Broome

Broome is a very picturesque town. The water colour differs based on the water depth from a translutent blue/green close to shore to a dark blue further offshore. Like Port Hedland, the tides are enormous which gives natures lovers or avid photographers the chance to walk in the shallows at low tide and check out the various sea life. Small crabs the size of a 10 cent piece, burrowing at the first sign of my big feet and shells with the animals still in them sliding like a snail in the sand.

As the beaches have a slight decline into the ocean, when the tide goes out (low tide) it goes out for 200-500 metres. This means at high tide, the water depth for the first 100-200 metres going out to sea, is typically only 0.5-1.5 metres deep, which is a little low for swimming as you occasionally need to dodge rocks and tree roots and the occasional broken beer bottle some stupid muppet threw into the drink.

Like the rocky beaches surrounding the Broome township, the water colour at Cable beach is breath taking with white'ish sand. Cable beach is about 6 km from the main township of Broome, and it's the famous beach on all Broome post cards. I do like Broome as you can just relax and enjoy the great views or get into more adventurous activities. Would I fly from the east of Aus to Broome and pay the ridiculous motel / hotel prices, nope!! I will come back, lower temps and do more of the adventure activities. My time here was to relax.

When I get back, I will be checking at Dans Murphy, if they have a beer brewed in Broome, from a place called, Matso's. Mango Beer. It doesn't sound too great, however the mango flavour is not
overpowering and it's a great drop.

Broome is the only township I have encountered that has the local prison in the middle of town. I'd say it's about 300-500 meters from MacDonalds. Broome market was your average regional style, but what did catch my eye was 3 stalls of photographers selling their photos. Almost purchased one for a friend, but the chance of damage coming home was high and I know I have some pretty good photo's of my own. But I have their business card and website details, just in case mine don't look great blown up :)

The caravan parks in Broome have very few campers and caravaners. Cabins appear to ahve about a 30% occupancy rate. It's school holidays in WA and yet they are empty. I suspect it's because it's a long  way from Perth to Broome, approx 1,800kms and the heat. However, Karajini National Park was filling up very quickly during the school holidays and it was hotter.

The weather is starting to heat up. One of the 3 days in Broome, the humidity was over 94%. (constant dripping of wetness). If you sleep beyond 7am, most of the tents / campervans become saunas. At 9am, it's about 33 degrees and by 10am, mid to late 30's. According to the weather forecasters, the Kimberleys, further north are already posting +40 degrees with a rise in humidity.

I enjoy warm weather, but this constant heat and humidity to starting to get to me. It gets hot, so quick, that you can't venture out in the morning and then relax in the afternoon.  So I've decided to abandon my adventure going north and will head south along the coast of Western Aus. Visiting places like Karratha, Dampier, Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, Coral Bay, Moneky Mia and more. I had my heart set on a northern adventure, but the lack of a 4wd or motorbike to drive on dirt roads and the heat, just means I'll have to come again, 2-3 months earlier in the year, some time in the future.

So it's off to Karratha and Dampier, 833km's south.