Beautiful, but deadly....

 That's Eighty Mile Beach- it is actually more than 150 miles long, pure white sand, but deadly seas washing along it.

The water contains sharks ,sting rays and sea snakes, so it is not recommended for swimming. A lot of fishermen were casting along the shoreline, catching Salmon and sharks and many other species, and we decided to get our very expensive rod out and try our luck. (It was $27 for a full kit.) However before we could organize ourselves a gale blew up and fishing was abandoned- the sand scoured legs and anything else it came in contact with.

We did however witness one of the finest sunsets we have ever seen, in these latitudes the sun moves very rapidly, and goes down in just a couple of minutes, the colour changing from bright yellow to a lovely red as it sinks beneath the sea.

After two nights there we had to move again, 250k towards Broome and another site called Port Smith, close to a beautiful lagoon, and this time we can swim in it as well as fish.

We arrived to the sight of kangaroos and cockatoos just outside our cabin (we have decided to have a couple of days in “luxury”). After settling in we drove down to the lagoon, to find the sea out and fishermen casting into some large pools left behind.

That’s for us we thought, so the following morning we unpacked our very expensive rod and tackle and went down to the shoreline. Casting with a lure (thought we would try that first rather than buy bait just yet) we had no bites after an hour, went for lunch and bought some bait, prawns were recommended.

So back to the lagoon, baited up with prawns, and cast out. Bingo- got a bite almost immediately! Struck, but missed, but the little b***** had taken my bait, and left just the shell on the hook. That was the pattern for the afternoon, cast out, feel the bite, strike, and find the bait taken. But never mind, the challenge was there, just a pity the fish weren’t on the hook!

Back to the cabin, feed the kangaroos with a few potatoes, they come right up to us now. They are very tame.

Anyway, next stop Broome, exciting because it is the biggest town we have been in in two weeks, and we will buy a tent there so we can use the car to get about without packing up.