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The night was not a relaxed one, as we know that during cyclone Vance 7 years ago cars and vans flew through the air as matchboxes. It stormed and rained heavy and the worst had to come on the spot where Emma landed.on the coast The cyclone is increasing in strength upon approaching the warm coastal waters .After hitting the cast, the cyclone normally decreases to a storm but than another problem starts: torrential rains, which can block roads for weeks.The catchment area's have no rivers but lower terrain area's which let the water flow to the sea. This are temporary huge rivers. On roads is often indicated: Floodway, indicators show dept. Only 4wheel drive cars can attempt to cross. With a campervan like ours you have to wait till the water is gone. In the night the campervan shaked in the wind and we hoped that no loose object would hit the campervan.

We went to the police next morning to ask advice and they say there is no other option as to sit it out as roads were blocked. There is only one road on the peninsula leading from Exmouth, so no other option exists for leaving, we have to stay. We found out that the on the Internet is a site of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, where the cyclone is monitored per minute. First we saw the cyclone heading west, our direction. The risk area was clearly indicated in red, and Exmouth was in it. Important was if the cyclone increased in strengths . It gained only slow power. Then the cyclone changed direction to the south, to Onslow.That was a good sign. Around noon the cyclone landed near Onslow and we knew we had luck. We saw soon the clouds breaking in the west and in the east massive clouds were visible from the cyclone. Still we had to wait a day or two before we could leave. Another cyclone was forming near Darwin in the north. so we wished to leave as soon as it was possible. Due to the swells, the visibility with diving was poor, so next day no scuba diving. We spend the day further quiet with shopping and replenishing our food. We decided next day to go snorkelling in the Cape Range National Park.First a look if the surfers beach. It offered some good surfing opportunities, but it did not look tempting. Rough seas after the cyclone but no real big surfs. So the new surfboard, the wetsuit and so are still unused.On the beach lots of interesting objects from the sea, washed ashore after the storm. Like lots of nice sponges. We took one sponge for the bathroom.

A bright green crab was trying to escape. The shipwreck of the Mildura,, at the most northerly point of the peninsula, was only partly above the waves due to high tide .Then further to the national Park On the way to Turquoise Beach a family of 6 emus, 5 young chicks were near the road.

Snorkelling in Turquoise Bay was great. There is a current which take you slowly over the fish and corals and after half an our you exit , walk back and you can do it again Or go to another part of the beach and do it there. The water was not very clear after the cyclone, but there was still enough to see: coral and many species fish

Them we left to the end of our journey, Yardee Creek. From now on the trip goes back, slowly to Perth, where our plane will take off in 2 weeks.

At Yardee Creek we saw strange traces of animals in the sand. It is a lovely little estuary, cut away from the sandstone in ancient times.What not is listed in the tourist information is all around you. Lots of fossils. Giant sea lilies and chunks of stone, only existing of fossils. Sometimes very fine structured with all the details of the animal or plant. A strange spectacle were, about 1 m long fish, with a blue green colour, jumping 3 m high out of the water and falling back with a loud splash. Of course we were a fraction of a minute too late to make a picture of the fish in the air with our slow digital camera.

It was a touching moment, the end destination of our 2 months trip in Australia. Our campervan and our heads are heavy loaded with memories. Mariska had a wonderful time, she's an easy child an likes travelling quite a lot.

On the way back we see a about 1 meter long waran. The animal is so friendly to wait till we have taken the picture. It is a useful animal, it eats carrion and help to clean the nature.When it moves, it has strange, inelegant way of moving, unlike the agile lizards we see everywhere. These can run extremely fast in a erected way, running on their back legs.

Near the caravan park live several kinds of cacatoos. Here are a particular kind white ones, they can erect their hood.

Diving is not pleasant, if the visibility is bad. So we decide to go back to Coral Bay. The roads to Coral Bay are open. In Coral Bay we are not the only tourist any more. Though not fully booked out, there are lots of people. Birgitt selects a nice place on the most expensive camping, but as it has no swimming pool we move next morning to the other camping. It feels much better now, further from the path of the next cyclone, which is now steadily developing near Darwin. Coral Bay was in the risk area of Cyclone Emma, but further to the south, and close to more roads, so more options to escape and that's a good feeling. On the caravan park are lots of beautiful hooded pigeons, a couple was courting.

On the arrival on Coral Bay we noticed a brisk wind from sea, cooling down considerably. And a nice surprise: hardly any flies. Next day the strong winds were over and the flies were back.Next morning two dives.were planned.The dives went smooth, lots of nice fishes and many hundred type of coral. The second dive I bumped upon a sea turtle. Ralph, an experienced German diver was my buddy and a good help to spot nice fishes. On the dive boat were many nice people; a nice couple was Rainer and Monika. She was cool but later she told it was her first dive. Amazing! We invited them for a camping dinner and we had a great evening together. They have a broad knowledge and interest in anything that interests us. They came of another profession, Rainer orthopaedic surgeon in exactly the clinic where Birgitt was brilliantly treated for a broken wrist, long ago, and Moni plastic surgeon. Further she was ski and snowboard instructor. And she could have been a beauty queen as well! We planned to see each other in Europe this summer. Next morning a salesman complained that this long weekend still brought no extra guests, and another mentioned: if the word 'cyclone ' is mentioned, nobody moves again. Sand for good reason, as we experienced in Exmouth.

After the successful dive we decided: Mission Completed and to leave next morning. We left to the south, passing the tropic of Capricorn, so we were in the sub tropics now. You expect it to be colder, but is was hotter, the temperature peaked at 46C degrees in the shadow, and unbearable in the sun. But the flies did not seem to be bothered by the heat, they were active and irritant more than ever. Every time we have opened the door of the campervan we have to go hunting flies, to kill them to the very last, as they attack Mariska. If they do that while she sleeps, she wakes up.

En route we saw many interesting things, like a rose plant

If it is allowed we look for seeds so we can try to grow them in the garden.

On our way to Carnavon we notice a board 'Next service 220 km' That means: nothing is in-between that service stations, no houses, nothing. If you run out of fuel, or you have problems, it is really a long walk to get assistance. Most divers greet each other.on those lonely roads.by waving their hand, If you see someone on the street waving, he's most likely not greeting you but chasing away flies. On our way to Carnarvon, we have time to see the Blowholes. During the 100 km detour we see. an interesting salt river. In the brow, fully with salt saturated water, big snow white salt crystals grow. Further on we see in a salt lake the salt crystals glittering like diamonds.

The blowholes area is a spectacular view. Wild ocean waves swirl around the rocks. These rocks have canals and regularly the waves press with huge force water through small vents, 20 meters high, like a geyser. Next to the vent is a bigger hole in which the water is sucked away with a gurgling noise. A unique spectacle.The coast there offers at many locations spectacular views and waves crashing against the rocks. If you are caught by such wave, you won't survive. Many warnings warn for he danger and people indeed did die here. End of the afternoon we arrive in Carnarvon again.
Tomorrow Monday is Labour day and strangely enough people do not do any labour then. Most shops are closed, do a good day to travel again. Still 11 days before return flight to Holland and still lots of plans. A major operation is still diving at the Abrolhos islands 80 km from the cost near Geraldton.

Next day a 7 hour trip to the south is planned, A long time to strap down Mariska in the Traveller, so we plan not to stop, only for changing nappies. We notice that it must have rained quite a lot and the dry and grey tussock grass turned lush green. We saw again many interesting plants, but did not stop to take a closer look. Maybe for the next time we come here. About 50 km before Geraldton the Outback ended. We saw agricultural activities and now and then a farm. On the map the coastal village of Horrocks looked attractive and it was indicated to have a surf beach. Would we at last use now our surf gear? So we decided to spend the night here. It is indeed nicely located, with a reef and a jetty. at sunset we made a walk The jetty was full of people, fishing. We took a closer look and much to our relief nobody caught anything. Mariska loves it to be carried around in the Babybjorn. Next day Geraldton was the destination. At last in the civilised world, with enough water, reliable mobile phone network and lots of opportunities to use Internet.But before we leave we both make a morning run along the beach. Lots of coloured sea weed hints to a rich life along the reef, but unfortunately no dive shop. The surf beach was there as well, north of the reef, but the waves were insufficient to go surging. On the outer reefs there were huge waves, but of course you do not want to crash yourself on a coral reef. So our quest to find a good surfing beach goes on.The road to Horrocks is one of the nicest we saw in Australia. It is leading through a hilly landscape of incredible beauty. Horrocks itself is a jewel. Only money should be available to turn it in a holiday paradise

At the information centre it became clear that in this season few divers went to the Abrolhos islands. But a lady told me she was there last weekend and the visibility was 59 meters. So I definitely liked to see that. In a dive school I got the dive equipment and it was possible to charter a helicopter, if sufficient people could be found. If not a local dive on a shipwreck was the planning. At the end of the afternoon I got the message that sufficient people were available for a helicopter trip but I was the only diver. So a dive master should participate as well as I'm new to this area and diver always dive with a buddy. It was soon agreed that Sally would pick me up at the caravan park and bring me to the airport.

The caravan park was very nice, with an ensuite, your own little bathroom next to you. But more important, practically no flies , so we decide to stay here for a while.

The diving on the Abrolhos was an adventure. Divemaster Sally picked me up and we drove to the airfield where a shining red Sikorsky S-62 helicopter.was parked on the ramp. This helicopter would be our companion for all day. After paying we took off to an island 80 km off the coast. It was flat, only above sea level one meter high and consists of chunks of coral. It was covered with low shrubs and lots of birds were flying around. Around the islands were beautiful turquoise lagoons, full of surprises. On the beach appeared a few sealions. On the island were in a container a compressor, air tanks and lead weights. It was an easy entry in the sea for the first dive and after first crossing the undeep lagoon.we enjoyed endless variations in coral, interesting fish of all colours end size. As briefed we went to 30 meters deep to see the huge sea cabbage. My dive computer showed a depth of 31.5 m. It was another world,deep like a 10 story flat is high, under the surface. This world is grey blue dark, cold and hardly any colours, which were filtered away by the water. Nice to have a private dive computer if you dive to more than 30 meters, have multiple dives and directly after the diving a trip by helicopter.That has potentially big risks for the decompression sickness, if the limits are busted.But the computer showed al was safe. The lunch was delicious and the second dive took more time. As it is procedure in the scuba world the next dive is less deep than the previous This time less fish but more diverseİcoral. This area is unique as warm water from the north merges with cool water from the south. This creates a unique life with a mixed variety of tropical and subtropical species. The variation in temperature is sometimes so big that the water can be seen mixing.

It is the time of coral spawning. This reduces the visibility and on the surface it concentrates, like a yellow oil spill. Is is called 'Captain Cooks Sawdust', as he described it the first time in 1770 and it looks so.Now we have one week to go in Australia and start doing careful planning when to arrive in Perth, do the packing and the cleaning.Of course we bought so much that have a hefty overweight and have to make choices what to discard.and what to take with us. And we have to do some clever planning what to take in cabin and what to check in. Probably Mariska gets the surfboard and fins in her luggage. Easy to explain: she takes it for future use.

Completed March 9, 2006

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