KALBARRI

All the kids in the tent the morning the Tedescos and Pattersons left Kalbarri - the noise was deafening!

Bridgie collecting shells at Jakes Point

Watching the surfers at Jakes Point

Watching the surfers at Jakes Point

The family at Red Bluff - looking south

At Red Bluff looking north over Kalbarri township

On the Mushroom Rock - Rainbow Valley walk

Sarah at Natural Bridge

Bridget and Tess at Castle Cove

Bridget and Tess with their own style of 'whale watching' at Natural Bridge, Kalbarria Coastal drive

The kids in the powerboat about to go down the Murchison River

David, the great powerboat captain and his crew on the Murchison River

DAY 80 – KALBARRI                                                              Tuesday, 20th September

Kalbarri is just absolutely beautiful!!!  Admittedly, we have had the perfect weather today – not too hot, but blue cloudless skies.  We farewelled the Tedescos and the Pattersons after much jocularity in the tent between the eight kids. 

We decided to the coastal road today with the brilliant sunshine so we headed first to Jakes Point where you can watch surfers riding the enormous waves of the Indian Ocean in almost to the rocks at Kalbarri.  Because you can walk out to the point on the rocks, you get a view of the surfers riding the waves from the side which is spectacular.  The ocean is just amazing and we could have sat there for ages.  All night we could hear the thundering of the waves but because we are on a river, it was hard to picture where the noise was coming from.  But on his early morning walk, David went to the mouth of the river where it opens into the Indian Ocean and it is wild!  Can’t imagine what it would be like to try to steer a boat out through that mouth!

We then drove further south down the coast to Red Bluff, which gave beautiful views over Kalbarri. At Mushroom Rock we did a 3km nature trail walk along the cliff tops and to Rainbow Valley.  The rock formations in the sandstone were amazing and we saw a pod of dolphins travelling north in the water.  We drove further to Natural Bridge and Castle Cove which were absolutely stunning.  The views over the Indian Ocean with the waves crashing on the rocks below were magical; nothing between us and Africa, except the magnificent Southern Right and Humpback whales which were passing us by with their calves on their journey south.  We had lunch overlooking the imposing Indian Ocean.  I could have sat there forever.  It was the most captivating view!

We drove back to Kalbarri and hired a powerboat for an hour to take a trip up the Murchison River.  Unfortunately, they only hold 5 people so Mummy got to do some four wheel driving, chasing the family up beside the river along a four wheel drive track!  It was great fun!  I kept stopping along the river and running out like a mad woman, waving and taking photos and calling out to my beautiful family.

They had an absolute ball and all children got an opportunity to steer the boat and pretend to be the captain.  They even though the most exciting part was when they became stranded on a sandbar and Daddy had to use the oars to get them out!  David was fantastic because, as you all know, they call him “David, the great tugboat captain”!  So he masterfully steered the ship (4 metre tinny) through the rocks and sandbars back to shore.

The kids took great delight and pride in themselves on the way home, as they were allowed to walk home and buy some postcards and stamps on the way.  They were even given $1 each to spend at the supermarket.  They were so proud and seemed so grown up!  They have really grown up so much over this holiday and have shown enormous independence in what they are now able to do by themselves.  It is such a great learning experience for them.

Some journaling before a Daddy favourite - Chicken and Avocado Fettucine – and an EARLY night after so much socialising recently!!