Week 19 (31st July - 6th August)

Well - for the last week we have been living with dozens of other nomads, cooped up like refugees in what is called an “overflow park” and we now know what our guide book meant when it advised that “when visiting Broome over the period June to August pre-booking is essential”.

Until now we have always managed to find somewhere to camp but even the locals are saying that in all the years they have lived in Broome, they have never seen it so busy. All five caravan parks are full; the earliest we can expect to get a vehicle serviced is in ten days time; the caravan repairer is so busy he is playing extremely hard to get and, if had not been for the Police and Citizens Youth Club acting as an overflow park, where we are presently parked on the skate boarding rink, our next best option was to camp in the grounds of the Seventh Day Adventist’s Church or the Pistol Club! Many travellers are in the same predicament. We are closely packed in with a time limit on how long we can spend here and, as fast as one leaves, another takes his place.

With little to attract us in the shade-less, hot caravan park (the daily temperatures hovering around 33°C) we have become professional beach bums, spending the best part of each day overlooking Cable Beach – reputably one of the finest in the world and, as far as we are concerned, justifiably so.

Sundowner time at Cable Beach - the 4WD brigade

We have found certain characteristics of Broome to be reminiscent of Darwin and that of the Florida Keys. Each evening, everyone gathers to watch the sun fall into the sea. A scene enhanced by palm trees, the outline of a pearl lugger silhouetted against the horizon or the sight of the camels and their riders suffused against the glow of the setting sun, each being scenes depicting the iconic images of Broome that we have been able to experience first hand.

Camel train on Cable beach

Another memory of this beach for us, are the masses of 4WDs that weave over the rocks onto the north side to share the beach with the camel riders and nudists. As evening draws in they sit in front of their vehicles with stubbies in hand and preparing their barbeques as the sun goes down. On Sunday, we too, are going to take Skiv down onto the beach for our last supper with Paula. She is booked to depart on the Greyhound come Monday morning.

Although we have been in limbo all week waiting for repairs to Getaway we couldn’t have done it in a more pleasant town. Our blog may read as if we only remained on Cable beach – not so! We have walked Town beach and the Port’s deep water jetty; been out to the Broome Bird Observatory in Roebuck Bay ;

Last light at Cable beach

visited the History Museum as well as the weekend markets outside the old courthouse and in Chinatown. Not to mention Gantheaume Point with its lighthouse, the replicas of the dinosaur footprints (the real ones can only be seen on extremely low tides) and most striking of all, the brilliantly warm colours of the rocks and soil.

Rocks on shore of Roebuck Bay

STOP PRESS: Sunday - We have struck lucky in a small way by relocating to a parking bay in the Broome Vacation Village. As soon as a proper camp site becomes available in the next day or two we can have it. Who cares! This suits us and has allowed us to get all our washing done quickly and easily within minutes of pulling in. Hopefully the repairman will arrive early tomorrow? With Broome time reigning we dare not hold our breath...