Around Oz the First Time - Chapter 49 - Broome Day 3

After the events of yesterday, we decided today would be a rest and recuperation day, starting with a regrouping and repair of those small niggles in the vans, or attempt to at least. Our one those depressed headlights and how to stop them drooping towards the ground rather that maintain their long-range view on the road.

With two of the grub screws already missing, it was imperative to find something similar, and perhaps a stronger locking washer to strengthen the hold of them on the brackets. There is a local Bunnings not far away, they will have the answer, and so off we go.

Before we make Bunnings, we pass a shop that deals in solar panels and everything electrical. I chick a U-turn and return and drop in on the owner, who I think I may have spoken to in the Thursday ring around as his voice sounds familiar. I relate the story of the day at Smiths Creek where we were out all day from the free camp only to arrive back to 48% charge in the batteries. He agrees this is a little abnormal and suggests we bring the van down to him on Monday for testing. As I have already made an appointment with an auto-electrician I will need to get to him earlier so perhaps the auto electrician has a better idea.

I have no idea when it comes to things outside my area of expertise. He talks voltage and amps; I ask him not to swear at him and he gets the general impression. Robyn shows him a picture soft her top of the van just to show him that the solar panels are not shadowed by any obstruction from the van, and he enquires whether we were parked under a tree etc (I can answer that one). He is very patient with the technophobe he has in his shop.

Bunnings is indeed “just around the corner” but does not instil a real lot of confidence given the size of the building from the aspect of our approach. We wander on in and although lacking in size everything you would normally find is crammed in there. The aisles are only one lane, not the spacious ones we are used to in Forster, no nothing like that. Here if you need to pass anyone in an aisle you definitely need to breathe in.

Robyn and I find the screws section and mull over the right one to purchase. There is nothing exactly like what we have, although we would like something we can use a spanner on rather than an Allen key. I test the sizes of screws against the one I have, which I have just removed from the lights, I find one that looks about right, then thankfully find a testing station to ensure I have the right ones. One problem, the only ones in the size I want are about 10mm longer than the test subject. I will simply pack them with more washers.

We have also been having troubles filling the drinking water tank without significant spillage, plus there are times we only just make the van. The solution, we purchase another drinking water hose to double our distance, connectors to add them to the one we already have and a soft pipe we can put the hose into as well as force around the inlet pipe, which seems to be the issue we are having, the water is simply hitting the pipe and flushing back. We will give that one a burl and see if we have solved that issue.

Bunnings items sorted (we hope), we decide to simply explore. I make an incorrect assumption about getting to the main road and we are working our way around the industrial area. Finally, I manage to get to what looks like a main road and drive south. We end up on Port Road and drive until we can drive no more, on the maps we have seen there is supposed to be a Fishing Club down here somewhere.

We park in the public car park and get out to see what we can find. Walking past a restaurant, we find the edge of the jetty, under which a family is fishing. Shortly they are taking pictures of what looks like a large bream and a trevally, and I snap a photo as well to show the boys. We sit on a large rock and marvel at the scene. While we are there a B-Double comes off the jetty loaded with large bags of Nitropril, Ammonium Nitrate, a fertiliser originally, but in this state a powerful explosive when mixed with diesel and the appropriate fuse (normally gelignite).

My dad used to use this stuff on the farm to clear rabbit burrows or water holes from Cubunge, fell trees or make holes for strainer posts. Many a time he would misjudge the charge a little and thinking we were far enough back would see lumps of mud or rocks land close to where we were standing – missing us by THAT much, to quote Maxwell Smart, Agent 86 of C.O.N.T.R.O.L. Dad used to purchase it in 25kg bags, these have what looks like a tonne in each, meaning the bang would way more louder and explosive. There are probably 32 on the B-Double probably heading for a mine.

It’s 11.30am and we all suggested that we would regroup for lunch. The restaurant here, The Wharf, seems like a nice spot. We wander in, grab a table (and a table number) and sit down. We are waiting for service, when the reception lady, the owner I think, or at least the manager for the day, comes to the table telling us we need to order from the bar and that she may have omitted to tell us this.

We order an ice chocolate and a cup of tea and peruse the menu. One thing that got us into this place was the marketing suggesting that oysters were half price after 2.00pm. The others have expressed more than a liking for the delicacy, but I am not a fan. Robyn has them from time to time but very infrequently. I let the others know what we have found, the view, the oysters and the location and they are on their way. Robyn and I order a main course size garlic calamari to get started.

The beverages arrive and I am disappointed initially as I generally do not like chocolate milk with ice in it as an “iced chocolate”, but it wasn’t on the menu, so she made it up special for me, and used very good chocolate, meaning it tasted far better than any other I had previously made in the same manner.

Forbsy arrives before the food. Although not close by Broome standards, was driving in this direction already when he got the call. Silver Leader is nowhere to be seen as yet. The calamari arrives and it is a huge meal, this will do Robyn and I without the need for anything more.

We find out shortly why Silver Leader and Rosalie have taken their time. When they arrive, Rosalie is wearing a lovely Pearl pendant necklace, the result of an excellent mornings shopping.  I let them know that when they order, they quote the table number at it will all be sorted out at the end of the meal. Silver Leader and Forbsy go off and order beers and a similar calamari meal to share as entrees.

They pay for their meals which causes all sorts of issues later, as when I go to pay for ours, I am told all the meals have been paid for. I quiz the others at the table, and they suggest they paid for theirs as they ordered it. We have ended up with our meals for free, and the cashier will not hear of anything different.

We wander down to the jetty for a look, then across the road to the walkway. The jetty walk is closed but the walkway down to the beach is accessible. From the top we can see children frolicking in the croc infested waters, there is a sign at the gate warning of the dangers of them as well as the dreaded stingers, the currents and everything else you might think of, but they are there, their parents not far away, and they are enjoying themselves.

Walking back across the road, and as Robyn goes to open the gate a child comes form nowhere at breakneck speed and she collects him with the gate. The kid is stunned and lying on the cement path. Robyn is beside herself but is able to automatically go into first aid mode, being a former scout leader, a venturer and just lately a trained St Johns first aider through our local Rotary Club.

We are able to get the name out of him and I head back down to under the jetty where the families are gathered to see if I can find parents. The comments I receive are humorous, one lady says those four children in the water are hers, and she checks just to make sure, yes four, another says is the kid white haired. Around here, they would have to be joking. No one seems to know anything or lost anyone, so I head back up.

On my arrival at the crash site the child is nowhere to be seen and Forbsy said the last he saw of him was him swinging off the jetty with the other kids under there. His parents were there, even though he was neither white, white haired, bright eyed or anything else I was asked when I visited the clan. Happy ending.

Lets wander a bit more, Forbsy is keen to investigate a road that is not for authorised use and is keen to see where it ends up. Robyn is sceptical but there is a boat ramp sign pointing ion the direction suggested, that plus I am sure I have seen on a map there is supposed to be a Fishing Club here somewhere.

The road reveals the boat ramps – three of them – emanating from a car park at the end of the road. There is in fact a Fishing Club on the hill overlooking the car park which is open Thursday through to Sunday but we note you need to signed in by a member. OK, road investigates, let’s find a Woollies and update the provisions, especially the spring water stash which has gotten down to a low ebb. Robyn Googles the nearest one and we head off. Forbsy wants to investigate a road he saw on the way down and Silver Leader in in search of fishing spots.

Shopping done we return to the van, unload and stack. Robyn grabs the sheets and doona cover from the line, and I make the bed while she looks to put another load into our own washing machine rather than the park one. There is footy on again today and we find the AFL easily, watching the final quarter of a gripping match between GWS and Robyn’s brother in law’s Pies. Alas the Pies are done for the year. Later there will be the NRL with Robyn’s Storm playing.

I make a start on the driving lights. It’s not long before I realise the screws, I am replacing are not really the problem, but they will be part of the solution. Of course, for me, mechanical stuff is never easy. My fingers don’t work well enough to give any purchase on them. I have purchased washers that are too big for purpose I believe, but with a bit of ingenuity I am able to get the first “fix” in place only to find the lights still move. Its another much small screw that is causing the problem.

I take to the second issue with another much smaller Allen key, before looking to fix the other light. This one has also lost s grub screw but its on the alternate side and there is no room to get my fingers into the space and start the screw moving enough to then use the Allen key to finish the job. The football starts, its getting dark, too dark to see, so I pack it up and go and watch the football.

Robyn’s team is in total control from about 5 minutes in. Parramatta, so good last week against the broncos are handed their arses much in the same way they did to last week’s adversary. Robyn’s second favourite player after the retired Billy Slater, Cameron Smith is sent to the sin bin, to the hysterical joy of the sitting crowd (except Robyn of course), but he deserved it if the send offs of last night were any indication.

Lunch was big enough, so we don’t really feel hungry for dinner, so we retire early, knowing tomorrow will bring markets and perhaps some fishing, Silver Leader has several sites mapped out, and he and Forbsy have been discussing charters over dinner. I can see we will be here more than the budgeted 5 days we planned.