Day 35 – Broome

A bit of a rest day today – always nice. We went for a drive down to Town Beach which is very pretty, and the huge tide was way out. At very low tide you can walk out and see the remains of many of the Catalina Flying Boats that were stationed here during WW2.

We also stopped briefly at the Japanese cemetery to read about the many Japanese pearl divers that perished either diving the deep ocean depths, or on fishing or pearling boats caught in storms and cyclones. Many of the graves have colored beach rocks as headstones.

There is also a cemetery dedicated to the Chinese that were prolific here as storekeepers and traders during the Pearl diving heyday There are still descendants of those traders today running Asian grocery shops.

Brendan dropped me down the street, and I had an hour to myself among the shops. Had a look through the many pearl shops, galleries and other little shops around Chinatown, but didn’t buy anything. Must admit I didn’t feel entirely comfortable roaming around by myself with all the aboriginal people loping around (some screaming at each other, or coming up and asking me for money – seems to be the same in most outback towns, and although I’m getting used to it, if I’m honest I must admit it still bothers me).

Anyway, while I was browsing the shops and information centre, Brendan was back at the park supervising the kids and washing the very, very dirty car. After yesterdays adventure up 200km of sandy, bright red dirt, it was atrocious. Actually I think he was rather proud of it!  Anyway, it was due for a wash.

 

The afternoon was spent in the beautiful pool, practising our snorkelling techniques, getting ready for Ningaloo Reef in a week or so’s time. This will be Lily’s first attempt at snorkelling, so she was keen to get some practise in. 

 At 5pm we called in at the fish n chip shop, picked up some barramundi and chips, and headed to watch the sunset once again on Cable Beach – something we would never get tired of doing. It truly is one of the most spectacular beaches in Australia.