Fri 26th, 80 Mile Beach

Breakfast then off down the beach at 8:00am to the right for 10 odd K's, high tide is at 11:15am, fishing is supposedly best on the making tide. Jeff comes with me. Target fish are threadfin and bluenose salmon. We start fishing about 9:00 am.

We fish using a typical tailor rig with pilchards except with bait reversed for head biters. I get some quick bites and pull in a salmon and a shark. Jeff takes a while to get into the swing of things until he hooks up with a good fish which is unfortunately lost just close to sure. We re-rig that rod then Jeff hooks up with a monster that has no desire to hang around, another rig required.

The building storm from the beach

Fishing goes quite around the peak tide but

The building storm from the beach

Jeff fishing

Total catch for the day was three salmon and two sharks, only one salmon kept. As it turns out my fish identification was off, we could have kept the three bluenose salmon I caught, I hadn't realised it was a variety of threadfin. Stop fishing about 12:30pm and retrun to camp. The building storm passes over and then settles down to an ongoing shower. Finally give up waiting for the storm to pass and start doing some jobs in the rain. Clean the fish, wash the car, pump up the car tyres, dismantle the rods and wrap them back up and put them back in the rod holder and then re-pack the fishing gear into the car. Lot of work for one fishing session. When we come back it won't be so bad as we will be on the beach for 3 weeks so I'll leave the rods in the rod holder.

Showers finally break up and become intermittent.

Fresh fish done simply for dinner, yummy!

 

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Thurs 25th, Broome to 80 Mile Beach

Anzac Day, first time we've missed the dawn service in years. Bit too hard to do that and pack up and drive. Play the Anzac Day related songs we have and have our own private service.

Warm overnight, the fan we bought helped immensely. On the road about 8:40am, off to 80 Mile Beach the first really good fishing opportunity on the making tide.

Entrance to 80 Mile Beach caravan park.

We get to 80 Mile Beach about 1:30pm and setup camp after which I rig some fishing rods, we've missed high tide which was at 10:30am, first fishing opportunity is tomorrow. Meanwhile Chris, Jeff and Helen go down to the beach, after 25 minutes of walking they still have not reached the receding water line. A 5 metre tidal range today.

Water is a long way out, not even low tide!

The 'James Palace' at 80 Mile Beach

Appreciating the weather, getting cooler in the evening a lot faster than Broome.

 

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Wed 24th, Broome

A quiet day. I went off early to try and sort my solar panels out. Went to Allvolts to see if they could help me with the new controller. The only thing they were interested in doing was booking me into some future health check on my panels, given we are here today only that was not very useful. May use that service if they don't work properly before we get back here.

Went off to ARB on the off chance they had some soft folding panels, they did. Purchased a set plus controller and some wiring. This gives us some backup and panels to charge the car aux battery when not travelling.

Wandered around town and did some general shopping. Picked up provisions for the next week.

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Tues 23rd, FC to Broome

Updated the blog again last night and copied photos from my Fuji camera to the iPad, forgot to write protect the SD memory card, the bloody IOS Photos App is writing a file to the card which gives the camera a hernia.

A better night at FC slightly cooler and more comfortable. An early pack up and on the road. 400 km roughly to do today. Boring road for the first hour, straight mostly with nothing to look at.

Get to Broome, check in at the Cable Beach Caravan Park and then go shopping. After several stops finally locate a fan in the Mitre 10. Tonight's minimum is forecast as 25/26, will need somethingbto help get to sleep.

After shopping drive down to Cable Beach for sundowners:

 

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Mon 22nd, Geiki Gorge

Up early again to get an early start before the heat on the 'Reef Walk' at Geiki Gorge. Get away by 7:00am and get out there to find nothing is clearly signposted. Walk signs and maps are non-existent. DEC don't start their boat tours until 1st May so maybe the place isn't ready? We head off and start the walk on an unnamed track along the gorge, track has many nasty burrs that get in gaiters, shoe laces, socks & trousers. Worst burrs I've ever seen walking. We reach the end of the track to find a sign lying on the ground that says we have finished the Reef Walk.

Would not repeat it for money, the burrs are a killer. Couple of photos follow will post more from the boat cruise this afternoon.

IGA in FC is good, has a good fresh food section. Have dinner in the lounge bar at the Fitzroy River Lodge, about $25 per course, nice food.

Dreading tomorrow night, the forecast in Broome is 28 - 32C, how can you sleep in a camper trailer in those temperatures? Bugger this northern heat wave!

The 4:00 pm boat cruise, I reckon the light is better in the afternoon. We saw 2 freshwater crocs swimming on the way back.

 

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Sun 21st, Travel to Fitzroy Crossing

Up at sparrows fart, hit the frog and toad by 7:20 am. Took an hour forty to do the 62 clicks back to the main road which is in good condition having just been graded, hate tonsee it later in the season.

Foxy packing up.

Part of the road out through Mabel Downs

Plan is to decide when we get to Halls Creek whether to camp overnight on the Mary River (Mary Pool) or whether to continue on to Fitzroy Crossing. Get to Halls Creek around 10:30am so decide to go onto FC. Stop at Mary Pool for a quck break, camping looks OK, the loos are conservatively described as disgusting!

Mercury registered 41c outside during the drive.

Camp setup at Fitzoy River Lodge

We are now three days ahead of schedule having stayed one day less in the Bungle Bungle (too hot for an overnight walk) and skipping a planned overnight stop.

 

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Sat 20th, Bungle Bungle Day 2

Two walks today 'The Domes' and 'Cathederal Gorge'. We start early at 7:00am to avoid the heat of the day as it is geting up to 38C and is foul out in the open. After the walks back at the camp we fill a solar shower and hang it in the shade so we can drench ourselves from time to time to cool down. The mercury hits 40C around 2:30.

On the way to Picanniny Creek:

The Domes walk:

The walk into Cathederal Gorge:

The Cathederal

 

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