Broome - July 2011
Eco Beach |
Day 1 - The flight
Caught the train to airport. Despite paying $16.40 for the ticket, I still had a crappy train. And no lift at Glenfield. Could have got to Chatswood and back for less and not frozen to death.... maybe.
Three people under 50 on the plane. I thought i was catching a bus to the Cowra Japanese Gardens.
They fed us lunch at 11:30 Sydney time. Before all the passengers fall aslerp for their afternoon nap I guess.
Currently flying over Lake Eyre or thereabouts. Lots of water. And salt.
The old dear sitting next to me is wearing tartan slacks and a blokey looking woolly jumper. The hostesses scoffed when we didnt want a cup of tea WITH lunch. "They'll change their minds" they muttered. ( and we'll have to DO something. )
The ground staff DO nothing anymore. You check yourself in, print your own baggage tag, have to figure out how to attach it yourself, weigh your own bag and then put it on the conveyor yourself. If I wanted to work for Qantas I would have responded to an ad.
We just flew past "Ayers Rock" and "The Olgas" but they were on the left hand side of the plane. Oh well it was a bit cloudy and I've seen them before anyway so who cares but why is it I always sit on the right?
Great view of Broome and Roebuck Bay as we flew in.
Day 1 - Arrival at Eco Beach
Plane lamded early. Broome is a country town so the Broome International Airport reminds me of Cudal. Luggage arrived quickly and bus shortly thereafter. We had to stop at Woolies so a woman and the bloke who was with her (not husband because he's arriving tomorrow) could buy booze ( even though its clearly states that the place is not BYO). Anyway no hurry I'm on holidays ( but the bus driver got a bit antsy )
Almost straight line road down to the resort in 90 minutes. Had to do a right turn and drive 10km along a red dirt track to the resort. Arrived around 4pm. My tent (it really is a tent) has an ocean view even though it is set back from the water and I can hear the waves as I write this over the din of the wild party at the restaurant. I'm sure that will be over by 8:30 and I can go to bed.( read: 3 old ladies eating their ice cream dessert and chatting)
My tent is close to the main building and near the beach. It seems you leave your thongs at the beginning of the sand just like you leave them at the door at home.
Water is coolish not tepid so may not swim. And flat as a tack as we are in Roebuck Bay.
Walked down to a rocky bit to photograph the sunset. Wispy clouds not unlike Santorini without the whitewashed Greek villas. Pictures came came out better than i thought.
No reception on my phone. So may have to pay for internet access if I go into withdrawal.
Gets quite cold once the sun goes down. So had to rug up to sit on the verandah of the restaurant. (its almost all verandah and no restaurant) for bbq dinner with ice cream for dessert. WA Beef, threadfin salmon, kangaroo and Tom Yum chicken.
Almost 100% chance of seeing whales. Today's cruise had 3 sightings. Tomorrow fully booked so going Thursday. Might go for a walk tomorrow to the caves.
Ruckus has died (oops may be wrong choice of words) down. It is 8:20
Only took 124 photos today.
Day 2 - Whale Watching
Absolutely froze last night. Will add an extra blanket and wear my cardigan and socks to bed tonight.
Once the sun is up things warm up so sitting on the verandah of the bar eating breakfast is very pleasant.
Will try to go on an ecology tour of Jacks Creek this afternoon. If they dont get enough numbers they may be putting on an extra whale tour so will hang around doing nothing this morning until i find out what's happening.
Can do the bush walk in the mornings but can't go to the caves unless its low tide which at the moment is afternoons. Low tides are around 2 metres. High tides are 6 - 9 metres. Wouldn't want to get caught at the wrong side of the rocks at high tide.
No-one was interested in the ecology tour so I got on the second whale tour. Got in a little zodiac to be taken to the (slightly) bigger boat and one of the returning tourists said "there's lots of water out there" not a good sign.
So we jetted into the horizon in a bigger zodiac for about 15 minutes (going at about 23 knots) and all we saw was water and blue sky. Then in the distance a plume of water. Our first sighting.
We got closer - there were two of them. I looked up one was breaching. I got a photo as it came down. "Best breach we've seen this year", Dave the guide told us. Bet you say that to all the guests one guy said. No no said Dave we dont see therm that often. Fiona said she had been doing this for EIGHT years and only seen 2 whales breach simultaneously once - a mother and calf. I got great pics of some pec slapping while they swam really close to the boat. Watched these two for a while and then went out further to another two who stopped swimming and did laps of our boat. It was amazing. Finally we got a simultaneous plume as we left to come back to shore. Took about 480 photos most of blurry ocean but did get some great pec slapping and tail waving. Got them down to about 70 so far.
Day 3 - Sea Kayaking
Sorted thrrough my whale photos this morning. Decided to walk to the caves in the afternoon. However was convinced to do a 3 hour sea kayaking tour to the caves by Christine from Brisbane. Probably a bit older than me but skinny and no doubt much fitter. Meant to be ideal conditions. So off we set. Very pleasant paddling along the coast. Pity my camera was in the guide's boat. Hard work (they had to keeping stopping for me) but paddled the 3km in just over an hour - against the tide and current. The caves are just past Cape Villaret which has Osprey Rock on its point. Ospreys nest above the caves which have chimney like holes in the roof. A number of ospreys were circling (with little fish in their feet I realised once I looked at the photos.) We paddled back with the tide and current and it took around half an hour. I thought i was getting good at it but it was only the current. We saw a flatback turtle. He stuck his head up as he swam by. In the end I'm glad i went.
Day 4 - Bush Walk
Plan to do the bush walk this morning.
And Jacks Experience this afternoon. Still no-one interested in the ecology tour so this is a mini version. You are meant take wine and cheese and watch the sunset and go fishing. I'll skip the romantic stuff and try and get some great photos (of mangroves perhaps)
Started on my bush trek just after 9. Red dirt/sand track that made the going quiet warm after a while.
It was a weird night. Not as cold as previous nights but quite humid. The bathroom mirror had fogged up and so had my camera.
Followed the track and the trees were well sign posted. Two lookouts on the way to the beach. Of course lookouts mean high up vantage points which meam having to walk uphill - on red sandy dirt in the heat. Not easy when you have vowed never to walk up a mountain again (see China 2010). Still should I fall over I guess I won't do myself too much damage.
First lookout was over the mini bungles. Not having seen the big ones I presume they looked similar. The next lookout was miles away and it was getting hotter but worth it in the end. The view was great and the path then led down to the beach. The wrong side of the rocks for getting home quickly. I got to the beach at around 10:30. High tide had been at 9:45am at 7.6m. Low tide was 2.6m at 4:13pm. I had to hang around until about 1:30pm before I could get around the rocks. So I read my book and took photos.
Got back to the resort at about 2:30pm and went out to Jacks Creek at 4pm. Tide was still going out as we drove along the beach. The mud flats of Jacks Creek are supposed to have a huge array of birds. Some come from as far as Russia. The tides here are the 5th biggest in (the world?) and the variety of shells washed up on the beach are amazing.
I saw an oystercatcher, seagulls, a ?flock of pelicans and a jabiru too far away to get a decent photo. The couple who had been fishing in the creek had caught about 30 fish.
It's close to the full moon so there are neap tides. Sunday's high tide is 8.9m and the low tide is 1.8m. Yesterday the fishing boat was left out of water by the tide.
Day 5
Doing nothing day today. Sorting my photos and reading my book and people watching. Either all the women who come here are much younger than the blokes they are with or much better preserved. Especially at night. During the day they have flabby arms and droopy necks but in dim moonlight the look much younger. The men all have beer guts and grey hair. The women dont. Probably lucky for me my husband isn't here or I would be the only one who looks older.
Day 6
Time to go home. It's been a wonderful few days away from the pressure of work.
Petrol at Roebuck Plains Roadhouse is 167.9 cents for unleaded. Lots of caravans on the road and an old lady with her bum out. Could't she go behind a bush?
Lounge at the airport is outside. Lucky it isn't raining. The woman in the shop where I bought my pearl ring told me the flights were cancelled the day of the fog and people spent the night at the airport.
Caught the train to airport. Despite paying $16.40 for the ticket, I still had a crappy train. And no lift at Glenfield. Could have got to Chatswood and back for less and not frozen to death.... maybe.
Three people under 50 on the plane. I thought i was catching a bus to the Cowra Japanese Gardens.
They fed us lunch at 11:30 Sydney time. Before all the passengers fall aslerp for their afternoon nap I guess.
Currently flying over Lake Eyre or thereabouts. Lots of water. And salt.
The old dear sitting next to me is wearing tartan slacks and a blokey looking woolly jumper. The hostesses scoffed when we didnt want a cup of tea WITH lunch. "They'll change their minds" they muttered. ( and we'll have to DO something. )
The ground staff DO nothing anymore. You check yourself in, print your own baggage tag, have to figure out how to attach it yourself, weigh your own bag and then put it on the conveyor yourself. If I wanted to work for Qantas I would have responded to an ad.
We just flew past "Ayers Rock" and "The Olgas" but they were on the left hand side of the plane. Oh well it was a bit cloudy and I've seen them before anyway so who cares but why is it I always sit on the right?
Great view of Broome and Roebuck Bay as we flew in.
Day 1 - Arrival at Eco Beach
Plane lamded early. Broome is a country town so the Broome International Airport reminds me of Cudal. Luggage arrived quickly and bus shortly thereafter. We had to stop at Woolies so a woman and the bloke who was with her (not husband because he's arriving tomorrow) could buy booze ( even though its clearly states that the place is not BYO). Anyway no hurry I'm on holidays ( but the bus driver got a bit antsy )
Almost straight line road down to the resort in 90 minutes. Had to do a right turn and drive 10km along a red dirt track to the resort. Arrived around 4pm. My tent (it really is a tent) has an ocean view even though it is set back from the water and I can hear the waves as I write this over the din of the wild party at the restaurant. I'm sure that will be over by 8:30 and I can go to bed.( read: 3 old ladies eating their ice cream dessert and chatting)
My tent is close to the main building and near the beach. It seems you leave your thongs at the beginning of the sand just like you leave them at the door at home.
Water is coolish not tepid so may not swim. And flat as a tack as we are in Roebuck Bay.
Walked down to a rocky bit to photograph the sunset. Wispy clouds not unlike Santorini without the whitewashed Greek villas. Pictures came came out better than i thought.
No reception on my phone. So may have to pay for internet access if I go into withdrawal.
Gets quite cold once the sun goes down. So had to rug up to sit on the verandah of the restaurant. (its almost all verandah and no restaurant) for bbq dinner with ice cream for dessert. WA Beef, threadfin salmon, kangaroo and Tom Yum chicken.
Almost 100% chance of seeing whales. Today's cruise had 3 sightings. Tomorrow fully booked so going Thursday. Might go for a walk tomorrow to the caves.
Ruckus has died (oops may be wrong choice of words) down. It is 8:20
Only took 124 photos today.
Day 2 - Whale Watching
Absolutely froze last night. Will add an extra blanket and wear my cardigan and socks to bed tonight.
Once the sun is up things warm up so sitting on the verandah of the bar eating breakfast is very pleasant.
Will try to go on an ecology tour of Jacks Creek this afternoon. If they dont get enough numbers they may be putting on an extra whale tour so will hang around doing nothing this morning until i find out what's happening.
Can do the bush walk in the mornings but can't go to the caves unless its low tide which at the moment is afternoons. Low tides are around 2 metres. High tides are 6 - 9 metres. Wouldn't want to get caught at the wrong side of the rocks at high tide.
No-one was interested in the ecology tour so I got on the second whale tour. Got in a little zodiac to be taken to the (slightly) bigger boat and one of the returning tourists said "there's lots of water out there" not a good sign.
So we jetted into the horizon in a bigger zodiac for about 15 minutes (going at about 23 knots) and all we saw was water and blue sky. Then in the distance a plume of water. Our first sighting.
We got closer - there were two of them. I looked up one was breaching. I got a photo as it came down. "Best breach we've seen this year", Dave the guide told us. Bet you say that to all the guests one guy said. No no said Dave we dont see therm that often. Fiona said she had been doing this for EIGHT years and only seen 2 whales breach simultaneously once - a mother and calf. I got great pics of some pec slapping while they swam really close to the boat. Watched these two for a while and then went out further to another two who stopped swimming and did laps of our boat. It was amazing. Finally we got a simultaneous plume as we left to come back to shore. Took about 480 photos most of blurry ocean but did get some great pec slapping and tail waving. Got them down to about 70 so far.
Day 3 - Sea Kayaking
Sorted thrrough my whale photos this morning. Decided to walk to the caves in the afternoon. However was convinced to do a 3 hour sea kayaking tour to the caves by Christine from Brisbane. Probably a bit older than me but skinny and no doubt much fitter. Meant to be ideal conditions. So off we set. Very pleasant paddling along the coast. Pity my camera was in the guide's boat. Hard work (they had to keeping stopping for me) but paddled the 3km in just over an hour - against the tide and current. The caves are just past Cape Villaret which has Osprey Rock on its point. Ospreys nest above the caves which have chimney like holes in the roof. A number of ospreys were circling (with little fish in their feet I realised once I looked at the photos.) We paddled back with the tide and current and it took around half an hour. I thought i was getting good at it but it was only the current. We saw a flatback turtle. He stuck his head up as he swam by. In the end I'm glad i went.
Day 4 - Bush Walk
Plan to do the bush walk this morning.
And Jacks Experience this afternoon. Still no-one interested in the ecology tour so this is a mini version. You are meant take wine and cheese and watch the sunset and go fishing. I'll skip the romantic stuff and try and get some great photos (of mangroves perhaps)
Started on my bush trek just after 9. Red dirt/sand track that made the going quiet warm after a while.
It was a weird night. Not as cold as previous nights but quite humid. The bathroom mirror had fogged up and so had my camera.
Followed the track and the trees were well sign posted. Two lookouts on the way to the beach. Of course lookouts mean high up vantage points which meam having to walk uphill - on red sandy dirt in the heat. Not easy when you have vowed never to walk up a mountain again (see China 2010). Still should I fall over I guess I won't do myself too much damage.
First lookout was over the mini bungles. Not having seen the big ones I presume they looked similar. The next lookout was miles away and it was getting hotter but worth it in the end. The view was great and the path then led down to the beach. The wrong side of the rocks for getting home quickly. I got to the beach at around 10:30. High tide had been at 9:45am at 7.6m. Low tide was 2.6m at 4:13pm. I had to hang around until about 1:30pm before I could get around the rocks. So I read my book and took photos.
Got back to the resort at about 2:30pm and went out to Jacks Creek at 4pm. Tide was still going out as we drove along the beach. The mud flats of Jacks Creek are supposed to have a huge array of birds. Some come from as far as Russia. The tides here are the 5th biggest in (the world?) and the variety of shells washed up on the beach are amazing.
I saw an oystercatcher, seagulls, a ?flock of pelicans and a jabiru too far away to get a decent photo. The couple who had been fishing in the creek had caught about 30 fish.
It's close to the full moon so there are neap tides. Sunday's high tide is 8.9m and the low tide is 1.8m. Yesterday the fishing boat was left out of water by the tide.
Day 5
Doing nothing day today. Sorting my photos and reading my book and people watching. Either all the women who come here are much younger than the blokes they are with or much better preserved. Especially at night. During the day they have flabby arms and droopy necks but in dim moonlight the look much younger. The men all have beer guts and grey hair. The women dont. Probably lucky for me my husband isn't here or I would be the only one who looks older.
Day 6
Time to go home. It's been a wonderful few days away from the pressure of work.
Petrol at Roebuck Plains Roadhouse is 167.9 cents for unleaded. Lots of caravans on the road and an old lady with her bum out. Could't she go behind a bush?
Lounge at the airport is outside. Lucky it isn't raining. The woman in the shop where I bought my pearl ring told me the flights were cancelled the day of the fog and people spent the night at the airport.