Day 35 - Wednesday, 17 February - Carnarvon (Coral Coast Tourist Campsite ... Nr. 91)

We have left the Shark Bay area.  The Arboriginals call it "Gutharaguda" meaning "Two Bays". 

Dirk Hartog landed as the first European on Cape Inscription on 25 Oct 1616 and will be celebrated this year.  Captain Cook came 154 yrs later.  Other famous explorers and sailors were de Vlamingh, Dampier, François Peron, Captain Denham.

The Dutch were the first, who wanted to colonise Australia.  Then came the French followed by the English, who were to stay.

And are now we are in Carnarvon (stress on second syllabel, please).

Yesterday we had a problem with the car and had to extend our stay at "Bay Lodge".  We enjoyed another "soft" evening.

We had spent half a day in François Peron National Park.    Very strange vegetation, no vegetation, desert, claypans and, above all, extraordinary colors .... white beaches, emerald green bush, dark red cliffs, yellow dunes.  Red sand - like in Namibia.

Manta Ray swimming at our feet at Skipjack Point - can you see it ?

From 200 m above, this 130 cm large fish seems tiny.   We also saw a Tiger Shark.

To enter the Peron Park, tyres must be carefully deflated.

They mean it: "No cars above this point".  We saw the warning too late, got stuck - and were pulled out of 30 cm deep abd very loose sand.

It happened a second time at a very lonely spot.  Travellers are extremely helpful in this end of the World, so all ended well, but we will not explore Dirk Hertog Island, nor Steep Point, nor the Zuitdorp Cliffs.  Let's not push our luck -

A long and dusty drive through the desert with just one stop a a Worameel Roadhouse for some quick lunch before reaching Carnarvon.  Nothing to see ..... no birds, no trees, nothing.

Plenty of camp space in "Coral Coast Tourist Park".   We arrive early and have time for tourism before building up the tent.

The Carnarvon River is huge with islands in the very estuary.   Big islands.  One of them is "Babbage Island" from where the "One Mile Jetty", which ends in the Indian Ocean.

One Mile Jetty - we will walk that tomorow morning.

This afternoon we want to buy fruit and vegetables.  There is loads of underground water and many plantations on both sides of the (now dry) river.

But nothing to buy whatsoever.  Too late in the year, even for mangos.  There are signs overall announcing "no jobs", "closed" even "stay out".   Not very welcoming, but pittoresque enough.

Forgot to say, that on the way back form Peron, yesterday, the door to the back storage room of the car jumped open and we lost our precious food box.  Drove back and were lucky enough to gather most of the lost goods along the roadside. 

When back from supper that same evening, we realise that the damaged box as well as box number two has disappeared.   We never find out, what really happened.