Wed, 27th Nov, 2019 Eagle Bluff Campground, Shark Bay to False Entrance, Edel Land National Park, Shark Bay, WA

6.30am 24 degrees, clear sky and gusty wind.

After breakfast we headed back to Hamelin Pool Van Park to drop off our van while we have two nights exploring Edel Land National Park (Steep Point etc).

Three bustards were hogging the road near the turn off to Whalebone Bay. Crossed the 26^th parallel again going south this time.

Past the Scenic Lookout we checked out last time – tide is way out now.

I read a note in town yesterday that said today was the lowest tide till the end of the year.

Pulled into the Lookout over Shell Beach – the white shells are glistening but I didn’t bother with a photo.

A text came through from Susan – she and Ross are grandparents again. Jessica had a baby boy but they haven’t named him yet.

Parked the van next to the old Telegraph Master’s house and topped up a few things in the truck. $10/night to leave the van there.

Headed back to the turn off to Steep Point (147km). Bitumen road, rolling up and down the sandridges as we headed west. They have just laid the next bit of bitumen and the next bit of gravel road was nearly ready for a layer of bitumen too. Lots of gum trees and banksias which have just started to bloom.

The track then becomes corrugated but all good in the truck – glad we didn’t bring the van out. We were going to leave it at Tamala Station as they have two camping area at the bottom of the main body of water that runs down the west side of Peron Peninsula. This area out to Steep Point looks like hand with lots of fingers going north into the water so there are lots of bays.

The small shrubs and trees disappear as we near Tamala Station – named after the limestone I presume as there is a lot of it lying around as we pass the turn off into the station. They farm goats here. The campground is to the north through a locked gate, you have to pay a deposit for the key.

Over the rise and we stopped at the bottom for a cuppa and to take in the view. If you put a boat in here you can go all the way up to Cape Peron. Steve let some more air out of the tyres.

Looks like the camp area called Prickly Point.

Steve spotted two emus wandering along the edge of the water.

Over another rise and we are back on bitumen as we climb over some steep sand hills then back onto the dirt. A dead Subaru wagon is abandoned just off the road.

Passed the turn-off into the station’s other campground. $19/p/n, must have chemical toilet – no facilities provided.

Open ground with larger dunes appearing.

Around the base of Depunch Loop (according to Hema).

Stopped at the entrance to the Salt Mine lease.

Good view from up here over Depunch Loop, a peninsula then the main waterway we stopped at for a cuppa.

Further on we see another body of water which has the old pastoral lease called Carrarang Station on the east side of it on another ‘finger’. It is now owned by the mining company.

Causeways appear in Brown Inlet which are used to divide off the sea water so they can retrieve the salt – called Solar Mining. On the Hema it is shown as salt pans.

Past the turn off into the township of Useless Loop. The names comes from French explorer Henri-Louis de Saulces de Freycinet, who dubbed the area ‘Havre Inutile’ or Useless Harbour, because he believed the inviting harbour to be entirely blocked by a sandbar. It wasn’t, but the Useless name stayed.

The causeway is also the crossing point to get to the National Park. Information but no tyre deflating or inflating station here. Lucky we brought our own.

Looking south of the causeway then around to the north of Brown Inlet.

The water flows in and out and there are gates on the separate ponds to stop the water flow. Lots of goats too.

Around the hill to the next pond.

The road is very corrugated now. Not far along we came to an intersection, 43km to Steep Point. We turned south (7km) to check out False Entrance and find out campsite for the night. (see map)

Narrower track through low shrubs. The base is firm with limestone.

Past an old pastoral lease water tank (False Entrance Well) they had for the sheep. Hard to imagine sheep roaming around here. Would have been hard work to muster them.

The greenery disappears to open sand and limestone area as we approach the site of the Blowholes. Steve went down into low range for the first time to crawl over the limestone rocks slowly.

Then back into the greenery again.

Found the blowhole site by the sign on the flat open rocky ground.

The blowholes weren’t blowing unfortunately. Needing bigger swells. Yesterday’s calm day has taken the puff out of the ocean. Photos from the brochure.

Two big holes – amazing to peer down though I could do with a handrail to lean on! We could hear the dragon breathing down below though as the waves rolled in and out.

These are part of the long west coast called Zuytdorp Cliffs. They extend from just north of the Murchison River mouth at Kalbarri to Steep Point – a distance of 200km. The cliffs rise up to a height of 200m above the Indian Ocean. They were name after the Dutch ship, Zuytdorp, which was wrecked against the base of the cliffs in 1712 further down the coast.

Walked around to the next platform area of limestone rocks where a pool of sea water later, drying out and leaving heaps of salt behind. Should collect some to put on our fish for dinner tonight.

The waves have smoothed the red rocks here. When the water receded we could see a worn section that created a little waterfall effect.

Steve commented there were lots of nice spa pools if you were brave enough. I think the rocks might be a tad sharp let alone the pounding waves hitting us!

Continued along the edge.

When we had first pulled up Steve saw a spray of water. It wasn’t the blow hole just the waves crashing on this big of rock.

Found an interesting ‘shell’.

Back in the truck we followed the track north along – there are heaps of tracks going off in all directions and no signs. We stopped at Pepper Point where there was a life buoy for the rock fishermen.

Walked to the edge to get a photo of False Entrance. Named because sailors confused it with the entrance to South Passage at Steep Point.

Zoomed in on the next section of cliffs.

Made lunch and stood in the shade of the truck trying to keep out of the sun which is quite hot though the wind is keeping things coolish.

Followed tracks around the dunes till we came down to the end of the beach.

The edge of the water is lined with little oyster shells on a shelf of limestone so don’t think we will be getting any whiting here.

The water came in a bit further – nice and cool.

Walked up a valley between two dunes where heaps of shell, fish etc were. Someone caught a few fish and didn’t dispose of the carcasses properly.

Walked further around but the sand was getting hot and we left our thongs back at the truck. Looking back along the beach.

We drove back to the blow holes in case they have started but nothing – hardly any sound either. We followed a track south and found some more great cliffs. Parked the truck and walked along to get a photo back of the cliff with the truck looking very small on top of it.

Below the rock shelf had holes in it and as the water rushed in, shots of water blew up and then it was sucked back out again – that will do us for a blow hole. Took a video.

Walked around to the top of the cliff.

Then along the edge heading north.

Nothing happening still at the blow holes so we went drove back to the beach. Two little fairy wrens flittered along on the track in front of us. We drove back to the sign for the track to the beach but couldn’t find anything that said campground. On the map when I booked it showed 5 spots and we chose number 3 as it was on the edge of the cliff near the beginning of the beach so I figure where we had parked before was the spot. Well it will do us any case as there is no one else around and it is a bit protected from the wind. Obviously people have had fires here before it became National Park with a blanket ‘no fire’ rule.

Relaxing afternoon reading and listening to the waves roll across the limestone shelf on the beach. A few sea gulls and a couple of Pacific gulls hung out near the big rock on the beach.

Some sea gulls flew up and were hovering over the tree beside us trying to land on the thin branches. Steve said it was a game to see who could balance the best. Later on they came back and I saw them picking at the little berries on the bush – just like the emus were.

Played a few games of Rummykub – too windy for cards, while we had our drinks.

6.30pm the wind is getting stronger and cooler so we had a bird bath and put on our long pants and flanny shirts.

Yummy whiting for dinner – need to catch some more.

Watched some fish come in to feed on the moss growing on the limestone shelf as the tide came in. As the waves washed over and back we could see their tails flicking around.

Another vehicle drove down onto the beach then turned around and drove up onto the top of the dune. Obviously thought better of that due to the wind and turned around. They came down the track near us but didn’t call in. Obviously looking for the supposed campground too.

Played some more Rummykub then had a cuppa watching the stars appear. The tide is coming in and going around the big rocks now. Maybe the blow hole is working now!

The wind is blowing hard as we climbed into bed so we closed the door as we parked so the kitchen was out of the wind. Read for a while listening to the crashing waves and howling wind. So much for the Ranger saying 4 more days of calm weather!!