- And we’re off — let’s go explore the Australian outback!
- Katherine, Northern Territory
- Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
- A day in Darwin, Northern Territory
- Kununurra, Western Australia and the Bungle Bungles
- Broome, Western Australia
- Uluru (Ayers Rock)
- Alice Springs, Northern Territory
- Birdsville, Queensland and return to Sydney
We arrived in Broome just before sunset, and I have to say that the sunsets over the Indian Ocean are pretty special. We were booked into the Cable Beach Club Resort that, not surprisingly, sits on Cable Beach, a gorgeous stretch of white sandy beach that provides an amazing contrast to the turquoise waters of the ocean. Nothing like sipping on a cocktail watching the sun go down.
The next day, we were on our own and we wandered a bit. Our first stop was Gantheaume Point, about 10 minutes away by taxi. Talk about a contrast, leaving the white sandy beach for this deep red rock that makes even a more outrageous contrast with the ocean. There a lots of little pools around and we hunted for what are supposed to be fossilized dinosaur footprints (it’s hard to think about dinosaurs in Australia…), but never found any. We just soaked in the beauty of the place. From there, we went back to the resort to get a little beach time. It gets quite toasty in Broome, so laying out on the beach ends about lunch time (at least for us). So the question was, “is it safe to swim in the ocean here?” And, of course, the answer was “it depends…” Huh! Actually, it turns out that most of the danger occurs during the rainy season (“the big wet”) when box jellyfish are more plentiful. There are also a few hammerhead sharks but apparently they don’t bother people (much). And what about those “salties?” It turns out salt water crocodiles don’t like the beach. They prefer bays, estuaries, etc. where they can hid and lay in wait. So, with all that new knowledge, we ended up wading. After lunch, we went to check out the town. Broome is called the “Pearl of the North,” largely because the history of Broome is tied to the pearling industry, attracting people from all over Southeast Asia to make their fortune cultivating pearls. And walking around town, there are ample opportunities to shop for them. Deb was on the hunt for a black pearl necklace and, yes, she scored! That evening we saw two of the other iconic treats from Broome — watching the camel caravan along the beach (we watched) and the Staircase to the Moon which occurs when a full moon rises over the exposed tidal flats of Roebuck Bay. Both were amazing!
Anyway, we have come the farthest west that we will go on this trip and tomorrow we to the Red Center!
This entry was posted in Australia, Cruising, Travel, West Australia
I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.
