Owing to the limited and sporadic availability of internet access the updates won’t be day labelled but kinda throughout the week as it makes it easier. Anyway on to this update and it is filled with drama intrigue and action (not really but it sounds good). .After leaving Perth we decided to head North we saw a brown sign for the Pinnacles Desert and thought that could be cool and I assure you was. I am a big Stargate fan and these outcrops looked other worldly like a set I had seen used once. It was a great drive through well kept sand tracks that 2wd could get through. We drove the entire area and walked through many of these sand stone monuments that seemed so incredibly out of place. It really is worth a visit if you get over this way as it seems so out of place with the rest of the scenery.
Then it was on to Jurien Bay and we stayed at a footy field (no accommodation due to Easter)hoping to settle in for the night for a good sleep. After much procrastinating about a good site (bull ants verses no bull ants) we finally decided on a setup not to far from the amenities and on an ant free surface. We were all settled in for the night, or so we thought as a 40 kph wind began to blow with gusts of up to 80 so the tent became very much like a giant sail trying slap us at every chance. The velcro holding the tent top and sides gave way so some of it came for a visit. After trying to hold it from inside I went outside to re-do the velcro only to have the pegs pull out 10 mins later and again the tent wanted to slap us. I went outside armed with my secret weapon zip ties and anodised sand pegs convinced that this would save the day but it didn’t. Our wonderful water proof tent was leaking through the walls and I found myself holding the walls so they didn’t take flight. It was at this point of sheer camping victory that we decided it was time to bail. So first things first we had to cut the zip ties but could only find cheap scissors. Each step we were working between wind gusts and driving rain and lightning seriously wanting a caravan but eventually we got it all packed up, and like 2 drowned rats we jumped in the Hilux and left Jurien Bay with somewhat tainted memories. Just a PS to this we had some amazing fish and chips for dinner before the storm came so not all bad memories.
As we got back on the road we dried out a bit and were amazed at the sheer force of the wind, we had been told it was windy but this was nuts. An update that apparently this bad wind system only happens once a year and they are never quite sure when, but we sure were. After driving for a while we finally gave in and spent the night sleeping in the Hilux a bit damp but happy for the sleep, only to pass a rest area 20 mins down the road with toilets and good camping areas. Once the day dawned we continued on after a fuel stop to Carnarvon and learned that even though normally they would have accommodation that owing to Easter and the Gascoyne Offroad championships (which are awesome) even the free camping sites were full. The Bogan in me really enjoyed watching these off road machines trundle through town and stopping for fuel. I have included a couple of images but they are not my own and belong to the Gascoyne Rally page.
So after getting my fix of these incredible machines we headed out for another adventure although we were both very tired and in desperate need of some sleep. No sooner have we got 20klms out of Carnarvon we came across and English couple from Manchester who had misjudged the fuel range of their vehicle and had run out of fuel. So we did a run back into town for them and picked up a can and some fuel to help them out. It was a bit sad but he seemed genuinely surprised that we stopped to help him and were prepared to drive back to town to get fuel. I think the Love God Love People vision of Lifepointe is for circumstances like this, especially when you don’t feel like it or have a dozen excuses. Even better we made some new friends.
At the recommendation of some great people we decided to head for Coral Bay and see if our chances for any accommodation would be better but wouldn’t you know it, it was worse and the winds were terrible. Even the excellent 4x4 tracks were chockers as no one could do anything else as the wind was stopping most other things. We took some photos and drove out thinking that this will be a monster of a day unless find somewhere soon. Well we finally drove into Karatha and found a place to stay as Easter is the time the locals leave so the place gets smaller. We had only just arrived and we were driving around and I started to think I had seen this place before but not sure how. It wasn’t until we went into Dampier and saw the statue of Red Dog that the penny dropped. It was filmed here. Anyway after an extremely long day we finally slept long and well.
