Thursday 18th September 2014 – Broome to Stanley Rest Area – fine clear hot

We woke to another foggy morning with everything dripping, so had a lazy pack up once everything was dry.  It was quite humid by the time we departed BBO at 9.30am.  We called into Roebuck Service Centre to inflate the camper tyres and headed south to Port Smith.  Stanley Rest Area is 181 kms south of Roebuck Plains Roadhouse. It is a 24 hour stop well off the road. 

Another set of kilometres to chew away at.

 

 

 

 

 

Shortly after turning south, we passed the Roebuck Plains.  The scrub by the side of the road disappeared and opened into a vast grassed area.  This area appeared to have been marshland at some time and it all drains into Roebuck Bay.  We expected to see cattle grazing as there is a station but it was much further down the road before we came across them.

 

 

Port Smith Caravan Park

We took the turnoff to Port Smith for lunch.  It is 24 kms of dirt road to the coast.  We were expecting a settlement but it was only a caravan park and station house.  We had to get a “day pass” to access the beach.  It was no charge, it is their way of keeping tabs on who is coming and going and preventing free camping at the beach.  It was $35 per night unpowered site, not that we had intended to camp there.  The caravan park was nearly a kilometre to the tidal lagoon.  You would have to be a keen fisherman to want to stay at this isolated outpost.

The receptionist told Glen that there were sharks and sandflies, but didn’t know if they had crocs.  They were offering kayak hire so you could paddle the lagoon, so the fact that she was unsure about the crocs was a little puzzling if you are going to send bait to them (the kayakers) We wouldn’t kayak there because the lagoon was fringed with mangrove trees.

The sand was very white and the water turquoise blue

The mangroves and the car park

The Stanley Rest Area is huge with two sets of toilet blocks, plenty of rubbish bins and shade shelters with picnic tables.

There are quite a few people camped here tonight.  Caravans, Camper Trailers, Roof Top Tents, and people sleeping in a station wagon.  We opted for the afternoon shade and with the breeze it has been very pleasant.