Broome to 80 Mile Beach to Port Hedland

Not a dinosaur footprint to be seen...

How people without a 4WD
perve at the nudists on Cable
Beach.

We returned to Broome and carried on sitting on the beach.  We also saw the grand final (well, Dad and Pa did - the rest of the team committed the ultimate sacrilege by going to the beach) at the Cable Beach pub and went to see some dinosaur footprints. It was pretty amusing - about 100 people walking over rocks asking each other, "Which of these  holes is supposedly a dinosaur footprint?"  I can tell you that a the holes all look them same.  Mind you, while looking for dinosaur footprints we discovered two things.  First, if Pa whacks his shin and bleeds, his whole foot swells up.  Second, if a parent - lets say Dad - is carrying their child - lets say Isaac - over slippery rocks and slips then the said parent does not herocially fall to the ground and prevent injury to said child. Rather, he drops the child on the rocks.  For the benefit of the DHS, I am not saying it happened but we learned that is what would happen.

No breaking the eighth commandment
fella's.

On then to 80 Mile Beach that is half way between Broome and Port Hedland.  The only thing there is a caravan park and Coastwatch - ie boat people spotters.  The caravan park is nice enough but it really is mega bogan heaven - every person who has ever owned a quad bike seems to camp here and they all own Australian flags.  Its also the only caravan park wtih a shrine to fallen soldiers that we have seen.  Not that there is anything wrong wtih that but when you put it together wtih quad bikes and Coastwatch you get the idea of the people there.  I should mention however, that in an area of the world where eveything is expensive, they do sell ice creams for $2 each.  They are the best bargain in WA.

Issac and Yvette washing the sand off from 80 mile beach.
What Isaac does not know is that Yvette has been without a
nappy for about 4 hours now.  He is about to find out in
the worst possible way....

Again, this was a beach holiday - I mean, its not like there was a lot else to do there.  The beach is nice but not safe for swimming - if the rips do not get you, then the brown jelly fish (of which there are heaps here and at Broome) will sting you. 

We then dragged ourselves down to Port Hedland - which, as the guide books will tell you - is the busiest port in Australia by tonnage.  It all about the mines - BHP in particular seems to own the town although Rio Tinto is also very much present.  The whole place is covered in red dust that makes everything red and dirty.  If you lived here it would drive you mad.

We had Pa's birthday here - happy birthday Pa - and watched some massive ships come into port.  Again, not sure its the reason you would move here. Anyway, onward to more beach sitting at Port Samson tomorrow.