Backpacker Sojourn

The owner has been fishing this morning and had a good catch:

Gonzo’s catch

I asked him if he wanted to sell me some, but apparently that’s not allowed. So I offered him a can of Little Creatures in exchange. He said he doesn’t drink and gave it to his offsider. Everyone is happy and I’ve just been into town to buy some asparagus to cook with my lovely fresh fish.

Growing in the garden

Hedland to Karratha

Before leaving Black Rock, I tried to find out why they are building so many worker’s cabins, but I couldn’t get a straight answer from the office when I checked out. I should have asked the nice bou in the canteen. He served me an enormous portion of fish and chips last night, enough for two people, almost falling off the plate:

Canteen

Before leaving, I took a couple of photos of the site:

On the road this morning, I called in at Whim Creek. It’s a rather nostalgic place for me, as I’ve stayed there a couple of times in the past. Now it’s all closed and boarded up:

The only thing of use is a new Electric Charger, for those with electric cars; but surely that’s risky up north.

Because there was again no accommodation available in Karratha, I had a brainwave to look for backpackers places. I’ve ended up in one: Karratha Backpackers (where everyone is at least 60 years younger than me!). It’s an incredibly untidy place on its last legs, but needs must and better than sleeping in my car.

The other thing of note is a big change in the weather: at 11.00 am I saw storm clouds up ahead and then I drove into a really heavy downpour. No more blue skies for me.

Black Rock Tourist Park

I’ve just arrived at Black Rock on the outskirts of South Hedland. Not much to say really. It seems mainly aimed at tradies. There are cabins great and small as far as the eye can see in all directions. Mine seems quite new and has everything I need for a one night stop.

On the Road Again

Half way between Broome and Cygnet Bay is the small town of Beagle Bay. It’s a ramshackle place but famous for its church with mother-of-pearl decorations:

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Now I’m back in Broome for one last night. I’m staying at the Pinctada Hotel. This has recently been taken over from the Kimberley Sands, where I stayed with Val some years ago. It’s undergoing some refurbishment at the moment:

Nice room on the first floor

The best thing is the large pool, the biggest around, though many of the tiles round the edge are in need of repair.

I enjoyed one last dinner at the Bali Hai, which is just down the road. I just had an entree and a dessert:

Sno crab salad

Tiramisu

I could eat one of these every day!

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm

When  I discovered that the Cape Leveque Road is now sealed, I made an impromptu decision to drive north. In the past, this was a gravel road and I travelled up here with the post bus. They offered this service to tourists.

So I am now staying at Cygnet Pearl Farm in a “glamping tent”, which is the best accommodation in this remote spot.

This afternoon I did a one hour tour of the farm, which covered the history of pearling and the operation of this farm:

Intro and film in the old school shed

Waiting for the opening of a shell

Our guide will crack open a shell

The view out to sea

Inside the shop

I didn’t buy anything. I have lovely pearls at home, but I wish I had them here!

At the Black Stump

I always pay a visit to this gallery. Today there was a lot of moving around, as they were preparing for an exhibition opening tonight. Emma Blythe’s husband seemed to be doing the heavy lifting.

This is the artist who is the subject of the new exhibition:

She seems to use gold paint in some of her work.

After that, it was time for a coffee at Matso’s:

Sculpture in the garden outside

RAC Caravan Park

I’ve moved, but only a few minutes drive away:

I wanted to try the cabins in this caravan park, which is just across the road from the Bali Hai where I’ve often stayed in the past.

It’s cheaper than Beaches, the only downside being its further away from Cable Beach. Apart from that, it has a lot going for it. My studio cabin is about 3 times as big as at Beaches. It’s very quiet, situated right at the back of the park. The kitchen is extremely well equipped and the big TV actually works - though up here you only seem to get Channel 7.

Breakfast in the sun

My plan was to visit the Museum, where my friend Alison used to volunteer on Sundays. It has been enlarged since her day, with several additional rooms. The verandah has also been enclosed , with a display about Broome in wartime. I was mainly interested in the history of pearling:

Pearl buttons

These pearl shell buttons were popular before the advent of plastic buttons.

Pearls growing in the shell

Aboriginal designs carved in the shells

I learned some interesting facts from the volunteer. At first, pregnant aboriginal women were used as divers, because they had greater lung capacity. When they were forced to go out into deeper water, they started to get the “bends”. This is when the expert divers from Japan were brought in.

The Japanese divers couldn’t live without soy sauce and started producing their own locally:

Soy sauce flagons

Japanese tea set

An annexe to the museum is the Sailmakers Shed, where skilled craftsmen prepared the canvas sails for the pearl luggers as well as other items: