We had been one step in front of a massive storm front moving across most of WA from Port Hedland down. Each day, the place we had been in the day before has had torrential rain and howling gales. Eighty Mile Beach is 300 km from Port Hedland, and we could still see that menacing cloud formation directly to the west. The forecast had rain overnight and we were a bit concerned that if it was too much rain overnight, the people that own the place might close that dirt access road until it dries out. Usually the patter of rain on the roof can be quite soothing, but it was persistent and growing heavier each hour.
Finally at 06:30 it was time to move: get out before they had a chance to determine the state of the road. We got up and got out, back to the highway by 730. There was no drama, the road was at least smoother than yesterday, but you could see how more rain could cause problems.
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| back at the highway after visiting Eighty Mile Beach WA |
First stop was only 45km up the road at the Sandfire Roadhouse, just fuel and back out onto the road. some 300km later we rolled into the Roebuck Plains Roadhouse, which is at the junction of the West Coast and Derby Highways. It was still early, only 11am, so we had a slow coffee and toasted sandwich before heading east again, our sight set on Derby, 185km away.
Derby seems little changed from last time (2013) with the exception being a new Woolworths. Had lunch and collapsed for a hour or so before heading around the corner to the CWA markets, which was small but packed, with hot food and music to go with the usual hand-made tat one finds at these things. The plan had been to get sunset snaps from the wharf, but it was too late after the market, so we took night time snaps instead.
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| Wharf. Derby WA |
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| Wharf. Derby WA |
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| Wharf. Derby WA |
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