25 June 2002

Due to the vast differences in sea level between low and high tides in the West Kimberley region, there is simply no water to swim in at low tide on Cape Leveque. As it happened, however, the tides were timed perfectly during our visit. So on our second day there, we went for a long swim.  The underwater rockscape was different to the places we know and love on the south coast of New South Wales.  There was much less seaweed; but it was just as beautiful, and there were many lovely shells to pick up and admire.

After our morning swim, we went for a walk up to the lighthouse and admired the view of Turquoise Bay and Aqua Bay. White sand turned to praline in the dunes, and  deep red beyond, where the pindan soil began.

We went for another swim in the afternoon.  Even though we were swimming off the same headland, it was different to the morning swim because the water had receded and we were therefore swimming amongst different rocks.

In the late afternoon, we went back over to Sunset Beach with a bottle of champagne and a can of smoked oysters to celebrate the end of my PhD.  Susie made a short speech and the kids played barmaids in the unlikely Martian landscape.

On our second night at Cape Leveque, I went down to the water at low tide with Ruby and Clare and prised oysters off the rocks with a screwdriver while Susie cooked steaks that had been marinated in red wine, garlic and oil.  We sang around the campfire into the night and were lulled to sleep by the distant sound of a raucous bunch of drunk tourists up at the restaurant.