We spent the WA school holidays up on this coast as we had found that it was so busy the further South we were going. So after our tour with Brian (see earlier post) we just hung at Kooljaman and did the beach thing we had 5 days camping up at the camp ground and 5 days in a beach shelter which is a shelter made of palm fronds with a cold water shower and sand floor right on the beach. We swam every day.
Beach shack at night
A little visitor in the hut next door
Views for the shack
We went bird nerding up at Gumbanan and yes we saw the elusive Gouldian finch woo hoo. These rare little things can be found at the bush camp in the fresh water that comes from the overflow tank (shhh dont tell everyone)
Gouldian Finch having a drink
These guys are Mannequin Finches
Double barred finches and honey eater
We stopped in Cygnet bay twice and had a swim and our new favourite lunch up there Thai green curry. On our second visit we had a chat with Bruce Wiggan he is the traditional owner of Cygnet bay he told us that he had got his land back 5 years ago and now the pearl farm pays the rent. He is a lovely soft spoken man with a great talent for art. His main medium is carving and his materials are pearl shells with pigments from the soil .He is also starting a venture with his designs on material. He gave us his number and said when we are up this way again just call and we can stay with him free of charge he has a bush camp and we can go anywhere around Cygnet bay with him. Thanks Bruce we will definitely take you up on that.
Maya pigs out
Bruce Wiggan surf board design
Bruce in his younger days Handsome rooster
Bardi Shell design Bruce (copyright)
As we stayed 5 days longer than expected and we were running short on supplies and most of the communities are still shut due to covid so what to do. Some locals told us that you can ring the shop and they will meet you up at a bush camp and deliver! Ohh happy days no more dry rice bubbles. We did that and met Geoff who was lovely bloke he had worked at remote stores for years and lived in some amazing out of the way places. Thanks for the supplies.
We travelled down the Rd about 65 kms to our new home Gnylmarung. After the turn off it is about 30 kms on sandy tracks with not much space for passing so the unwritten rule is to arrive after 12 so anyone who is leaving can get out and not have oncoming traffic. Of course we were late in as we were enjoying ourselves at Cygnet bay.
This place is relaxed. A beautiful beach white sand turquoise waters plenty of shade on our site, a bit dusty in the camp ground but it is remote bush beach camping. Each site has access to fresh water and a sink. When you arrive the sign says toot 3 times which we did and Alphonse appears in his paddock bomb and takes you to your site.
There was only about 6 sites with campers on them and as the week went on it got less and less until one day Alphonse came down and said we are going to Broome for a Wedding shut the gate and anyone comes just tell them to camp anywhere. Awesome there was only two families which left that day and a couple that were friends of the owners and us. OHHHH YEAHHHH private beach for $40 cant get better than that people.
Beach shower
We were adopted by the camp dogs, There was Kya and Monster. Kya was a special dog he was the custodian of the beach nobody went to the beach without Kya making sure they were Ok and he would watch over them until they were safely home. The kids and Adam first witnessed this amazing dog in action when they went for a walk. Kya was in front guiding them over the rock point stopping and sitting when they lagged behind. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the water and back to kids and then back to the water etc until the kids noticed what he was telling them a pod of dolphins just off shore. ( thanks Kya) He really watched over you but there was something about this guy he was a little sad like he was waiting for someone or something to arrive back from over the horizon.
Then there was Monster he was his own man. Fearless in the water and and a bit of a character. See photos
Alphose had told us that it was to be the biggest tide of the season while we were there 10.2 metres Huge!!
Tide out
This made for some excellent beach combing in the rock pools. No need to snorkel everything was there trapped in the pools waiting for the tide to come and return them to the safety of the deep water .
We saw hundreds of puffer fish Nash particular liked making them blowup like a balloon.
Crabs, octopus some things I don't even know what they are. There was coral, an angry exhausted sea snake. We found a hawksbill turtle that was suffering from float ( a condition turtles get and they can not dive)and looked like it had a boat strike on its head. We gave him a clean and put him back in the ocean but he turned up the next day. Sadly we had to leave him behind to his fate in nature.
This guy was washed up on the huge tide he is super venomous be careful
This was our last attempt
Adam with turtle in ocean
We met a great bloke named Dave and his wife Helen. Dave was high on life and this place was one of his favourites. Lucky for us Dave runs a business called Red Track Campers and also does Red Track Eco tours. He gave us some great tips on some out of the way places and great free camps for us as we head down the coast. He was such a great bloke that even gave us his last 3 beers as we were out. Thanks Dave. Check out his tours they are a great start if you are not sure about going outback. You can tag along and hire one of his campers or take your own and then who knows you may buy one at the end of your trip.
Feature Creature
Francois The ??????
( I really don't know what this is)
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