Broome

Next destination-Port Hedland, to do some shopping & connect to internet.  I'd planned to continue to Cape Keraudren, but at the turnoff was a large sign stating "Offroad Vehicles Only!!", so I freecamped and continued to Broome the following day.  Ever popular, Broome was essentially booked out so I managed to get a spot at the Roebuck Roadhouse Caravan Park, some 35 Km out of Broome, and took it. 

Broome has grown to be a modern city, with some of the older areas still maintaining the character of earlier times.  Initially, the main industry was diving for the oyster shells for the Mother-of-Pearl, of which Broome supplied to the world, as much as 80% before 1915.  Cultured pearls began to be farmed in the 1950's and today it is a major industry in Broome.  With its tropical climate and lovely beaches, in the 1980's Broome developed a tourist industry, huge today!

So, a visit to the famed Cable Beach was in order;  Cable Beach got its name after the international telegraph cable between Java and the rest of the world, which came ashore at Cable Beach in 1889. Not surprisingly many of the 100,000 annual visitors were sunbaking, bathing and generally enjoying the fantastic beach weather.  Here and there you could spot a beach bum, but what surprised me was how old some of them were!  Or maybe they just looked old, as their vacant stare indicated they undoubtedly were traveling in the speedway.     

A visit to the Historical Society Museum gave an interesting account of Broome's development and life in a remote town.  Of special interest were interviews screened of former telephone exchange operators:  While they didn't mention names they certainly covered some 'facts' of early life you don't find in the history books! 

I was lucky enough to be in Broome when the Staircase to the Moon occurred, a phenomena that only happens three nites a month and only from March-October:  When the full moon rises over exposed mudflats at an extreme low tide, the reflections on the rippled sand create a staircase effect.  So I spent the late afternoon at Town Beach with a book, waiting for sunset.  It was scheduled to rise not long after sunset, thus it wouldn't be quite dark at first.  As sunset approached, it soon became evident most of the 100,000 tourists had left Cable Beach and were now at Town Beach!  Like a watched pot, it seemed to take forever for the sun to finally set and then the moon rise, but rise it did!   With cameras clicking everywhere I felt a bit puny with a compact digital camera, especially as there were some super-fancy long lensed SLR's on tripods for the event, but given the limitations I managed to get some decent photos.  It is certainly unique, and fascinating to watch - a wonderful experience!  Then a 35 Km drive back to my van and preparations for early departure, Derby being my next stop.