Date:
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04 - 09/06/2017
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Location:
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Broome [Cable Beach] (Western
Australia)
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Distance Travelled:
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220km
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Temperature:
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Min:
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10.9
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Max:
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31.6
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Dinosaur tracks spotted
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8!
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Waking up in Derby, we had a pretty slow start to the
day. We were all still a little tuckered out from our week on the Gibb. But, after
a lazy breakfast and a quick restock of a few essentials, we were soon back on
the road. There’s not really much else to add about Derby – it was a place that
served a purpose. And that’s about that. ‘nuff said…
We did, however, make one last stop as we were heading
out of the township; at a spot known as the Boab Prison Tree. Boab trees are very cool plants (Adansonia gregorii - an awesome name, for a truly awesome plant). They have thick trunks
and spindly limbs, which look like they really should have been roots; giving the
impression that the tree is growing upside down (this is particularly true if they have lost
their leaves). As they grow, their bodies swell to create a water reservoir that
assists the tree to survive during the dry months of the year.
The Boab Prison Tree - Derby
Entering into a spacious unattended clearing, we found ourselves shaded from the heat of the beating sun by the most magnificent canopy. Towering overhead, the limbs (green with leaves and new shoots) nearly covered the full expanse of the clearing. Casting one’s eye up the trunk, it was clear that this tree had endured the presence of human beings for quite some time. Names were carved into its soft bark – with many of these letters having expanded over the centuries into strange and convoluted shapes only reminiscent of what they had once been.
Tracking one’s eyes further down the scared trunk of this
fantastically ancient tree, a hole could be spied towards its base.
Although we were prevented from traipsing closer to the base of the tree (and trampling its roots in the process) by a
wooden barrier, it was clear that
there was a hidey hole of some size in the bowels of this magnificent plant.
It was here, in this very nook (many decades ago), that aborigines had been held captive en route to Derby. After they were cast inside, an armed guard stood sentry to keep the men within the walls of this arboreal prison.
Although I’m not overly claustrophobic, I wouldn’t fancy spending a night in this dank and rotten place. Especially when we noticed a stream of bees buzzing to and fro from a smaller hole in the trunk to the right…
Feeling a little dejected after learning about woeful
history associated with this magnificent Boab tree, we turned our wheels westwards along
National Highway One; and made our way further into the Kimberley region of
Western Australia. Our destination was the small (but ever growing) town of Broome
(Cable Beach); nested on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Although I’m not overly claustrophobic, I wouldn’t fancy spending a night in this dank and rotten place. Especially when we noticed a stream of bees buzzing to and fro from a smaller hole in the trunk to the right…
I’d wanted to visit Broome for years, as I had heard from
so many people how much they love it. Warm sun, white sand, tropical beaches
and relaxed atmosphere. Since we’d put in a few hard yards recently, we’d planned
to stop here and chill out for the best part of a week. If nothing else, we were
all in need of a good clean up, and the car was due for a service.
Driving into town, we were greeted by the usual sights of
most coastal mini-metropolises. Resorts on the foreshore, shopping centres,
restaurants, coastal drives and beaches. But most of all, there were people.
Oh, so many people. Having been out of the rat race for a little while, it was
surprising how quickly our bubble of personal
space had grown. In fact, we felt like it had expanded to encompass as much
space as possible; along with a growing dislike for being too close to neighbouring
tents or caravans. Even while we had been at Manning Gorge, I remember feeling we
were encroaching on our nearest neighbours when we set up our tent 50 meters
away from them. As such, pulling into the Cable
Beach Caravan Park, we were all a little taken aback when we were plonked
smack-bang in the middle of a veritable caravan city, with other trailers only spitting
distance away. To be fair, it wasn’t as bad as all that. The sites were fairly
spacious and we had enough room to spread out. But the mere fact that our view
on all sides was filled by people was enough to make our toes curl (oh, where
are the grand vistas of trees, grasses and nature…. Oh my).
Cable Beach Caravan Park
Our time in Broome was both a purposeful stop (in that it
allowed us to get ready for the next leg of our trip), as well as providing us with
a few days of fun and frolics. I’ll save you the details of the more functional
aspects and get straight into the frolicking portion.
Of the six days we stayed in Broome, at least three of
those were spent at the beach. After all, beach time is really what draws
people to this neck of the woods. And, as they say, when in Rome…
Actually, the folks of Broome have got ‘going to the beach’ down to a fine art.
Not only is the silky white silica sand a delight to behold (set off
spectacularly against the brilliant blue of the surf and the sky), but there
was also a booming trade being done in the hiring of beach paraphernalia.
Having rented a beach umbrella for ourselves (which was in turn drilled into the sand by a stall attendant), we were able to merrily hang out at the beach until the sun went down the late afternoon.
Hanging out at Cable Beach
The beach at Cable
Beach was fairly flat, with the sand sloping down at a slow gradient to the
frothing water. In the north of Australia, tides are well known for rising and
falling anywhere up to 10 or 11 meters. As such, during low tide on Cable
Beach, the water recedes well over 100 meters. So, throughout the day, the
water crept further and further away from our little umbrella, as the kids ran
back and forth along the newly exposed sand.
Still Hanging out at Cable Beach...
When we weren’t lazing, playing, swimming or fishing at the
beach, we did manage to drag ourselves off to explore the surrounding areas of
Broome. One afternoon was spent wandering the cliffs of Gantheaume Point and driving
down a sandy 4x4 track along the coast. Huge cliffs of red rock plunged down
into churning ocean below; all very dramatic, picturesque and exciting. Gantheaume
Point overlooked the bay back towards Broome. The rocks here had the appearance
of rock candy that had been dumped on a plate; striped and smooth, but all
jumbled together.
Rocks at Gantheaume Point
Below the low tide mark at Gantheaume Point, there were
dinosaur footprints embedded in the sea floor beneath these rocky cliffs.
Unfortunately, we were in Broome at the wrong time to see these fossilised claw
marks. However, as luck would have it, in recent years other dino prints had
been found just down from our camp site at Cable Beach. As such, we spent an
evening wandering over the rockpools in order to spot these ancient impressions.
Nat happened to start chatting to a local women who had discovered several of
these last year. As such, she was a mine of information about their location
and the types of prehistoric beasts represented in this clutch of footprints.
Dinosaur Footprints Around Cable Beach
Amongst the rocks were other hidden gems, including all
manner of colourful crabs scuttling about, and a lone flatworm dancing its way
around a shallow pool in the evening light.
Flatworm Dancing In The Rock Pools
As well as being a great place for a swim, digging in the
sand and spotting the tracks of long dead animals, the beach at Broom was also
a lot of fun to drive along. Just off to the right, as you head down an access
road to the beach, there was well worn path through a patch of rocks. Following
the other cars in a snaking trail through these tyre shredding rocks, we found
ourselves on a flat, solid stretch of sand where we could cruise along the
water’s edge. Heading up the beach, we set up our camp chairs and thought this
was a perfect spot for a quick skype to my folks back in New Zealand (who were
battling through the heart of winter). It’s not that we wanted to rub in how
awesomely warm it was where we were (ok, perhaps just a little bit), but with
today’s technology and ubiquitous internet access, what better way to share an experience
with your nearest and dearest than being able to actually show them.
Skyping My Folks From Cable Beach As A Train Of Camels Strolled By.
Other events on our Broome agenda included a round of mini-golf at the nearby cafĂ©/corner shop/mini-golf range, and also heading to a local tavern to watch the local favourite of ‘crab racing’. We didn’t know what to expect from the crab racing – but in our minds, we all had great fantasies of giant crabs battling it out in a winner takes all competition for supreme crabby glory. Needless to say, the actual race didn’t fully live up to the images that we had conjured up in our wild imaginations. At one end of the bar was a wide circular table with a bucket in the middle. The master of ceremonies, sporting a crab shaped hat (of course), drummed up the crowd and urged as much money out of their pockets as possible before the race began. Then, lifting the bucket, he dumped a dozen or so small hermit crabs in the middle of the ring. Startled by the light of bar, the crabs made a swift scramble towards the edges of the arena; with the winner being the first crab to reach the outer rim. It was kinda fun, but the boys soon got bored of the long wait between races (I think we only saw three in the couple of hours we were there). So we wandered home again, talking about how giant crabs would have been much cooler! I didn’t even get a photo of the races, as the crabs just looked like colourful dots against a white background…
A Round of Mini-Golf: Cable Beach
Amongst all of the chillaxing, we also had time to pick
up and install a spare part that had been sent from Jayco to fix our door lock.
We spruced up the car and trailer, did loads and loads of washing. In the end, we were all packed up ready for our
next tenting adventure in Cape Leveque. I think we might have many more bumpy
roads in our near future!
Home Cooked Barramundi
Bye ‘d bye,
Gregg.
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