Friday, August 20, 2021

Pender Bay, Cape Leveque

Didn't take long to figure out that Broome is over packed and full to 4 times it's usual population so did a quick change of plans and headed north to Cape Leveque. We did stop for a quick look at Cable beach which is incredible, 30 minutes queue at the post office, and pickup some essentials like meat, beer and pies.

Cape Leveque is a peninsula north of Broome and the road has just been sealed for the first time this year. It's straight and smooth, white topping with deep red margins, green bush and intensely blue skies make it quite a pleasant drive.

We managed to score an overflow site at Pender Bay Escape which is a pretty rustic beach side place 25km off the sealed road on a very sandy (but fun to drive!) road. Next day we got lucky as someone with a small kid couldn't handle the gale (it was very windy the day we arrived) so vacated a site and we got it. It's awesome, surrounded by bush with a corridor view out onto a cliff edge that over looks the bay. The cliffs are red, the beaches are white and beautiful and I'm told top grade for sand castle building! And the sea is glorious blue/turqoise. Have to keep an eye out for crocs but its so beautiful to swim and snorkel in (not much to see). We can light a campfire at the edge of the cliff and watch any whales pass by. Yesterday we saw 3-4 groups and I think there were mostly mother/calf combinations. They were doing some incredible flipper flapping and breaching. Flipper flapping is unbelievable!! First we heard this deep booming sound then saw this huge splash. I think it was a mother humpback trying to scare off a boat that was nearby. 

The guy that runs the place is very helpful and last night put on a movie for the kids under the stars. Feeling very very lucky right now. We initially were here for 2 days but have extended out to 4 days now. So we just swim, build sandcastles, hide out for a couple of the hot midday hours under the gazebo then swim, stroll, whale watch, repeat * 4 days.

Unfortunately seems like west of Broome is absolutely jammed to the gills with grey nomads and tourists so we're not having much luck getting anywhere to stay at Karijini or Ningaloo. We have a couple of other more remote options to investigate thou so might just have to do that instead. Not the worst dilemma.

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