop the bay and didn't move for 12 days other than to fish, collect firewood and, strangely enough, play in the annual fundraising golf game for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.....which I trust we don't ever need to call on!

   Now you see it.....the tree that is.

Now you don't. 9-metre tides are not uncommon here. It was a great past-time simply watching the tide come in and out.

One moment a striking sand-scape

The next, a fertile fishing ground for the man who walks on water.

Dinner was cheap here - plenty of whiting, salmon and trevally. The kids enjoyed crumbed whiting most nights and after steamed fish, coal-baked fish, fried fish, fish pasta, fish curry, we started to run out of ideas.

Johan - Paul's fishing buddy

Fresh fish on a coal fire - yum

Same rock different tides

The Weber Q was gold. In one day it did a round of crumpets for breakfast, chocolate cake for morning tea, baked fish for lunch and roast chicken for dinner. Not quite roughing it.

Aww - Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth - Mum and Riley share the dawn at Cape Keraudren

 Rowdy Moments - Week 10

The good: the fabulous Johan and Lara who embraced the Rowdy roadtrippers and gave Paul and Leanne someone else to talk to and play with for a fabulous 3 weeks
The bad: the 'roadhouse red' that we had to survive on from the local servo with no other booze for 200kms.
The ugly: see photo below. Thankfully they are both lovely on the inside.

Shouldn't you kids be getting ready for bed?!

     

                 The annual fundraising golf day. The greens were brown and the faces were red, but the amber flowed freely on the salt pans of Cape Keraudren.

The two hairy amigos -  is that a touch of grey in the ol' beard Craigy? Honorary members of the Cape Keraudren Golf Club

Beach-side camping - BYO shade and wind-breaks not only make it comfy, but also hides the lava flow of lego, playdough, textas, dishes that emerges from our trailer.

 Scrubby dub, dub - bath time in a tub. Fresh water is at a premium when beach camping.                
     

 

 Eighty Mile Beach


Soaking up the sunset.

A quiet moment - this fishing mecca has about 200 vehicles on it at high tide with 400 largely frustrated fishermen on it. But for now it's all ours.