Indian Ocean Drive, part 2

29 March 2012 – Coffee tasted awful this morning, a strong rubbery aftertaste, probably from the hose I used to fill up the tank. I make a mental note to add bleach to the tank and see if that makes a difference.

Off to Lesueur National Park, which in spring has the largest number of wildflowers around here but as this is autumn, I get to see only a few blossoming. Still nice. I chose not to pay the entry fee, 11dollars to drive around in your own vehicle for 20km, no thanks. I do the drive, but bugger if I pay.

The sun is beating down today, so I decide to have a swim before lunch in Dongara, where I buy a crayfish. I spend the afternoon in Geraldton Museum, which is definitely worth it ! The coast is riddled with wrecks from the Dutch ship, who in the early 17th century had only a compass to navigate from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to the Asian ports in Indonesia, Timor, India, etc.. where they would buy incense, spices, drapes, etc… Few of them made it home without a scratch and it was fairly common for some ship to navigate too far east and end up on the Western shores of Australia. The most famous ship was called the Batavia, hence the name today : the Batavia Coast.

I make camp south of Kalbarri, with my crayfish for dinner and a great view on the bay for company.

Distance today: 467km. Total: 6362km.