Well hi to all, we left Broome MONDAY 17 OCT morning with the other leaving the day before as we had a few things to do...get a boat licence, wheel bearings checked, etc. We headed south out of Broome travelling past some very boring countryside, probably the worst so far. We came to the turn off to Port Smith where the others had gone, but we could see a huge fire further down the road, so after our friend Hully's experience, we decided to continue on to 80 Mile beach, we arrived at the turn off and then travelled for 10km along a corrugated dirt road, coming to a van park on the water. We set up, Caz cleaned the fridge after eggs broke on the road in !! lovely mess!! we then went for a walk along the beach...the first of many walks as the beach is covered in shells, shells & more shells of many different types.
TUESDAY......... Up early for a walk on the beach, this time taking a plastic bag for the shells, we did see a couple of turtle tracks, where they have gone up th beach to lay eggs before returning o the ocean. Later in the morning the Bewells turned up without the Butlers who had broken down on the dirt road into 80 Mile. The rear springs/suspension had come loose causing the axle to move and push the tyre back against the rear tyre wall. Di found 3 springs back down the road. They had only had these put on back in Darwin,so the new ones had not been fittered properly....luckily it was on a dirt road & not a main hwy where the big road trains are. Anyway, Sandra had contacted the NRMA equivalent RAC when she arrived at 11.30am to send someone out. A number of people stopped on their way into 80 Mile with a number of suggestions and assistance offered and by 2.30pm sitting out in 36deg heat Rans went and rang them again.....well they had not sent anyone out yet and were trying to contact us at the park, but they were shut till 3pm. After a long and drawn out call NRMA made arrangements for a tow truck that wouldn't get there till tomorrow as it had to come from Port Hedland, so the end story was the Butlers stayed with their van on the dirt road overnight.
WEDNESDAY.....Up early and walk along the beach with the Bewells, we saw a huge turtle slowly, very slowly returning to the ocean after laying eggs, it was exhausted, poor thing.The girls found a few more shells.... well more than a few!! We then checked on the Butlers. The tow truck arrived at 10.30am & returned to Port Hedland whilst Di & Terry got a cabin at 80 Mile. It turned out the van would be ready by Saturday and they could pick it up & it was easier/cheaper to get accom at 80 mile than Port Hedland, also NRMA paid for the lot the accomm & repairs so that was a great result. The rest of the day was doing some minor repairs, to our van as a result of the trip in. THURSDAY.....Up early & Rans went for an early morn walk, then came back & the others, Di, Caz, John & Sandy went shell hunting...again!!
Just after lunch the boys went down for a fish on the incoming tide, well there was heaps of weed, so not very enjoyable, Rans throws his line out for the first time, gets caught up in the weed immediately but also catches a blue nose salmon and also gets his line tangled so for the next hr we know what he was doing...untangleing !! John in meantime decides to walk out past the weed to about neck deep to throw his line, he has some success, 2 small fish but he could easily have been the bait, Rans catches another 3 but throws 2 back and gives 2 to a young couple who were also trying to fish....they enjoyed them. FRIDAY.....The Bewells & us head off to Port Hedland, another boring trip.....we came into Port Hedland & went to the Info Centre to get directions to the park, this is just a huge mining/ship export town and everything here is expensive and if you don't work for Rio Tinto or BHP you have no chance to have anything done, eg car servicing, trade work etc. We set up at the park went shopping and we are out of here tomorrow, heading inland for a couple of days.So will close here, hi to all, miss you all, talk soon, love Rans & the Mrs xxxxxxx 
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