Blogs from Cape Leveque, Western Australia, Australia, Oceania

25 years of marital bliss. Spare me the shocked expressions, there is no tongue planted firmly in the cheek. It's been a quarter of a century jam packed with the type of credentials that a marriage CV should boast. A 25th anniversary should also warrant a special location to celebrate other than Cronulla. Ten years ago for our 15th, Penny and I found ourselves planted at a Mediterranean-hugging seafood restaurant in cutesy Piran, Slovenia's mini Dubrovnik. Yeah, I know, another one. There are as many mini Dubrovniks as there are mini Venices but Piran's comparison is justifiable. Anyway, at that point in our lives it was decided we should be shoehorning somewhere exotic into the calendar every 5 years come May 17. So what about 20 years? Glad you asked. Cannon Beach on Oregon's redwood-lined coast ... read more

A very early start for this tour was required (5.45am) but we were held up as a couple turned up after 6.00. No apology offered but just waltzed in. You feel like smacking them. This was a tour to see King Sound (renowned for its 10m tides), which feeds the world famous natural phenomenon of the Horizontal Waterfalls. We visited to see the whirlpools created by the tides and a tidal waterfall at a 7,000 year old reef that is absolutely spectacular. This is a cruise for thrillseekers. We took a sealegs amphibious vehicle out to the rigid inflatable that was moored in Cygnet Bay and then we were away! Two 250hp Honda motors provide plenty of go! We learnt about the pearl operation as we cruised past the oyster beds in the bay and then ... read more

Wow we had the most amazing day today! An aboslute top shelf experience! We have a huge amount of photos too, but will just post a few here becuase its late at night and we are really tired. The day started at 4.45 am. After getting ready we were picked up in a massive 4wd bus called Big Foot. Off we went onto the Dampier Peninsula on a very corrugated red dirt track. 120 k's of rocking and rolling and bone shaking, we arrived in Beagle Bay. Its a very lovely aboriginal community (dry apparently). There's an amazing church built by German monks in 1918. They made the altar with local pearl shells and it is seriously beauitiful! After an early morning cuppa and lamingtons we were off again. A further hour and a half of ... read more

Friday 1stSeptember Haikus from the Hill #1 Legs hurting a lot Bitten scratched and trauma Sun on painful legs Swirling waves coming in fast Bright sea breaking swell Mangroves right in front Have to keep awake I am very sleepy now The sun blazes down Ancient trees close by Faint islands in the distance I discover more.... read more

Day 36 - Saturday 4th August – Dampier Peninsula to Cape Keraudren We packed up in the early morning, filled the trailer with water and left Chile Creek by about 8.30am. None of us were looking forward to the very bumpy corrugated drive back to Broome but it turned out that the grader had done quite a bit of work in the few days we had been on the peninsula and it was much smoother than expected. That meant we arrived in Broome at 11am for a quick pit stop – fuel, a few groceries and coffees. The races are on in Broome today and the place was chockers. People taking an age at the petrol station, loads of people in the supermarket and a huge queue for coffees. After the unsealed road we ... read more