Day 65 Cape Range Turtle Aw-Gee

While at the Visitors Centre we were informed about a Turtle Nesting Area that most people do not get to. We rekkied the area the night before and found nothing, so decided that we would all get up at first light and take a look. We were sadly disappointed at first, as there was no evidence of turtles coming up the beach to nest..then we saw them. only one or two at first, just in the shallows. So we followed with cameras in hand and were shown a display of mating that most wild life photographers would die for.
She was obviously an older lady, and the pheramones (not sure of spelling) were abundant as she had a total of 6 suiters. She entertained one gentleman whilst the other 5 swam around going aw-gee.....!! 
She was beached a couple of times, and then finally the males left and she rested on the shore line before going back for another serve.
Now I have seen pictures of dolphins in waves but I have never seen anything like this. Bear in mind this was all going on within feet of us.
Now is that coital bliss.... or exhaustion! 

Day 63-64 Yardie Homestead/ Cape Range

Stephen has yet again managed to do wanders with his camera. This postcard perfect shot should be enlarged to get the best effect. (Double click and it will do this). This shot is of an area just beside the Visitors centre at the Cape Range National Park. It has the same feeling as that of the day...just walk right in.
Yardie Gorge, on Yardie Creek, was the only gorge that we have seen that was absolutely teeming with fish... Alys wanted to get the rod out there and then. We all admitted that we are all Gorged out, so I think that's the last one for a while.
South Mandu Beach was where we went for our second snorkeling experience. The first was at Turquoise Bay, yesterday, and Stephen and I saw a Black Tipped Reef Shark (all I heard was the "Oh Sh t", through the snorkel). It was about 4 ft long and cruised passed about 6 ft away. The colours and varieties of the fish were staggering. Here at South Mandu Beach we saw dead coral, before getting out to the serious stuff, only meters off the beach. The tide was out so we swam up and out to the live reef and then just drifted down with the current. If you put your hand down you would have touched the reef and the fish. Sensational!!!!!!!

The lone fisherman, turns out to be a German pastry chef, named Riener, who was delighted to be offered copies of the said photos.

Day 62-63 Exmouth

Here we are the great fishermen, after Alison had a crash on the rocks & bruised various parts! Alys led the charge with a throw back.
I decided to use my limited skills & use the camera, so Alison took over with my rod & caught this :-
Who's ever caught an octopus on a rod before?
I just sat & watched & took these beautiful sunset pictures "with the odd person" to add interest.
Alan doing the final clean-up, there were some other fantastic pics but we can't fit them all.

Day 60-61 Millstream to Port Samson/Cossack

When we left Millstream we went across the top to Mt Herbert, along the way, we saw a picture for one or both of my parents to paint. The panoramic views from this area was something that we did not truly appreciate until we saw this shot with the Sturt Desert Pea in the for ground.
The next stop and short walk was the cool spot of Python Pool.... the only weird thing was that there was hardly any birds at this spot... quite eerie.
We moved to Port Samson, which apart from the first viewing of the whales breeching did very little for me... but we did go to Cossack, and I must say the old cemetery bug hit! This is the grave of William Shakespeare Hall one of the original pioneers of the area. It is always fascinating to me when I can read the local history in some of these fantastic buildings and then find the actual grave of the person I have been reading about... I know you all think I am odd, but hey, each to their own.
This is were Stephen got me were he always dreamed... in Gaol.... this is the local prison in Cossack...now used along with the local post office as an art gallery.
These are the remaining buildings of what was a thriving town of the area, and this is only one of the towns that are now small pockets of properties all over this vast area of this country. Most of the original town was built in timber and the 1898 cyclone destroyed most of the town, stunning!

Day 56-59 Millstream Chichester

You can imagine the comments attached to this photo..... Even out here Stephen can find something to perv at!
This amazing country with it's colours, we have had a few problems with the red dust but overall Toby & Turtle have been a dream.

Millstream Homestead is a fairly barren area and we were not sure if we should have bothered... then we went for a walk around the homestead to discover the gardens and waterways of clear beautiful water.
This is just an example of the waterway.
The lookout to the Hamersley ranges, nothing in this photo... yet another you have to be there.

Day 52-55 Karratha

On the road to Karratha we came across these Termite Nests.... some one with a sense of humour had put their hard hats on  them.. Stephen says "Even the termite up here suffer the strict indignity of O.H & S" (Notice the baby one).
Karratha now spreads itself and this picture was from the TV Lookout.
We were very lucky to stay with Irene and her family in Karratha (I met Irene in Perth doing radiation at the same time as me). Phil, Irene and their daughter Bridget, made us most welcome and it was a joy to sleep in a bed for a few days. Thanks again guys.
More wild life on the Burrup Peninsula. We went for a walk to find the Petroglyphs of which there are thousands on this peninsula....which I am sure you are all aware of with the battle royal going on with mining companies and their interests in the area.  
These are reputedly the oldest rock carvings in the world and it would be criminal if the mining companies got hold of this land and destroyed such history.

Day 49-51 Eighty Mile Beach/Pardoo

We left Broome and headed for the fishing spot on Eighty Mile Beach, as you can see from the photo Stephen had fun with the sunset and shoreline. We did try to do some fishing off the beach but we were completely sand blasted, so the round table agreed that maybe we should go back to where I had caught fish before Pardoo Station..Alys was getting a little upset at the lack of fishing time!!!
Pardoo Station... meant to be a cattle station... these Galahs looked like the only thing in the yard!! The other thing was that we looked at the history sheet on the station to discover that our friend Margaret nee Schubert had owned this station in the 1960's.. such a small world.
This is how you fish.............................................. Alan and Alys moved on without us so missed out on the big catch.. as you can see below, these are the ones we did not put back.. the freezer is full!! 
The competition..... and boy could he fish!
THE CATCH. Score now even 16 a piece.